Colombie
PARCS - Participatory Approaches for Regenerative Climate Solutions
Towards co-created resiliency in communities all over the world
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About PARCS
PARCS (Participatory Approaches for Regenerative Climate Solutions) is an international initiative dedicated to addressing the urgent challenges of climate change through inclusive, community-driven, and regenerative design strategies.
As climate change intensifies, vulnerable communities worldwide face increasing threats from extreme weather events, including floods, droughts, and storms. Rising global temperatures are accelerating environmental degradation and increasing the frequency and severity of climate-related disasters.
In response, PARCS promotes the design of built environments that are not only environmentally sustainable but also resilient to these extreme events, especially in regions where vulnerable populations are most at risk.
A global, interdisciplinary project
This initiative is part of a larger international project: "Participatory Collaborative Research to Enhance Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation in Underserved Communities in Southeast Asia and North and South America."
The project integrates expertise from multiple disciplines:
- Urban planning
- Psychology
- Social sciences
- Architecture
It fosters a rich exchange of knowledge between the Global South and the Global North.
Bridging science and community action
PARCS bridges the gap between scientific research and community action by applying a participatory methodology to co-create sustainable, locally adapted solutions. The initiative integrates risk assessment with regenerative design to develop infrastructure that:
- mitigates climate risks
- enhances biodiversity
- strengthens social cohesion
- contributes to net-zero greenhouse gas emissions.
Scalable, evidence-based strategies
By integrating environmental science, policy analysis, and community-based methods, PARCS seeks to develop scalable and evidence-based adaptation strategies.
Its focus:
- coastal socio-ecological systems
- critical infrastructure
- water security
A flexible, locally rooted framework
PARCS addresses the intersection of climate risk, policy, and local adaptive capacity.
Ultimately, PARCS aims to build a flexible adaptation framework grounded in the co-production of knowledge, ensuring that strategies align with local realities while informing global discussions on climate policy and urban resilience.
Vision and Purpose
Tackling climate risks through inclusive, community-based action.
Approach Summary: Three core pillars
Climate Risk Mapping and Perception
Co-design of Sustainable Solutions
Community-Led Co-Implementation
The Framework
Keywords and Glossary
A collaborative process where all stakeholders actively participate in shaping solutions.
How It Fits into the Project: The project will produce a scalable and replicable methodology for co-creating regenerative solutions with the communities, integrating local knowledge into planning and action.
Approaches that restore and revitalize ecological and social systems beyond just sustaining them.
How It Fits into the Project: The methodology that will be proposed will focus on maximizing the regenerative aspect of the solutions to be co-created.
A process where communities drive their systemic changes based on local priorities and capacities.
How It Fits into the Project: The project centers community leadership in territorial transformation, particularly through inclusive governance and capacity-building.
The ability to anticipate, adapt to, and recover from climate-related disruptions.
How It Fits into the Project: It promotes climate-resilient strategies like nature-based infrastructure and adaptive planning for vulnerable communities.
Design processes that actively involve users in creating solutions tailored to their needs and contexts.
How It Fits into the Project: The methodology includes participatory design tools to engage communities in creating spatial and social interventions.
Infrastructure that minimizes environmental impact while serving communities effectively and equitably.
How It Fits into the Project: The research develops sustainable, community-centred infrastructure using local materials and ecological design.
Collaborative efforts with communities to ensure meaningful participation in projects affecting their lives.
How It Fits into the Project: Ongoing engagement is central to the methodology, ensuring communities shape climate and development responses.
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Living Labs
At the core of PARCS are three Living Labs—collaboratively developed with local stakeholders in Colombia, Indonesia, and the U.S. Gulf Coast.
These regions face high exposure to risks such as sea-level rise, fluvial and coastal flooding, and extreme storms. The Living Labs serve as real-world environments for co-designing climate-resilient and regenerative solutions tailored to local needs.
Explore how these locally grounded solutions are taking shape across three distinct contexts.
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Meet the Researchers
Proposition 1
Claudiane Ouellet-Plamondon is a full professor at ÉTS’s Construction Engineering Department and holder of the Canada Research Chair in Sustainable Multifunctional Construction Materials. She has expertise in the development of climate-resilient, durable and cost-effective materials, focusing on local resources and circular economy.
Claudiane Ouellet-Plamondon is a full professor at ÉTS’s Construction Engineering Department and holder of the Canada Research Chair in Sustainable Multifunctional Construction Materials. She has expertise in the development of climate-resilient, durable and cost-effective materials, focusing on local resources and circular economy.
