Dr Rosa Schiano-Phan, course leader of the MSc Architecture and Environmental Design in the Department of Architecture was one of four European experts to present their work to the local scientific and entrepreneurial community in Réunion Island at the end of October this year. She was invited as part of an event on Horizon 2020 organised by the European office of Reunion Island. The purpose of the event was to promote Horizon 2020 and all the opportunities it can offer to local researchers by inviting a delegation of experts involved in EC projects in the field of Energy. Rosa was invited for her expertise and research experience in building efficiency and passive cooling as building energy efficiency in a tropical context is a chosen subject for the island’s strategic plans for Smart Specialization.
“The quality and extent of the research capacity of the island is impressive and of the highest international standard. A greater involvement of the Réunionese businesses and researchers with EU funded projects will certainly not only benefit the island but also Europe. The strategic role that Reunion Island plays in the Indian Ocean and the partnership opportunities offered with neighbouring countries such as Madagascar, Mauritius and South Africa, make this the perfect partner for a number of possible EU projects.” Rosa Schiano Phan.
The event was also attended by three other European researchers who have been involved in EC projects in the field of Energy; Professor Birgir Norddahl from University of South Denmark; Professor Daniel Hissel from FCLAB, France; Mr Francesco Orioli from Soltigua Ltd, Italy. The researchers also shared their experience and their interest in EC projects and gave feedback on the energy sector’s potential in Réunion Island.
During the event, the delegation of experts visited the various energy research infrastructures and projects on the Island. The experts exchanged with the research teams and assessed the research capacity of La Réunion in the field of Energy. The visits were followed by a day and a half of conferences and workshops at the region council. The main one day conference on Horizon 2020 included feedback and presentations from the experts’ teams on their field of research as well as potential for collaborative research in the field of Energy. The half day workshop was devoted to the development of potential future proposals.
A programme of the presentations and profiles of the speakers at the event can be found on the Innover a la Reunion website.