Person
Mediaspace scheduled maintenance: Aug 25, 2026 07:00 - 12:00 AM. During this time, videos will be temporarily unavailable. Check status updates.
Mediaspace scheduled maintenance: Aug 25, 2026 07:00 - 12:00 AM. During this time, videos will be temporarily unavailable. Check status updates.
Expertise Transdisciplinary researchSocio-metabolic researchMaterial flows and stocks analysisSustainabilityBuilt environmentInfrastructureClimate changeResource securityCircular economyWaste Francisco has a Civil Engineering background specialized in Resources Management and has several years of professional experience in the construction and engineering sector. He received his Master's degree in Project Management for Environmental and Energy Engineering from IMT Atlantique, France, and his PhD in Sustainability Management from the University of Waterloo, Canada. Francisco's main research is focused on understanding the basics defining the relation society-environment for the global advance towards sustainable development, applying knowledge on resource-use dynamics from a socio-metabolic research perspective. He utilizes systems thinking, innovative, technic and methodologic abilities, and also interdisciplinary methods, concepts, and tools focused on sustainability management. His overall research analyzes the built environment, circular economy potentials, material flows & stocks, the water-energy-food nexus, climate change impacts, resilience, and more to help in the transition towards a sustainable, resilient, and resource-secure system, with a special interest in resource-stressed settings. Currently, Francisco actively contributes to two impactful projects: the Swiss initiative "Urban Twin: Assessing policies and solutions for energy, water, and infrastructure" and the Innosuisse Flagship initiative "BlueCity: Mapping a city's multi-layered, interconnected network of flows." His engagement revolves around the strategic application of his expertise in engineering, resource dynamics, and sociometabolic research within the city of Lausanne, Switzerland. The city serves as a dynamic "living lab," providing a practical ground for the implementation of Francisco's research.This work aims to act as a catalyst for transformative changes in sustainable urban development practices, influencing policy decisions and academic discourse. Simultaneously, it engages the broader community, fostering a collective journey toward a resilient and sustainable future. Teaching & PhD Courses Material flow analysis and resource management ENV-501 This course provides the basis to understand material and energy production and consumption processes. Students learn how to develop a material flow analysis and apply it to resource management cases. They analyze the implications of their models on resource use, economic activities and policy. Material flow analysis and resource management This course provides the basis to understand material and energy production and consumption processes. Students learn how to develop a material flow analysis and apply it to cases of resource management. They analyze the implications of their models on resource use, economic activities and policy.Semester project supervision Martin Cocoual (Spring 2025) - Decarbonizing marine mobility: A Comprehensive LCA of a Hydrogen-Solar PrototypeEloi von Burg (Fall 2024) - Urban Zoning and Sustainable Growth: A Spatial Analysis of Neighborhood resilience(Machine-learning for Science) - Belghmi, Y. & Morchid, H. (Fall 2023) Categorising buildings in Lausanne based on facade materialSummer School Sustainability - Circular Economy The summer school objectives are: To provide a global understanding of sustainability, and explain science and technology in this context; To communicating optimism and determination, motivating action, opening up horizons, encouraging reflection;To promote the EPFL campus as a transition laboratory.Within the block of "Degrowth/post-growth economy", the highschool students learned the basics of Circular Economy, and general recommendations to move towards a more circular economy.Master thesis supervision Delphine Katherine Troast (Spring 2026) - Electric vehicle adoption and Circular Economy pathways in Switzerland: Linking material flows and transition dynamicsMohamed Amine Ajnui (Fall 2025) - Feasibility of Lausanne’s building renovation targets: A dynamic spatiotemporal material flow analysis Eloi von Burg (Fall 2025) - Urban climate resilience monitoring: case study of Geneva's climate dashboard and comparative analysis Corentin Thibault (Spring 2025) - Fast-tracking energy-efficient renovation: data-driven scenarions and behavioral insights in LausanneLéa Bitard (Fall 2024) - Developing transparent and scalable Life Cycle Models for IT equipment: A case study on monitor technologies for environmental footprint ReductionMatilde Spinello (Spring 2024) - Critical raw materials (CRM) in the context of the energy transition and beyond Energy supply, economics and transition This course examines the supply of energy from various angles: available resources, how they can be combined or substituted, their private and social costs, whether they can meet the demand, and how the transition to a renewable energy system can be fostered.