Final conference of the GIFLUID project

17 November 2023 Adm_GFluid 0 Comments

The closing conference of the GIFLUID Project – Green Infrastructures to mitigate flood risks in Urban and sub-urban areas and to improve the quality of rainwater discharges (INTERREG V-A Italy-Malta 2014-2020 Program) was held on November 17, 2023, at the Main Hall of Di3A – Department of Agriculture, Food, and Environment at Via S. Sofia 100 Catania. The GIFLUID project, led by the Di3A of the University of Catania, involved partners such as the Energy Water Agency (Malta), the Regional Technical Department of the Sicilian Region, the Rabat Local Council (Malta), and the municipality of Aci Castello, aiming to promote sustainable solutions for the management of rainwater in urban and suburban areas through the use of green infrastructures and nature-based solutions

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The conference, organized by the Di3A in collaboration with GIFLUID project partners, including professional orders and associations from Catania, CSEI Catania, and the Italian Hydrotechnical Association section Eastern Sicily, focused on the activities carried out in the GIFLUID project and the state of the art in managing rainwater flows through green infrastructures, with special attention to the metropolitan area of Catania and some urban areas of Malta.

During the conference, guided tours were organized to the green roof at the Bioscientific Pole of the University of Catania in Via S. Sofia 100 – Catania. Participation was free and recognized university and professional educational credits.

Among the experts who spoke, Professor Giuseppe Luigi Cirelli and Dr. Manuel Sapiano provided an overview of the project. Engineer Anacleto Rizzo from IRIDRA Florence presented nature-based solutions for managing urban and suburban runoff: from the results of the GIFLUID project to the activities of the CARDIMED project

Particular emphasis was given to the green roof at the Ghajn National Water Conservation Centre in Malta, presented by Dr. Manuel Sapiano and Dr. Aaron Cutajar from the Energy and Water Agency of Malta, along with Dr. Anthony Bonello from the Rabat Local Council. Similarly, the green roof at Di3A – University of Catania was highlighted, contributed to by Professor Giuseppe Cirelli, Professor Daniela Romano, Dr. Annibale Sicurella from LABORARCH Catania, and Engineer Stefano Cascone from the Mediterranean University of Reggio Calabria.

The conference also included presentations on the achievements of the GIFLUID project, such as permeable pavements and rain gardens in Aci Castello, with interventions from Architect Salvatore Passarello and Dr. Filippo Musumarra of the Municipality of Aci Castello, and Engineer Vincenzo Trovato, a freelance professional.

Additionally, a master plan for sustainable planning of green infrastructures in the Mediterranean area was presented, curated by Dr. Manuel Sapiano and Engineer Marzio Melis (Energy and Water Agency) and Professors Francesco Martinico and Dr. Liviana Sciuto from Di3A of the University of Catania.