The International Garden Exhibition Ruhr Metropolis 2027 will become a real-life laboratory for the realization of a sustainable large-scale event. To this end, the IGA 2027 implementation company wants to cooperate with the Ruhr University Alliance (HAR). A letter of intent for a joint project "Sustainable International Garden Exhibition (IGA) Metropole Ruhr 2027" with the universities of the Hochschulallianz Ruhr was signed today.
The aim of the project is to develop a sustainability concept for the IGA Metropole Ruhr 2027 - developed by the universities of the HAR, Bochum University of Applied Sciences, Dortmund University of Applied Sciences and Arts and the Westphalian University of Applied Sciences - which includes the building blocks associated with the implementation of this major event, such as temporary buildings, catering, mobility, energy supply, event management, etc. In particular, the project also aims to teach sustainability. In particular, the communication of sustainability aspects is also to be included in the conception of the event modules and sustainability is to be made recognizable as a visible and central feature of the IGA 2027.
Model character for garden shows
In this way, the topic of sustainability can be introduced into a garden show in an unprecedented breadth and penetration. The concept will be made available to the German Federal Garden Show Society, as licensor of the IGA, so that it can serve as a model for subsequent International Garden Shows and Federal Garden Shows.
The project is scheduled to start in spring 2023 so that the contents of the sustainability concept can be taken into account in as many tenders as possible for the services associated with the implementation of the IGA 2027.
Challenges for planning and implementation
The three levels of the IGA 2027 and the numerous venues pose particular challenges for the sustainable planning and implementation of the IGA 2027: Firstly, the many municipal and regional stakeholders, who also come from both the public and private sectors and who need to be made aware of sustainable behavior. Secondly, the distances between the various locations in the region.
In addition to all the positive effects for the development of the Ruhr metropolis, the flow of visitors - current forecasts assume around 2.6 million local and international visitors - also results in the use of resources, which must be minimized.