Success for the open day at the House of Sustainability

Hundreds of people chose to spend the national holiday on August 1st visiting the House of Sustainability in Airolo. This occasion allowed them to rediscover, in a completely new form, this place that once housed the village post office.

During the day, guests could enjoy shows at L'ideatorio astronomical planetarium and join guided e-bike tours with the Sports Service, along with many other activities offered by the House. USI Rector Luisa Lambertini and State Councillor Norman Gobbi attended the official ceremony.

In her speech, the Rector emphasised that the House of Sustainability: "It represents a commitment from the university to think about the future and prepare future generations to face challenges related to sustainability. Since its inauguration on 21 March, the House has welcomed around a thousand people, including USI students, students from compulsory schools, institutions, companies, and others. This demonstrates the wide appreciation and demand for the topic of sustainability. It's important to come to the heart of the Alps, a privileged area, to contemplate this topic. We are pleased to offer this opportunity to everyone, and our doors will remain open in the future."
The topic of sustainability, particularly in the Alpine region, gained significant attention in early summer following severe weather that strongly affected several areas in Ticino and Switzerland. "In the name of our university, I would like to express our solidarity and support for all those affected by the recent natural disaster just a few weeks ago," said Lambertini in her speech at the ceremony. "The recent bad weather and natural disasters in Airolo, Vallemaggia, Mesolcina, Mendrisiotto, and Valais serve as important reminders of the urgent and fundamental need for our commitment to sustainability. Landslides, floods, and other extreme events demonstrate the real impacts of climate change and highlight the importance of responsible land management and increased awareness of the effects of climate change in our region. In this context, the House of Sustainability aims to play a pivotal role as a hub for training, raising awareness, and disseminating research conducted at USI and elsewhere on sustainability-related issues. The recent tragedies have filled us with sorrow and urged us to take action. It is our responsibility to utilize our knowledge and available resources to create sustainable and innovative solutions that can prevent future disasters and enhance the resilience of our communities. The House of Sustainability is dedicated to being a space where students, researchers, experts, and citizens collaborate to discover effective answers to environmental and climate challenges."

During the event, Airolo's mayor, Oscar Wolfisberg, also expressed his contentment at how the House of Sustainability had managed to integrate itself into the village and Leventina landscape during its first months of operation. "We are delighted," Wolfisberg said to TeleTicino's microphones. "We wanted a house that could engage with the population, and I believe the initial months' outcomes, combined with a series of targeted offers, have demonstrated that we are on the right path." Offers which, it should be emphasised, have not only attracted the attention of the local population. "The presence of around five hundred students in our area who have come to know and continue to explore our region is an opportunity that we hope will yield more benefits in the future. We aspire for them to become "little ambassadors" of our region, promoting and sharing our message. Our region is beautiful, and we hope that one day they will also want to introduce it to their family and friends on various occasions.'.

The Minergie label for the building of the House of Sustainability and the renewed "Energy City" certification were also presented to the municipality of Airolo. Additionally, the municipality kindly offered a maccheronata prepared by carnival cooks during the day.

The report on the event aired by TeleTicino and published on Ticinonews can be viewed at this link. (Italian only)