This German-Iranian research and development project aims for developing, implementing and evaluating building and planning schemes and technologies which allow to plan and build sustainable and energy-efficient mass housing settlements in arid and semi-arid regions (“energy-efficient fabric”). The outcome of the Project will be technologies, methodologies and several built Pilot Projects for energy-efficiency in three fields:

1. Urban Development and Design
2. Urban Infrastructure Systems
3. Buildings and Objects

The findings in the different sectors will be pursued in several Pilot Projects, all to be implemented in Hashtgerd New Town and a central Pilot Project, the 35ha Area in Hashtgerd New Town. This 35 ha Area is aimed at becoming a unique demonstration ground for real-life innovations in Iran.

The main task of the nexus institute is to raise awareness for issues of climate protection and energy reduced living towards low-emission lifestyles and to foster citizen participation. This comprises the research on energy consumption patterns and on forms of communication, cooperation and participation in Iran and in a second phase the implementation of awareness raising concepts and participation processes for an energy-efficient New Town development in Hashtgerd with a special focus on young people. Nexus seeks to develop strategies that can be transferred to other New Towns in Iran. The bilateral Project is funded on the German side by the German Federal Ministry for Education and Research (BMBF) within the program “Research for the sustainable development of megacities of tomorrow“ and is set up for five years.