The Foundation de Monaco participates in a round table discussion on ecology to mark the centenary of the Cité Internationale Universitaire de Paris

M. Frédéric PENENT, Mme Chiara NOTARANGELO, Mme Stéphanie DEMBACK-DIJOUX, Mme Pauline CAILLOUET, M. Raphaël CAROSSI

The Foundation de Monaco participated in the first round table discussion of a series entitled ‘The City of the Future', launched by the director of the Colegio de España, Mr Justo Zambrana Pineda, to mark the centenary of the Cité Internationale Universitaire de Paris (CIUP), which is being celebrated this year.

This first meeting on ecology was held on World Environment Day (5 June), on the theme of ‘Pour un modèle du vivre ensemble qui contribue à l’équilibre de la planète’ (Coexistening while maintaining planetary energy balance). Ms Martine Garcia Mascarenhas, Director of the Foundation de Monaco, took this opportunity to reiterate the Principality's commitment to tackling climate change and achieving carbon neutrality by 2050, with 2025 marking the 10th anniversary of the Paris Agreement. She also emphasised the key role the construction sector plays in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and the creation of the Mission for Energy Transition in 2016.

Two representatives of the Prince's Government, Ms Pauline Caillouet, operations manager for the Public Buildings Maintenance Office, and Mr Raphaël Carossi, energy specialist at the Mission for Energy Transition, took part in the round table discussion moderated by Ms. Stéphanie Demback-Dijoux, director and training consultant in organisational transformation and deputy mayor of the 19th arrondissement of Paris. The participants engaged in a detailed discussion about the innovative solutions implemented in the Principality, including the BD2M (Mediterranean Sustainable Buildings in Monaco) initiative, the installation of photovoltaic panels that integrate well with the architectural heritage, such as at the Lycée Albert Ier, centralised technical management models in communal buildings such as schools, and MonaCUBE's educational competition to reduce energy consumption in buildings.

Three main issues were discussed in front of mainly CIUP residents: 

• ‘Renovating without compromising: old buildings face the transition challenge’: a topical issue for the Foundation de Monaco, which will see the completion of the CIUP's Recovery Plan and Energy Renovation Programme by September, following three years of work.
• ‘The park: biodiversity, landscapes and climate': the CIUP occupies an eco-friendly 34-hectare site with a rich landscape heritage that forms a haven for biodiversity.
• ‘Uses: conduct, governance and commitment’: crucial issues for the 12,000 international students and researchers welcomed to the campus and its 47 halls of residence each year.

The conclusions of this round table session will be incorporated into the CIUP's 'centenary declaration', which will draw the official programme to a close in December.