Claudiane Ouellet-Plamondon is a full professor at ÉTS’s Construction Engineering Department and holder of the Canada Research Chair in Sustainable Multifunctional Construction Materials. She has expertise in the development of climate-resilient, durable and cost-effective materials, focusing on local resources and circular economy.
Claudiane Ouellet-Plamondon is a full professor at ÉTS’s Construction Engineering Department and holder of the Canada Research Chair in Sustainable Multifunctional Construction Materials. She has expertise in the development of climate-resilient, durable and cost-effective materials, focusing on local resources and circular economy.
Claudiane Ouellet-Plamondon is a full professor at ÉTS’s Construction Engineering Department and holder of the Canada Research Chair in Sustainable Multifunctional Construction Materials. She has expertise in the development of climate-resilient, durable and cost-effective materials, focusing on local resources and circular economy.
Claudiane Ouellet-Plamondon is a full professor at ÉTS’s Construction Engineering Department and holder of the Canada Research Chair in Sustainable Multifunctional Construction Materials. She has expertise in the development of climate-resilient, durable and cost-effective materials, focusing on local resources and circular economy.
Claudiane Ouellet-Plamondon is a full professor at ÉTS’s Construction Engineering Department and holder of the Canada Research Chair in Sustainable Multifunctional Construction Materials. She has expertise in the development of climate-resilient, durable and cost-effective materials, focusing on local resources and circular economy.
Claudiane Ouellet-Plamondon is a full professor at ÉTS’s Construction Engineering Department and holder of the Canada Research Chair in Sustainable Multifunctional Construction Materials. She has expertise in the development of climate-resilient, durable and cost-effective materials, focusing on local resources and circular economy.
Claudiane Ouellet-Plamondon is a full professor at ÉTS’s Construction Engineering Department and holder of the Canada Research Chair in Sustainable Multifunctional Construction Materials. She has expertise in the development of climate-resilient, durable and cost-effective materials, focusing on local resources and circular economy.
Claudiane Ouellet-Plamondon is a full professor at ÉTS’s Construction Engineering Department and holder of the Canada Research Chair in Sustainable Multifunctional Construction Materials. She has expertise in the development of climate-resilient, durable and cost-effective materials, focusing on local resources and circular economy.
Claudiane Ouellet-Plamondon is a full professor at ÉTS’s Construction Engineering Department and holder of the Canada Research Chair in Sustainable Multifunctional Construction Materials. She has expertise in the development of climate-resilient, durable and cost-effective materials, focusing on local resources and circular economy.
Claudiane Ouellet-Plamondon is a full professor at ÉTS’s Construction Engineering Department and holder of the Canada Research Chair in Sustainable Multifunctional Construction Materials. She has expertise in the development of climate-resilient, durable and cost-effective materials, focusing on local resources and circular economy.
Claudiane Ouellet-Plamondon is a full professor at ÉTS’s Construction Engineering Department and holder of the Canada Research Chair in Sustainable Multifunctional Construction Materials. She has expertise in the development of climate-resilient, durable and cost-effective materials, focusing on local resources and circular economy.
Claudiane Ouellet-Plamondon is a full professor at ÉTS’s Construction Engineering Department and holder of the Canada Research Chair in Sustainable Multifunctional Construction Materials. She has expertise in the development of climate-resilient, durable and cost-effective materials, focusing on local resources and circular economy.
Claudiane Ouellet-Plamondon is a full professor at ÉTS’s Construction Engineering Department and holder of the Canada Research Chair in Sustainable Multifunctional Construction Materials. She has expertise in the development of climate-resilient, durable and cost-effective materials, focusing on local resources and circular economy.
Claudiane Ouellet-Plamondon is a full professor at ÉTS’s Construction Engineering Department and holder of the Canada Research Chair in Sustainable Multifunctional Construction Materials. She has expertise in the development of climate-resilient, durable and cost-effective materials, focusing on local resources and circular economy.
Claudiane Ouellet-Plamondon is a full professor at ÉTS’s Construction Engineering Department and holder of the Canada Research Chair in Sustainable Multifunctional Construction Materials. She has expertise in the development of climate-resilient, durable and cost-effective materials, focusing on local resources and circular economy.
Claudiane Ouellet-Plamondon is a full professor at ÉTS’s Construction Engineering Department and holder of the Canada Research Chair in Sustainable Multifunctional Construction Materials. She has expertise in the development of climate-resilient, durable and cost-effective materials, focusing on local resources and circular economy.
