A new research laboratory in the field of sustainable construction

On the Arkinova Technology Park, the Nobatek/NEF4 technology centre and the University of Pau and the Pays de l’Adour (UPPA) have created a joint laboratory named “Sustainable construction: urban architecture and physics”.

The creation of this laboratory sprang from the desire to increase scientific cooperation between the Nobatek/INEF4 Technology Centre and the University of Pau and the Pays de l’Adour to contribute to the development of research areas in the field of sustainable construction. For the Urban Authority of the Basque Country and the Nouvelle-Aquitaine Region, it also involves strengthening a regional sector of excellence. In connection with this laboratory, the Basque Country Urban Authority has also undertaken to fund three theses or the equivalent in post-doctoral researchers over five years. 

This new laboratory will be based at the Anglet Arkinova Technology Park, and will be the responsibility of Benoit Beckers, the chair holder.  “There will soon be a team of five or six people brought together to work on a fairly new theme which is the link between urban architecture and physics” explained Mr Beckers.

Amongst the subjects which will be tackled in 2017 by this new laboratory, we should mention the development of a design tool for the natural and artificial lighting of buildings, the use of rapid prototyping (3-D printing) for the validation of physics models and the natural ventilation of buildings.