SMART NOZ (2022 - 2024)
The Smart Noz research-action project aims to understand the perceptions and social representations that inhabitants have about the night, from an energy and light saving perspective.
This research focuses on the roles that light and darkness can play on nocturnal activities, and on the acceptability (or otherwise) of a reduction in the brightness of artificial light.
This project, funded by Région Bretagne, involves the collaboration of three organizations:
- a multidisciplinary research team from several laboratories of Université de Bretagne Occidentale (UBO),
- Ener'gence, a major actor in the climate energy landscape in Pays de Brest,
- and Monaluna, a local theater company.
The research takes place at two levels: in the city of Brest and the wider area of Brest métropole.
The former focuses on the three neighborhoods of Kerangoff, Keredern and Fontaine Margot, since renovation work on the street lighting is planned there in the near future. The inhabitants and key actors of these neighborhoods will be consulted before and after the interventions, via flash surveys, focus groups and semi-structured interviews. In addition, workshops organized by the theater company Monaluna will accompany this work.
The latter involves an analysis of the acceptability (or not) of measures to reduce the duration of public lighting in the Brest metropolitan area's municipalities. To this end, an initial mapping exercise is carried out to assess the impact of such measures, followed by a sociological survey of the public concerned.
By cross-referencing all these data, we'll be able to develop guidelines for improving public lighting, while taking into account the paradox that exists between concerns for energy savings and the need to feel safe at night thanks to artificial lights.
A research project carried out by
Press review
Our publications regarding Smart Noz
Assessments
- Assessment of the Smart Noz project in the Kerangoff district (in French)
- Assessment of the Smart Noz project in the Keredern district (in French)
- Assessment of the Smart Noz project in the Fontaine Margot district (forthcoming)
Scientific publications
Forthcoming
Posters
Forthcoming
Internships assessments
- Koffi, G.,S. (2022), Logique d’acceptation sociale et enjeux environnementaux lié à l’économie d’énergie électrique sur l’éclairage public : cas du quartier de Kerangoff (Brest), Mémoire Master 2, Université Sorbonne Paris Nord.
Contributions
Our public meetings
The team presented the findings of its 2nd field study at the Centre social et culturel Les Amarres in Keredern, with a theatrical show entitled Les lumières de la nuit.
On the menu :
- MonaLuna theater company staged a production recounting the exchanges between the team and local residents;
- the first results of the sociological surveys were presented;
- other activities entertained residents, including a virtual reality simulation of public lighting.
Thank you to all the participants and to the organizers who welcomed us so warmly!
The second phase of the Smart Noz project began in mid-February 2023 in another Brest neighborhood, the Keredern district, where project members met with residents and stakeholders throughout the first half of 2023.
Night walks were also organized in late March, mid-April, late May and early June with Keredern neighborhood residents, in partnership with Cie MonaLuna.
Thanks to all participants!
The first results of the Smart Noz project were presented on December 16th, 2022 at the Centre Social de Kerangoff in two steps: a stand set up by the team of researchers and a show put on by MonaLuna theater company.
The stand notably included a virtual reality demonstration so that participants could view a digital model of an urban space at night. A cardboard model of a neighborhood at night showed how certain types of lighting can become "barriers" for nocturnal animals, preventing them from feeding or circulating freely...
It was also the opportunity to show the first analyses of data collected from residents of the Kerangoff district. This gave rise to exchanges with the public on the impact of artificial light on biodiversity, and the balance to be struck between saving energy and the need to feel safe at night. The issue of light pollution was also a major topic of discussion.
Discussions with participants ended at around 5:30 p.m., allowing the show organized by MonaLuna theater company to begin. About forty people from the neighborhood were present. The event was greatly appreciated and was even reported in the local press.
Thank you to everyone who welcome us so nicely in the Kerangoff district, and see you soon in the Keredern district!
From October 2022 to May 2023, the Smart Noz project relied on the contributions of 1st and 2nd year students from UBO's DEUST T-MIC to design and structure a public disclosure process.
Their contributions were supervised for several months by Alain Fessant, head of training, and Alice Pennors, contract teacher in digital and collaborative project management.
The Chair also welcomed Yassine Bouazza (2nd year DEUST T-MIC) for an internship in Web & multimedia communications to support the Smart Noz project and the Chair, supervised by Edna Hernández González and Alice Pennors.
On December 5 and 6, 2022, a small team also took part in the Récréathon creative marathon organized by UBO Open Factory to think about playful ways of mobilizing citizen participation in urban planning on a neighborhood scale.
As part of the Smart Noz project, Cie Monaluna was on hand to meet Kerangoff residents during the autumn period in 2022.
Words were collected, testimonies given and discussions held on the theme of night and lighting in the neighborhood... The company set up a simple, welcoming structure in the vicinity of the Centre social de Kerangoff.
Monica Campo Hurtado, the Company's director, was accompanied by Benoît Cosson, a research engineer working on the research project at UBO, to lead these convivial moments.
