18th Conference of the Associated research Centers for the Urban Underground Space

ACUUS 2023 Singapore

We will be onsite in Singapore for the 18th Conference of the Associated research Centers for the Urban Underground Space (ACUUS 2023 Singapore) taking place from 1-4 November 2023. ACUUS 2023 combines with the 2nd International Conference on the Exploration and Utilisation of Underground Space (EUUS-2). The EUUS conference series is an ACUUS initiative with a focus on urban geology and underground resources.

The main theme for ACUUS 2023 Singapore is “Underground Space – the Next Frontier.” This theme was chosen to focus on the new opportunities and challenges in underground space use amid a re-focus on exploring and developing the underground space as a strategic resource and part of sustainable development. The new frontier presents unprecedented opportunities for simultaneously improving urban infrastructure, urban livability, and resilience. At the same time, special challenges exist in developing underground space – both from a human design perspective and in terms of complexity, 3D planning, system integration, technical, and life cycle costs. Equally important is the need to move from the creation of underground space as a haphazard, last resort solution to a well-planned, and integrated use of underground space that can serve the needs of society for future generations as well as our own.

Antonia Cornaro from Amberg Engineering will give a session keynote and be a session chair at the conference. Her presentation and paper is about the "Use of the subsurface for the production and storage of renewable energy"

Her presentation will focus on the following key aspects:

The use of underground spaces for renewable energy production and storage has gained increasing attention as a strategy for making cities more sustainable.
Underground spaces offer several advantages for energy production and storage, including insulation properties, thermal stability, and relatively low environmental impact.
This paper explores the potential of underground spaces for renewable energy production and storage and highlights some promising examples and case studies. In addition to renewable energy production, underground spaces can also be used as storage facilities for renewable energy.
One promising technology is underground pumped hydro storage. Another promising technology is compressed air energy storage (CAES), which involves compressing air into underground caverns or other spaces during periods of low energy demand, and then releasing the air through turbines to generate electricity during periods of high demand.
The recently created project SubSpace Energy Hub in Switzerland offers a platform for the development, prototyping and installation of new technologies that promote best practice in sustainable energy use and storage.
The aim is to be a model ecosystem of sustainable energy storage and delivery in support of green energy use in future cities.
While there are still challenges to be overcome, such as the relatively high cost of some underground technologies and the need for appropriate regulatory frameworks, the examples and case studies outlined in this article demonstrate that there is already progress being made towards creating more sustainable cities using underground spaces.

More info: https://www.acuus2023.com/speakers

Felix Amberg and Antonia Cornaro also served on the advisory committee of the conference.

https://www.acuus2023.com/advisory-committee