Project Structure

In the definition phase, the RESURC-project entails three subprojects:

Due to the integrated character of the research approach, the subprojects and their eight work packages exhibit close connections, leading to a better understanding of the tasks ahead.  

Subproject 1: Project coordination and data management resource efficiency

Implemented by: Institute for Eco-Industrial Analyses (IUWA)

The subproject covers three work packages and the IUWA is responsible as the WP leader for the coordination of the overall project (WP 1) and the data management in the field of resource efficiency in residential (WP 2) and industrial areas (WP 3). This subproject will fulfil tasks as follows:

1. Project management and coordination of the joint project
   • by establishing contacts to the relevant local Chinese representatives from science, business, as well as decision-makers and technical officials in the administration,
   • by coordinating the joint project and the German partners.
2. Investigation to increase the overall resource efficiency and resilience
   • by gathering data and information about the resource consumption and infrastructure for supply and disposal in selected residential areas and industrial areas respectively,
   • by developing and testing a complementary socio-economic household survey about demographic information; resource consumption; housing infrastructure; and environmentally relevant behaviour and awareness of the residents,
   • by analysing the existing municipal waste treatment practises,
   • by developing and conducting a primary industry survey about resource flows; and by summarising, visualising, and analysing the existing material flows in the selected industrial areas,
   • by identifying potential synergies between industrial and residential areas.
3. Identification and development of capacity building modules for the industry.

Subproject 2: Urban planning and capacity development

Implemented by: Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences (FRA-UAS)

This subproject combines the knowledge and the outcomes of all other work packages as well as the resulting development chances, potentials and synergies, and pursues the first conceptual integrated planning approaches for a more sustainable and resilient urban district. Due to its extent, complexity as well as open results, the subproject will conduct key tasks as WP 6 in the definition phase, as described below:

1. Selection of representative investigating areas for data collection and description.
2. Collection and evaluation of the existing urban development documents, concepts and strategies of the city and the surrounding areas, especially regarding:
   • the modes and patterns of the existing transport and mobility,
   • the resilience degree of the current supply and disposal infrastructure and its spatial impacts
   • the resilience degree of the land use and the interlinking of open and green space networks,
   • the city-regional linkages in the open space, infrastructure and urban climate domains.
3. Integration of experiences of sustainable urban development and climate protection concepts of Frankfurt / Main

The development of all these tasks will be accompanied by a comprehensive approach of capacity development within the local administrations (WP 8).

Subproject 3: Change management and solid waste technologies

Implemented by: AT-Association (AT-V)

This subproject contributes to WP 2 and 3 by the investigation and evaluation of the existing technologies and practices of municipal and industrial wastes. As the leader of WP 7, AT-V has especially the task to study the respective administration systems in terms of their stakeholder structures and relations to facilitate the implementation of the expected integrative strategies. First obstacles will be identified, and preliminary works for the change strategy will be implemented. Moreover, this subproject will develop and discuss initial communication proposals on the careful use of resources and related treatment methods as measures of capacity development for residents.

Apart from the three subprojects, WP 4 and 5 deal with specific research fields of urban climate and energy, executed by subcontractors. WP 4 will mainly collect and process available meteorological information to work on a first conceptual ventilation model for optimising the urban climate and improving the resistance to extreme weather events. WP 5 intends to study the current regional energy system for developing an optimised load distribution management and determining the potential and the concept for an adapted virtual power plant.