Integrating climate change with the design process of urban planning

Adaptatio is a research project funded by the French Ministry of Ecology, managed by Morgane Colombert (EIVP) and involving several French partners - EIVP, EGIS Concept, CDC Climat, CSTB and the City of Paris. Adaptatio´s role is to suggest a fresh methodology to consider the issue of adaptation to climate change during a design process of an urban planning project. It has become vital to consider adaptation and solutions in a comprehensive and co-ordinated manner, yet remain aware of the importance and requirements of the entire urban design process. Focus, within the Adaptatio framework is on two key resources - water and energy. Suggested methodology is based on development of a novel, yet simple tool to afford easy access to water and to regulate energy consumption during an urban planning project - catering for in particular, differing climatic scenarios. The primary objective is to provide quantitative information so that all possibilities may be anticipated. To provide new methodology, firstly the current state of how adaptation to climatic change is handled needed to be pinpointed. An analysis was made of French and international schemes in place and labels actually developed and used by professionals in urban planning noted. It is clear the key issue of adaptation to climatic change in this scenario does not truly feature, but holds rather more of an indirect involvement.