Details:
The Luxembourg Red Cross is organising a conference on humanitarian housing on Friday 27 October 2023 at the Abbaye de Neumünster (neimënster) in Luxembourg-Grund.
The event, co-organised by the Humanitarian Aid of the Luxembourg Red Cross and the Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology (LIST), will be a forum for researchers, engineers and architects from different countries to study and to present innovative and sustainable solutions for humanitarian housing that is more efficient and respectful of people and the environment. The event is free-of-charge and open to professionals and the general public.
“We imagined this day with the aim of creating a space for exchange between experts from different backgrounds - technical, scientific or academic - which did not previously exist in Luxembourg. Humanitarian housing is a complex area whose challenges can be met through innovation,” explained Daniel Ledesma, head of the Shelter Research Unit (SRU), the referent technical unit of the Humanitarian Aid of the Luxembourg Red Cross. The SRU works to improve expertise in humanitarian housing through the innovative use of materials and the integration of traditional architectural concepts. With a particular focus on contributing to environmental impact mitigation, the SRU aims to develop context-based housing solutions and make the response on the ground more efficient from a financial and logistical perspective.
The conference aims to promote research in the field of humanitarianism and the environment. Nine academic research works concerning technical innovation, architecture and engineering in sustainable humanitarian housing were previously selected by a scientific committee and will be presented on this occasion.
On the sidelines of the event, the work of the Ukrainian Red Cross teams to help victims of the conflict will be highlighted in a photo exhibition to be discovered in the atrium of the Abbaye de Neumünster.
At 10:45, a first panel will discuss the theme “Hi tech - low tech: Technical innovation in the service of sustainable humanitarian housing”. In a world facing the growing challenges of climate change and population displacement, innovation is essential to create sustainable habitats for vulnerable people. A panel of experts in construction, architecture and new technologies will discuss these questions.
At 13:30, the conflict in Ukraine will be at the centre of discussions around the theme “Humanitarian housing in times of conflict”. In the face of adversity, resilience and collaboration become essential in humanitarian housing efforts. Experts in international relations and humanitarian aid will explore these themes, highlighting the challenges of Ukraine, a country deeply affected by conflict.
A competition was launched in advance to allow architecture or engineering students to create an innovative and environmentally friendly shelter prototype. Three teams will exhibit their model at the conference and the winning prototype will receive a prize and be tested in 2024 under field conditions in a country where the Luxembourg Red Cross is active.
The event will be held in English and will be accessible upon registration. All information regarding the “Innovation in Humanitarian Habitat” conference and registration details are available via the link: https://www.croix-rouge.lu/fr/innovation-in humanitarian-habitat-fr/.
Humanitarian Aid from the Luxembourg Red Cross is active in ten countries around the world, mainly in Africa and Ukraine. Its teams in Luxembourg and in its countries of intervention work to help protect the most vulnerable populations and aim to ensure they can live with dignity and maintain or regain their autonomy. It has more than 1,000 volunteers and more than 3,000 professionals.
The Luxembourg Red Cross is involved in activities as diverse as emergency international humanitarian aid, home care services, blood transfusion, rehabilitation, reception of elderly or dependent people in day or integrated centres, social assistance, reception of migrants and refugees, individual assistance for people in difficulty, "maisons relais" (childcare centres) and youth centres, and socio-family therapeutic services
Venue: Abbaye de Neumünster (28 Rue Münster, L-2160 Luxembourg)
Organiser: Luxembourg Red Cross
Price: Free
Reservations: See website
URL: For details, see https://www.croix-rouge.lu/fr/innovation-in%20humanitarian-habitat-fr/
