Following the recent trip by an Iranian delegation to Germany, the two countries signed a memorandum of understanding to cooperate in constructing environment-friendly housing in Hashtgerd and Isfahan.
Hashtgerd is a newly established town in Alborz Province, to the west of Tehran.
“We attended meetings and visited ecofriendly housing projects before signing the MoUs,” IRNA quoted Mohammad Shekarchizadeh, director of the Roads, Housing and Urban Development Research Center, as saying.
He noted that construction in Iran still largely adheres to traditional methods “which are wasteful and inefficient,” unlike Germany which is a world leader in energy efficiency.
“The agreement will allow Iran to use the European country’s experience in sustainable development and environmentally-friendly construction in Hashtgerd housing projects,” he said.
Shekarchizadeh, who teaches at Tehran University, added that Germany will also help upgrade about 17 million housing units in the country that presently fail to meet energy efficiency standards.
“Residential buildings in Iran consume ten times the energy German houses use,” he said.
The Iranian team also held talks with the Fraunhofer Society toward founding a joint center to boost academic and research ties.
The Fraunhofer Society is a research organization with 67 institutions across Germany, each focusing on different fields of applied sciences.
Sustainable Development in Isfahan
Isfahan, a tourist hub in central Iran and one of the most industrialized cities in the country, has been grappling with the consequences of disorganized development for years, which has begun to take a toll on not only the environment, but also its world-famous cultural heritage sites.
Erosion of historical buildings and persistently low air quality have been attributed to the presence of polluting industrial units in an around the metropolis, problems that could have been avoided had the principles of sustainable development been upheld when issuing permits for the factories and efficient oversight after they started operating.
“Isfahan’s push toward industrialization has contributed to climate change and damaged the city’s cultural sites, both of which will cost Isfahan its reputation as a top holiday destination,” Shekarchizadeh warned.
He said Germany is unique in that it has managed to become the most industrialized country in the world without harming the environment. “Their attention to the environment is admirable and we hope to be able to use their knowledge in this area.”
Isfahan is set to host a meeting in June between German and Iranian researchers to share knowledge and discuss ideas in promoting sustainable development.
