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Description
This article aims to contribute to the bibliographic and theoretical understanding of the development of human settlements and urban infrastructures in the post-industrial era, with a focus on the unequal distribution of essential resources such as food, water, and energy, as well as the intervention in landscapes for energy production and consumption. The primary objective is to propose integrated Renewable Energy Communities (RECs) as transformative solutions for resilient and sustainable urban development. The research incorporates historical and methodological frameworks, advocating for the establishment of positive energy districts and the integration of renewable energy sources into net-zero carbon urban circular economies, grounded in the concept of urban metabolism.
The bibliographic and theoretical investigation is structured into four thematic sections, each on key authors whose work in critical perspectives on social, economic, and urban development. The first section examines the impact of the Industrial Revolution on cities, marked by mass migration from rural to urban areas, resource scarcity, and the transformation of territorial morphology. In the first section, key contributions include Henri Lefebvre, who analyzes the role of state centralization and territorial hierarchization in deepening socio-spatial inequalities, thereby consolidating urban supremacy over rural areas, and André Corboz, in “The Land as Palimpsest”, who interprets territory as a result of overlapping historical and natural processes, providing a critical and projective rationality for urban planning.
The second section addresses the intensive exploitation of landscapes, the rise of resistance movements, and the principles of critical rationalism concerning the environmental impacts of urban land overuse driven by mass movements and industrialization. Françoise Choay and avant-garde groups such as “Superstudio” and “Archizoom Associati” present incisive critiques of the environmental and social consequences of industrialization, emphasizing the importance of preserving ecological and cultural heritage. Andrea Branzi’s in his recent work, “Agronica – Urbanizzazione Debole”, introduces a hybrid city model in which the boundaries between urban and rural spaces dissolve, fostering a symbiotic coexistence between these realms.
The third section explores the interdependence between energy consumption and production, identifying it as a pivotal factor in addressing the challenges of sustainable urban development. Yona Friedman, in “Alternative energetiche: Breviario dell’autosufficienza locale”, underscores the intrinsic relationship between energy use and society, advocating for the rational use of energy, particularly in domestic applications such as heating, hot water, lighting, and food preparation. Paola Viganò, in “Recycling City: Lifecycles, Embodied Energy, Inclusion”, along with her more recent works, investigates strategies for repurposing underutilized urban areas, including brownfields, greyfields, and greenfields, while emphasizing the importance of integrated infrastructure and sustainable transportation systems. Energy cogeneration is presented as a viable approach to linking mobility networks with urban infrastructure, prioritizing resource efficiency and the revitalization of degraded spaces.
The final section emphasizes the significance of recognizing landscapes as a strategic resource for urbanism and territorial planning across multiple scales in the context of the contemporary city, often referred to as "diffuse," "exploded," or "sprawling." Pasqualetti and Stremke argue that, while awareness of the environmental and social impacts of these landscapes has increased considerably in recent decades, they are not a new phenomenon. They assert that the concept of "energy landscapes" constitutes a comprehensive field of study, addressing technical, visual, social, ecological, and political dimensions associated with energy development.
Integrating historical, critical, and projective perspectives, this research identifies pathways for the implementation of Renewable Energy Communities (RECs) and positive energy districts within the framework of urban metabolism, fostering a net-zero carbon circular economy. This interdisciplinary approach seeks not only to address socio-spatial inequalities but also to transform landscapes and urban structures into catalysts for resilience and sustainability, aligning territorial planning, technological innovation, and environmental stewardship.
References
Lefebvre, H. (1999) A revolução urbana. Belo Horizonte: UFMG.
Lefebvre, H. (2001) O direito à cidade. Tradução de Rubens Eduardo Frias. São Paulo: Centauro.
Corboz, A. (1983) ‘The land as palimpsest’, Diogenes, 31(121), pp. 12–34.
Choay, F. (2001) A alegoria do patrimônio. São Paulo: UNESP.
Branzi, A. (1994) Agronica – Urbanizzazione Debole. Milano: Mondadori.
Branzi, A. e Archizoom Associati (2006) Non-Stop City: Archizoom Associati. Barcelona: Actar. Disponível em: https://issuu.com/anna.valastro/docs/anna_valastro_269043.
Friedman, Y. (2012) Alternative energetiche: Breviario dell'autosufficienza locale. Torino: Bollati Boringhieri.
Fabian, L., Giannotti, E. e Viganò, P. (eds.) (2012) Recycling City: Lifecycles, Embodied Energy, Inclusion. Pordenone: Giavedoni Editore. ISBN 978-88-98176-01-4.
Stremke, S. (2010) Designing Sustainable Energy Landscapes: Concepts, Principles, and Procedures. Tese (PhD) – Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen.
Pasqualetti, M. e Stremke, S. (2018) ‘Energy landscapes in a crowded world: a first typology of origins and expressions’, Energy Research & Social Science, 36, pp. 94–102. Disponível em: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2214629617303146. Acesso em: 21 jan. 2025.
| Keywords | Renewable Energy Communities (REC); Urban Metabolism; Sustainable Urban Development |
|---|---|
| Best Congress Paper Award | Yes |
