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Students at Hof University of Applied Sciences Develop an Innovative Guide for Urban Food Production and Sustainable Water Management
Hof – How can food production, water management, and resource conservation be intelligently combined in urban environments? This question was explored by an interdisciplinary team of students from Hof University of Applied Sciences as part of the project “EcoFloatFarm.” Within just 16 weeks, 13 students developed a practical guide demonstrating how planted floating islands can improve water quality while simultaneously producing food directly on the water.
The project was initiated and academically supervised in the field of environmental resource protection by Dr. Harvey Harbach, Head of the Research Group for Resource-Efficient Food Production in Integrated Aquaculture at Hof University of Applied Sciences.
Holistic Concept for Sustainable Cities
At the core of the project was the development of a comprehensive theoretical concept for planted floating islands. The students examined design, planting, and installation, as well as the ecological, economic, and social impacts of the system. The aim was to absorb nutrients directly from the water body, improve water quality, and at the same time reduce pressure on agricultural land.
The guide was developed as a case study for the Hof University campus and, at the same time, designed as a transferable model for future urban spaces in the context of the Green Tech University.
Project Management Meets Sustainability
Project management was led by Philipp Moser and Celine Stumpf, students in the Master’s program International Project Management. The project was integrated into the modules “Management of Project Groups” and “Fundamentals of Project Management”, taught by Prof. Dr. Manuela Wimmer. Dr. Harbach’s central guiding question was: How must a planted floating island be designed to be practical, scalable, and transferable to different locations? To answer this, the students deliberately applied project management methods and tools with direct practical relevance.
Practical Guide with Added Value
The developed guide describes in detail all necessary steps for implementing such a system. These include, among others:
Literature and market research
Criteria-based evaluation of existing floating island concepts
Selection of suitable, nutrient-efficient plant species
Technical dimensioning as well as installation and anchoring concepts
Cost, sustainability, and impact analyses
As a result, a modular floating island system validated for the Hof University site was created, featuring location-adapted planting.
Problem-Solving Competence
“The project showed how important a holistic approach is – from plant selection and technical implementation to ecological, economic, and social impacts,” emphasizes Celine Stumpf, Project Manager of EcoFloatFarm. Philipp Moser also draws a positive conclusion: “It was great fun to develop a guide as a team that can actually be used in practice. I would be happy to take further modules with Dr. Harbach.”
Dr. Harvey Harbach was equally impressed: “In the regular coaching sessions, I was repeatedly impressed by how strongly the students developed their problem-solving skills, self-reflection, and soft skills.”
Strong Contribution to Resource Conservation
With projects like EcoFloatFarm, Hof University of Applied Sciences – particularly the Institute for Sustainable Water Systems (inwa) – underscores its profile in the field of environmental resource protection. The project exemplifies how applied research and teaching can generate concrete, future-oriented solutions for sustainable urban development. The results of the project are intended to serve as a foundation for the practical implementation of floating island concepts in the future – quite literally bringing sustainable food production and water treatment to life.
Dr. Harvey Harbach
Prof. Dr. Manuela Wimmer
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Bauwesen / Architektur, Biologie, Ernährung / Gesundheit / Pflege, Gesellschaft, Umwelt / Ökologie
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Forschungs- / Wissenstransfer, Forschungsprojekte
Englisch
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