Smart Sustainable City
BATCh’s approach to new urban developments
From our perspective, we have a Smart Sustainable City only if it fulfills all following requirements:
- Enjoyable by its dwellers and visitors.
- Profitable for the investors.
- Healthy for the citizens and for the environment.
- Adaptable to the ever improving technologies.
We share this view with Smart City Cluster, a large group of companies oriented to all things Smart City. We developed together this holistic approach to integrate our expertises in architecture, climate engineering and smart technology.
Always under a layer of economic feasibility and social well-being we approach new developments with the goal of achieving Smart Sustainable Cities. Our way to get there is based on INTEGRATED DESIGN PROCESS. The key to a high performing city is to integrate:
- Architecture. By defining a strong architectural concept for each of our developments, we are able to design inspiring spaces both exterior and interior. Architecture is the integrating force of our process. The city is the theater in which our lives take place in the 21st century.
- Climate Engineering. From the masterplanning stage, we work with the best specialists in energy modeling to help define shapes, sizes and orientations based on environmental conditions such as wind, sunlight or humidity. This way we bring down the use of energy to less than 50% of standards. The key magnitude here is Kwh/sqm/annum.
- Smart Technologies. We integrate state-of-the-art technologies in various fields from transportation to «Sponge city» or waste and water management. To be able to adapt to evolving technology and to all events in the city, we propose a Big Data Platform that works as a Central Nervous System to gather all data generated by the city and make the best decisions based on it.
Economic feasibility (Business approach)
Economic profitability starts with making the right questions. Through a Market feasibility study we assess the absorption capacity of the area in order to develop an optimal commercial offering and avoid over-investment and under-occupancy.
- Attract investors
- Define the “program of uses”
- Define the target market
Applying Passive Design techniques along with Energy Modeling and Virtual Construction Process Simulation results in a drastic reduction of the investment needs, with a virtuous circle effect of attracting more investors due to higher than average returns on investment. Final gains are obtained by setting up optimal conditions for efficient operation by using Information Technologies for best decision making.
Social well-being
City policy must be focused on social cohesion and articulation. The improvement of the life of citizens is crucial for us since the city us the theater in which our lives take place in the 21st century.
We propose urban masterplans based on energy modeling and social analysis through tools like gamification and placemaking.
Integrated design process
Architecture
Why a Strong Architectural concept?
As architects we must integrate good structure, installations and finishes with the design of the best possible spaces for the life of the citizens. And those spaces must have the quality of coherence with one another. On different scales, the same can be said about urban spaces. That coherence and unicity between the spaces and the technical issues are met through a Strong Architectural Concept. Finding the right one for the client’s needs and for the specific location is key to success. Through it, we obtain a common thread and a coherent answer to every question raised along the building process from conception to user experience.
The city as an organism
In a biology-like definition, our cities must be an integration of elements with a complex organization arranged by orderly communications both internal and external (Smart Technologies). By being able to adapt to the changing conditions and circumstances (Big Data Platform), it will perform its basic goals of improving the life of citizens (Park,Green Buildings and Urban Spaces) while achieving economic (Business Approach) and environmental (Climate Engineering) sustainability.
Climate engineering
Climate responsive design
Working with the best experts, our designs make minimal use of energy to maximize comfort. Architects, climate engineers and technology experts work together in an Integrated Design Process.
We bring the use of energy down to less than 50% of standards, while keeping the investment level favorable. Indoor and outdoor air quality, temperature and humidity will provide a nice experience in the outside, while increasing productivity inside the buildings.
We make the best possible use of natural resources while combining them with bioclimatic architecture and mechanical systems. This makes the best use of energy and water while leveraging sunlight, building form and positioning, façades, wind and humidity to our favor.
We make extensive use of computer simulation techniques to analyze indoor comfort levels provided by the amount of sunlight, wind, humidity and position of the buildings. Using this type of computer simulations allows us to test new ideas and concepts before getting into more advanced stages so that optimal results are guaranteed.
Simulation and evaluation tools:
• Daylight and Shading Analysis
• Dynamic Thermal Simulation
• Computational Fluid Dynamics
• Outdoor Comfort Analysis
Simulation and evaluation tools:
• Daylight and Shading Analysis
• Dynamic Thermal Simulation
• Computational Fluid Dynamics
• Outdoor Comfort Analysis
Smart technologies
Big Data Platform
We make our developments extremely adaptable to the changing conditions of developing technologies, building uses, traffic, etcetera. To be able to do that, we use a Big Data Platform that behaves as a Central Neural System. A system where sensors are placed in all areas of the development. These sensors will provide real-time information that is processed applying Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Techniques.
This way, the city is aware of what is happening in it and provides alternatives to the management for optimized city performance.
Every day, city operators know exactly what is happening in their city by collecting and analyzing the data from all sorts of indicators. This way, high level city managers can make good strategic decisions.
Ever developing technologies:
• District heating and cooling
• Green and low-carbon transportation and traffic system
• Solid waste management
• Water management and treatment system
• «Sponge city» solutions