The Chair for Sustainable Spatial Development at the University of Liechtenstein has only just completed the European research project Lake Constance–Alpine Rhine Energy Region (BAER). And now, the holder of the Chair, Peter Droege, is already launching a new regional programme: the pilot project International Building Exhibition (IBA) Lake Constance is gaining pace.
The Chair for Sustainable Spatial Development at the University of Liechtenstein has only just completed the European research project Lake Constance–Alpine Rhine Energy Region (BAER). And now, the holder of the Chair, Peter Droege, is already launching a new regional programme: the pilot project International Building Exhibition (IBA) Lake Constance is gaining pace.
From the Energy Freedom evening on 16 April to the Green Summit, the new “green” development and entrepreneur event on 6 and 7 June 2014, a panoply of events will be held in the coming months on the topic of sustainability in Liechtenstein. On 5 June 2014 a committee of 15 international experts will meet at the University of Liechtenstein with a view to bringing the International Building Exhibition to the country.
The region as a whole stands to benefit from this pilot project and from other large-scale research projects. A public-private partnership in the form of an International Building Exhibition provides the economy and the culture with a boost by encouraging an area to focus challenges of the future. Such a project should enable the Lake Constance–Alpine Rhine region to implement new sustainability objectives and facilitate changes in town planning – towards more aesthetic, efficient and sustainably renewable spaces for people and nature.
The University of Liechtenstein hopes to achieve this with a new research programme and pilot project aimed at supporting the development of forward-looking projects in construction, spatial planning and landscaping in and around Liechtenstein. The new undertaking is based on the results of the recently completed IBH/Interreg programme Lake Constance–Alpine Rhine Energy Region (BAERnet.org), the first research project in Liechtenstein and the surrounding region to receive seven-figure funding from the EU and a number of foundations. This now needs to be implemented and oriented towards more crisis-resistant, i.e. smaller, environmental footprints.
“We are excited about the regional innovation opportunities of the global energy and resource transition, which, in our case, must by definition take place on a cross-border basis,” explains Peter Droege of the University of Liechtenstein.
The holder of the Chair for Sustainable Spatial Development sees Liechtenstein as an ideal organizer of a building exhibition in the Lake Constance and Alpine Rhine Valley region. The cross-border economy is stimulated through the exploitation of networks and innovation in joint collaboration. Urban planners, governments and companies play their part, and international competition in the projects is promoted. In addition, awareness among the population is increased. The project fits in well with the university’s orientation in both research and practice, with importance being attached to local and regional relevance. Architectural and spatial scenarios are developed in order to encourage studies relating to the environmental footprint of the region, and the resulting economic aspects of regional value creation.
In the course of a press conference, the project partners presented their plans for the coming months - from left to right: Prof. Dr. Marco Menichetti, Dr. Bruno Dürr, Prof. DI MAAS Peter Droege, Philipp Bircher, Prof. Dr. Carsten Schlag.
The individuals involved at the university are Professor Marco Menichetti, holder of the Chair in Business Administration, Banking and Financial Management, as well as Professor Carsten Schlag, Director of the Affiliated Institute: Liechtenstein Economic Institute (KOFL). External partners include the Global Footprint Network led by the Swiss-American scientist and Binding prizewinner Dr. Mathis Wackernagel, and the London-based BioRegional group, which is also affiliated with the WWF.
Additional information can be found atwww.uni.li/ibaba, www.uni.li/vision2020 and www.uni.li/greensummit.