Called the “Panel lémanique,” this research project—led by EPFL’s School of Environment, Architecture, and Civil Engineering (ENAC) in partnership with the cantons of Vaud and Geneva and the Greater Geneva area—takes the form of online surveys. A panel of the same individuals will be surveyed two to three times a year regarding their lifestyles and opinions. In total, more than 10,000 panelists—selected at random yet representative of society and the region—are involved. An invitation to participate in the first questionnaire, focused on mobility, was sent to them by mail in late October. At EPFL, the Laboratory for Human-Environmental Relations in Urban Systems (HERUS), led by Claudia Binder, and the Laboratory of Urban Sociology (LaSUR), led by Vincent Kaufmann, are steering the project. The HERUS laboratory will focus specifically on climate data.
Diverse regions
Geographically, the study area covers the cantons of Geneva and Vaud, Lower Valais, the Pays de Gex, the Chablais, and the French Genevois. The Franco-Swiss Lake Geneva region appeared to EPFL scientists as an ideal setting for studying the sustainability of practices, as it encompasses areas as diverse as major urban centers, dense suburbs, small and medium-sized towns, and rural and mountainous areas.
Scheduled to run for five years, the research project will track changes in behaviors, habits, and opinions regarding lifestyles, functioning much like an observatory. The data, which will be fully anonymized, may also be used globally for other research purposes, as the project is part of an open science initiative.
“Several recent studies have shown that simply optimizing technology in strategic sectors such as the vehicle fleet and the building stock will only allow us to achieve 50% of the Paris Climate Agreement’s goals,” explains Vincent Kaufmann, director of the Laboratory of Urban Sociology (LaSUR) at EPFL and head of the Lémanic Panel. “We therefore believe that two other strategies must be explored, in line with UN recommendations: changing lifestyles and promoting moderation. ” Based on this observation, EPFL has partnered with the Canton of Vaud, the Canton of Geneva, and Greater Geneva to better understand households’ lifestyles and consumption habits and to identify levers for public action.
Mobility and Consumption
In the first phase of the mobility survey, researchers are seeking, for example, to understand how many people would like to be less dependent on cars but currently lack alternatives where they live. Commuting and leisure travel, the number of vehicles per household, the number of residences, types of vacation travel, and the rate of telework are other examples of topics covered by the questionnaire.
This survey will be supplemented in early 2023 by GPS tracking of one-quarter of the panelists on a voluntary basis. A smartphone app will track all of their trips over a three-week period and measure the distances traveled by mode of transportation. Indirectly, this data will make it possible to calculate their greenhouse gas emissions and observe their daily routines.
The next survey, scheduled for spring 2023, will focus on households’ food and non-food consumption habits. “Until now, all this data has been collected in an uncoordinated manner,” explains Vincent Kaufmann. “Our goal is to bring this information together and process it in a scientifically and ethically exemplary manner, in order to identify evidence-based solutions for reducing the greenhouse gas footprint of our lifestyles.” Beyond scientific research, the results should also serve to drive effective and positive changes in relevant public policies, such as those related to land use planning and mobility.
