Italy Pavilion at the ongoing Shanghai Expo. |
Better city, better life in Apulia: Scenarios for growth and cooperation. |
Alongside exhibitions at the Italy Pavilion during Apulia week, a conference will introduce the region's work in energy and sustainable development.
Titled "Better City, Better Life in Apulia: Development and Cooperation", the seminar looks at achieving excellence in the production of energy and hopes to explore potential investment opportunities among Chinese companies.
"Apulia is the main region for the production of energy from renewable power sources in Italy. The industrial implications of R&D and renewable energy within innovative sustainable architecture and construction projects are well advanced," Nichi Vendola, the governor of Apulia Region said.
At the moment, the Apulia Regional Government is financing important regional development and growth initiatives to increase the production of energy from solar and wind power sources, and water management infrastructure, with investments totaling more than 700 billion euros ($860 billion) from 2010 to 2012 to improve the quality and quantity of water production, and to reduce water pollution.
Apulia is well-known for production of energy from renewable sources, being the first Italian producer of both wind and solar power, and the third Italian producer of biomass sources.
"Owning the largest drainage system in Europe, Apulia planned to run the whole operation and monitoring system by applying solar energy and high-technology," said Vendola.
Apulia has signed an agreement draft with China's Guangdong province to control, improve and monitor the water drainage system.
"We're very glad that we could work with China to form a new direction on environmental protection by applying our experience and technologies," said Vendola, looking forward to further cooperation with the Chinese government.
During the conference, the so called "rotating tower", one of the most innovative and technologically advanced projects, made by David Fisher in collaboration with an Apulia company is introduced as a case study.
The tower, the world's first building in motion, takes the concept of green buildings to the next level, generating electricity for itself with a possible surplus for other nearby buildings, making it the first skyscraper designed to be entirely powered by wind and sun.