The One-Day hybrid RESTORE Seminar, taking place on 15 October 2021 at Valletta Campus, will introduce the concept of Regenerative Buildings to a wider non-technical audience

Although we usually look closely at the relationship between us and our buildings, because we do spend 90% of our time indoors, buildings ultimately shape us and our indoor environment is a large determinant of our physical, mental and social wellbeing.

For example, work environment can either mitigate indoor air pollutants or add to them, they can encourage or discourage physical activity. So, put simply, positive changes in our workplace environment can yield improved health outcomes.

The RESTORE Seminar, organised by the UM Faculty for Built Environment, Department of Environmental Design and Living Future Institute Europe, will introduce attendees to the latest research about indoor Environmental Quality and the business case for health and wellbeing. It will present the results of a 4-year Horizon-funded project called RESTORE.

RESTORE posits there should be a shift from a narrow focus on building energy performance, mitigation strategies to broader frameworks to enrich places, people, ecology, culture and climate.

In particular, a cultural shift is required since the EU’s new Bauhaus strategy places the future of our built environment at the crossroads between art, culture, social inclusion, science and technology. Imaging future way of living in our cities must be a creative and interdisciplinary initiative.

The COVID-19 pandemic has put priority on stricter health and safety policies in indoor spaces. Besides this health crisis, understanding the drivers for health and wellbeing is an area of knowledge that it is poorly understood by most. End users, professionals, policymakers and the real estate industry at a large are still not aware of the overall benefits that it can enable.

During the seminar, Restore Trainers, Members of the UM academia, and professional in real estate will also share their views, and these include the Head of the University’s Department of Environmental Design, Prof. Vincent Buhagiar, and the Dean of the Faculty for Built Environment, Prof. Alex Torpiano, among many others.

Local experts we will also join the discussion presenting some ongoing projects, and case studies. After the presentation session RESTORE representative and local experts will join a round table where a gap analysis will be conducted to understand Malta’s standpoint towards an ecological transition to a Regenerative Economy.

This event represents an introduction for an upcoming workshop for Architects and Engineers to be held in 2022.

The programme and registration details may be accessed online.