News

Wind lidar installed at EPFL

Published:23.04.25 — The scanning lidar will enable to acquire wind and aerosol backscatter measurements within the boundary layer of Lausanne

The spatial distribution of urban trees can impact human health

Published:20.03.25 — A long-term study on Switzerland has found a link between the spatial arrangment of residential trees and mortality risk.

URBES at the exhibition "Datapoiesis" in Venice

Published:15.01.25 — URBES together with ENAC-IT4Research have developed an online platform for urban data visualization now displayed at the Datapoiesis exhibition in Venice

To densify or not to densify? That is the question

Published:20.08.24 — As researchers learn more about the costs and benefits of urban densification, city planners will be able to make better-informed measures, says Gabriele Manoli, a tenure-track assistant professor at EPFL, in this column published in three daily newspapers in French-speaking Switzerland.

Are transport systems ready to cope with extreme heat?

Published:07.08.24 — In a recent comment published in Nature, a team of scientists – including Gabriele Manoli – provides a call for action to improve the resilience of global transport systems to future heatwaves

Behind the paper with the Royal Society

Published:19.07.24 — Our recent work on the angiogenic growth of cities has been featured in the seminar series "Behind the paper with Royal Society journals".

Ecohydrology Summer School at EPFL Valais Wallis and ETH Zürich

Published:23.06.24 — We have just concluded the Ecohydrology Summer School, an intense and stimulating week between Zurich and Sion!

New guidelines for nature-based solution in humanitarian settlements

Published:12.06.24 — A new report addressing the integration of nature-based solutions in the planning and management of humanitarian settlements has just been published by UNHCR

URBES at EGU24

Published:22.04.24 — Busy week in Vienna as URBES was involved in several sessions and presentations at the EGU General Assembly 2024!

The angiogenic growth of cities

Published:04.04.24 — A model of the growth of London and Sydney shows that cities develop in a similar way to biological systems – the study has been featured by The Telegraph, The Guardian, and others.

Marc Duran Sala joins URBES

Published:08.02.24 — Marc is the new PhD student of the laboratory

Urban heat islands have a health cost

Published:23.01.24 — A new study has produced the first cost estimate of the impact that urban heat islands have on human health. The study looked at 85 European cities over the course of three full years, meaning it also took into account the protection that heat islands offer in winter – an aspect that has been little studied until now.

Cities offer an array of opportunties for a sustainable future

Published:27.10.23 — Today, half of the world's population lives in urban areas. This is giving rise to major challenges in terms of securing a sustainable future – a topic that will be explored during the World Cities Day on 31 October. Here is an overview of EPFL research carried out in this field.

Workshop explores similarities between cities and natural systems

Published:16.09.23 — The workshop "Form and Function of Complex Systems" was held at EPFL on 13-15 September.

New project on nature-based solutions in humanitarian settlements

Published:23.08.23 — URBES has received funding from UNHCR and the Geneva Technical Hub to develop guidelines for green corridors and nature-based solutions in humanitarian settlements

Flux tower installed at UNIL/EPFL

Published:12.07.23 — A mobile flux tower has been installed on the rooftop of the Géopolis building (UNIL) as a proof-of-concept to monitor carbon, water, and energy fluxes in urban environments.

Yuxin Yin joins the lab

Published:12.07.23 — Yuxin is a new PhD student working at Eawag and EPFL. She will work on evaluating the impact of vegetation on thermal regulation in urban green spaces in Switzerland within the SNSF project PAPPUS. 

URBES at Positions 2023

Published:04.06.23 — URBES contributes to the exhibition “Positions: Transcalar Prospects in Climate Crisis” organised by EPFL Architecture (30 May – 28 July 2023, Archizoom)

Aldo Brandi joins the lab!

Published:04.06.23 — As a postdoc in the lab, Aldo will bring his expertise in urban climate modeling and boundary layer dynamics in complex terrains.

Open Days!

Published:30.04.23 — The URBES Laboratory at EPFL Open Days