RP coral reef project exhibited in Switzerland

ZURICH, Switzerland – A Philippine project on the regeneration of corals is featured in the exhibit “Discoveries 2009 – Water” at Mainau island in Zurich as part of a conference in honor of Nobel laureates at Lake Constance in Germany. 

“Discoveries 2009 – Water” is an engaging exhibition on the economic, environmental and social importance of water and is open to the public until the end of August. The exhibition shows how asking questions leads to groundbreaking developments and exciting progress, framed by the theme of water.

The Swiss-based Holcim Foundation for Sustainable Construction pavilion showcases a project to accelerate the cultivation of corals on starfish shaped concrete structures. The Holcim Awards prize-winning project demonstrates a sustainable way to preserve maritime biodiversity and increase living quality for local residents.

The project designed by Lemuel Alfeche addresses the problem of degraded coral reefs. Destructive fishing practices, pollution and climate change are severely impacting coral reefs. Marine biodiversity and fish stocks have dwindled, causing significant impact not only on the oceans, but also on local communities who rely on fishing for food and economic development.
The project designers found that concrete is an ideal material not only for making the framework strong and resistant to the elements, but also due to its low acidity which favors accelerated coral growth.

The young corals can therefore be soon harvested and successfully transplanted to other areas. The concrete structures can be adjusted to optimize their placement in terms of access to light and avoiding strong currents. Its shape, with eight elongated legs, is reminiscent of a starfish, Acanthaster plancii, from which the Acanthasia takes its name.

The “concrete starfish” was first introduced in early 2000 at Duka Bay in Misamis Oriental. The project received the Holcim Awards silver prize for the region Asia Pacific in 2005 and was praised for addressing not only ecological issues but also economic feasibility, social benefits and transferability to other sites.

Sustainability beneath the surface

In honor of the annual conference of Nobel laureates on the shores of Lake Constance at Lindau in Germany, a series of scientific presentations under the theme of “Discoveries 2009 – Water” is currently exhibited on the island of Mainau. The exhibition consists of 20 pavilions of scientific experiments, simulations and exciting displays demonstrating what science contributes to addressing the challenges of humanity.

The Holcim Foundation is hosting one of the pavilions by featuring the Acanthasia project and describing in detail the importance of science in sustainable construction and developing an innovative solution to support coral regeneration.

Internationally-renowned architect, member of the Holcim Foundation Management Board and professor at ETH Zurich Marc Angélil stated that sustainable construction uses the technical competencies of science to address the challenges of today. “It is a great opportunity to show that sustainable thinking in construction can incorporate all areas of life – even what lies beneath the surface of the ocean,” he said. Chairman of the Holcim Foundation Management Board and CEO of Holcim Ltd. Markus Akermann explained that the exhibition was an opportunity to illustrate the diverse pathways toward sustainable development. “We want to promote sustainable responses to the technological, environmental, and socio-economic issues affecting building and construction. Participating in ‘Discovery 2009 – Water’ brings the theme of sustainable construction to a dimension through an exciting project that is contributing to the restoration of precious coral reefs,” he said.
The Holcim Foundation conducts the Holcim Awards competition on regional and global levels for innovative, future-oriented and tangible construction projects. The Awards competition offers $2 million in prize money per three-year cycle, and is sponsored by Holcim Ltd., one of the world’s leading suppliers of cement and aggregates. The next Holcim Awards competition opens for entries on July 1, 2010 at www.holcimawards.org.