At URBES, we explore the processes, scales, and feedbacks, regulating the functioning of natural and urban ecosystems. Specific research areas include urban climate and hydrology, soil-plant processes in natural and urban environments, urban structure and dynamics, and sustainable urban design – with particular attention to urban green spaces, climate, and health. Given the complexity of such problems, our research crosses the boundaries between multiple disciplines, from hydrology, to ecology, meteorology, physics, urban planning, and public health.
Our aim is to conceptualize and generalize the biotic and abiotic processes occurring at the Earth’s land surface and derive simplified (mathematical) descriptions of the complex interactions between humans, climate, and ecosystems.
Ongoing projects and collaborations
SNSF-FNRS. Coming soon …
UNHCR & Geneva Technical Hub – funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation
SNSF Sinergia. Read more here
FCL Global. Read more here
Workshops
EPFL, 13-15 September 2023. See program here.
Codes & Data
Visit our Github page: https://github.com/urbes-team
Other open source codes and databases are available here:
- Temperature-related mortality attributed to urban heat islands in European cities: code and dataset (Huang et al., 2023, Nature Communications)
- Coevolution of population and urban transport networks (Capel-Timms et al., 2024, PRSI)
- UT&C model (Meili et al., 2020, GMD)
- Climate, Population, & Global Urban Heat Islands (Manoli et al., 2019, Nature)
Field instruments
