Self-dual gravity

Self-dual gravity is a diffeomorphism invariant theory in four dimensions that describes two propagating polarisations of the graviton and has a negative mass dimension coupling constant. Nevertheless, this theory is not only renormalisable but quantum finite, as we explain. We also collect various facts about self-dual gravity that are scattered across the literature

Dynamic LCA applied to buildings and urban districts

International audienceExisting Building LCA tools are based upon a static method, considering yearly average processes and impacts. This paper presents a dynamic method that has been developed to evaluate electricity-related impacts in buildings. Results on case studies show important discrepancy between the static and dynamic methods. This study is a first step towards the introduction of consequential LCA parameters in life-cycle assessment of buildings

LIFE CYCLE ASSESSMENT AS A DESIGN AID TOOL FOR URBAN PROJECTS

International audienceSustainability is now targeted in nearly all urban projects, but life cycle assessment (LCA) is generally seen as too complex, so that more qualitative approaches are preferred. Indeed, the importance of environmental problems regarding e.g. climate change, human health, biodiversity and resource depletion justifies a more precise decision making process. A life cycle simulation tool has been developed to model urban projects including various buildings, streets, green and other public spaces, and networks (drinking water, waste water, district heating...). This tool, developed in an object oriented approach, associates dynamic building energy simulation and LCA, complemented with modules for open spaces and networks. A set of environmental indicators is evaluated, e.g. resource depletion, energy and water consumption, global warming, waste generation, toxicity. Several alternatives can be compared, constituting an urban design aid. Continuous improvement of the tool has been performed since the 90’s, expanding the boundaries from buildings to districts assessment. A dynamic model was recently introduced to take into account temporal variation of the electricity consumption in buildings and interaction with the electricity system. Results show the importance of this dynamic evaluation in the case of plus-energy buildings. This multidisciplinary approach allows comprehensive assessment of districts, constituting a decision support in early phases of urban projects. The assessment of a project in the Greater Paris Area is presented to illustrate this integrated approach

LCA enhancement perspectives to facilitate scaling up from building to territory

International audienceEnvironmental performance considerations in the construction sector extend from buildings to neighbourhoods, cities and territory. This transition implies a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) adaptation to efficiently treat such complex systems. Indeed, performing environmental performance evaluations has already been done over the past few years but the existing LCA tools have to be improved regarding their userfriendliness to allow everyday urban planning stakeholders to use them. Providing keys to help the practice is a main subject to spread the large scale LCA evaluation and ensure a better urban planning trending to sustainable solutions. This objective is also motivated by local, national and European policies, particularly within the context of Paris COP21. The aim of this study is to explore enhancement perspectives to facilitate LCA scaling up from building to territory. This work is based on observations from case studies underlining operational issues due to the evaluation time consumption. The urban planning process is analysed to focus, at different stages, on operational responses that could be proposed considering objectives, stakeholders’ needs and potential drivers. In particular, for early stage decision making, an approach introducing urban typo-morphologies has been adopted to facilitate the comparison of large scale evaluations and scenarios. Such typo-morphologies, representing elemental bricks at building or block scale to build neighbourhoods or larger, have been widely described in the past. However, this work concentrates on the applicability of the approach to integrate this sort of description for environmental evaluation based on a multicomponent (buildings, energy, water, public spaces, transportation) description of the systems. Particularly, a focus has to be given to scaling up mechanism. Expert systems sets on heuristic rules could help exploiting a typo-morphologies database. This solution should ease the practice of urban environmental assessments

Identification of a new HLA-DRB1 allele, DRB1*0321

International audienceThis communication reports the identification of a new HLA-DRB1*03 allele identified in three members of a Caucasian French family. This new allele has been officially named HLA-DRB1*0321 by the World Health Organization Nomenclature Committee. The complete exon 2 sequence of DRB1*0321 is identical to that of DRB1*0307 except for the first and second nucleotides of codon 37 (TT replacing AA), which lead to the substitution of a tyrosine for a phenylalanine (AAC»TTC at position 37). The family study showed that this new allele was transmitted into the HLA-A*0101/09,-B*0801/14,-Cw*0701,-DRB1*0321,-DRB3*0101,-DQB1*0503 and-DPB1*0401 haplotype. The complete exon 2 sequence of this new allele has been previously deposited in the EMBL Sequence Database under accession number AF297266