Building Futures – The Malta Chamber and AP Valletta sign agreement to work towards a sustainable building sector

The Malta Chamber of Commerce, Enterprise and Industry has signed a Cooperation Agreement with architecture and design firm AP Valletta to co-operate actively and explore common projects on the future of the built and unbuilt environment in Malta.

‘Building Futures’ will focus on typologies of space representative of the challenges Malta faces from a cultural, economic, social and environmental point of view, taking a multidisciplinary approach, bringing together designers, data analysts, economists and others in a collective effort to re-imagine the current systems. It will combine AP Valletta’s knowledge and experience in research and design projects, with The Malta Chamber’s commitment to develop a tangible vision for sustainable economic growth.

“Through this signing, The Malta Chamber is strengthening its resources in collaborating with key partners which are working towards a more sustainable future by identifying tangible solutions to the climate change emergency,” noted The Malta Chamber President, Perit David Xuereb, ahead of the signing.

“This cooperation agreement introduces ‘Building Futures’, a collaborative research project between The Malta Chamber and AP Valletta which will explore how design, together with research, education and economic measures, can shape the future of the built and unbuilt environment in Malta,” explained Perit Xuereb.

“The ‘Building Futures’ project will incorporate a detailed analysis of the current scenario to determine the factors that led to the building crisis while researching prospective efforts that will define the future of this sector through the identification of alternative development models,” continued The Chamber President.

“The current health crisis and the climate emergency before that, are on the one hand offering an unprecedented opportunity for change and on the other hand revealing the fragility of our urban environment”, says AP Valletta’s Executive Director David Felice. “Our intention is to create a research platform through which initiatives on tangible case studies will influence public policy and actions, and therefore create lasting change.”

The Memorandum of Understanding was signed by Perit David Xuereb and Ms Marisa Xuereb as President and Deputy President of The Malta Chamber, respectively, and Perit David Felice, Executive Director at AP Valletta.