Proposition 2
Claudiane O-P
Professeure
Claudiane O-P
Professeure
Claudiane O-P
Professeure
Claudiane O-P
Professeure
Claudiane O-P
Professeure
Claudiane O-P
Professeure
Claudiane O-P
Professeure
Claudiane O-P
Professeure
Claudiane O-P
Professeure
Claudiane O-P
Professeure
Proposition 3 (proposition originale)
Engineering and Materials
Social Sciences
Architecture & Regenerative Design
- Sérgio Roberto Andrade Dantas is a postdoctoral researcher at the Department of Construction Engineering of ÉTS. He has a background in Architecture and extensive experience in civil construction engineering. He has experience in construction technologies, material degradation, and the development of smart and eco-friendly materials.
- Katherine Arrell is a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Architecture and Civil Engineering at the University of Bath. She has a background in geography and expertise in understanding and mapping hazards and risks. Her research explores how we can move beyond traditional representations of hazards and provide more meaningful interpretations and quantifications of exposure using scientific and participatory methods.
- Bintang Noor Prabowo is a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Architecture and Technology (IAT) at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU). He specializes in urban-scale and community-based facility management (CbFM) with experience in architecture, urban design, and sustainability, especially in urban heritage areas.
- Carolina Moreno Londoño is a Ph.D. researcher in the Department of Construction Engineering at ÉTS. She has a background in Architecture and Urban Design, and her work centers on participatory processes and the co-creation of regenerative solutions in response to climate change. Her research explores how co-created strategies can support more resilient and inclusive urban environments.
- Ricardo Pérez-Restrepo is a Ph.D. researcher in the Chair of Sustainable Construction at ETH Zürich. He has a background in Political Science and Urban Design. His research pushes the boundaries of resilience assessments to integrate material and cultural variables into socio-ecological frameworks.
- Pierre Boucher is a Ph.D. researcher in the Department of Construction Engineering at ÉTS. He specializes in the calculation and design of advanced timber structures and has experience as a structural engineer. His research focuses on the efficient use of bamboo as a structural material, with a particular interest in the design and optimization of connection systems.
- Allamah Yahya Qolbun Salim is a Ph.D. researcher in the Department of Architecture at ITB. He has a background in architecture and urban design and experience in housing and settlement planning and policy development. His research focuses on formulating regenerative design and technology solution models through co-design processes to enhance the climate resilience of informal coastal neighbourhoods.
- Choerunisa Noor Syahid is a Ph.D. researcher in the Department of Urban and Regional Planning at ITB. She has a background in Anthropology and Social Urban Development. Her research explores socio-ecological resilience in coastal areas, particularly on how cultural dimensions shape adaptive capacities within communities.
- Mana Nemati Aghdam is a Ph.D. student in Construction Science at Texas A&M University. Her research focuses on integrating resilience and carbon neutrality in building design, particularly for underserved communities facing climate-related risks.
- Carolina Florian holds a master’s degree in Sustainable Development. She is an environmental engineer with experience in climate and hydroclimatological simulation. Her research focuses on regenerative strategies to address climate change in an urban micro-basin of Medellín based on hydroclimatological analysis and community participation.
- Ricardo Cardona holds a master’s in Science, Technology, Society, and Innovation. He is a sociologist who focuses on social methodologies. His research focuses on Agencies in a Climate Adaptation Scenario: Nature-based Solutions in the La Iguaná Micro-basin.
- U1 (ITB)
- U2 (ITB)
- U3 (ITM)
- U4 (ITM)
- U5 (ITM)
- U6 (TAMU)
- U7 (TAMU)
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Our Consortium
PARCS is led by an interdisciplinary, trans-sectoral, and diverse research team that brings together institutions and grassroots collaborators from around the world. Combining expertise in urban planning, psychology, social sciences, and architecture, the network fosters knowledge exchange between the Global South and the Global North.
Assembled to meet ambitious objectives, the team brings together a wide range of talents. Several members are recognized national experts who have previously contributed to the International Energy Agency (IEA EBC) Annexes 72 and 57 and are currently involved in Annex 89 – Ways to Implement Net-zero Whole Life Carbon Buildings. This ongoing work focuses on identifying stakeholder pathways and actions to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions in buildings globally.
The PARCS team also has a strong track record in interdisciplinary, trans-sectoral territorial interventions and maintains active, long-standing relationships with communities involved in the three living labs.
École de technologie supérieure
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology of Zürich
Instituto Tecnológico Metropolitano (ITM)
University of Bath
Institut Teknologi Bandung (ITB)
Ulster University
Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU)
Texas A&M University
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News and Publications
Coming soon. Stay tuned for upcoming articles, papers, and reports.
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