Engineering and videoconference at the service of the environment

by Eleonora Anello

Communicate status and progress of knowledge of crucial events to the development and welfare of future society, in the way so calm and objective as possible. This is the goal that applies “Energia: 2010 e oltre” (Energy: 2010 and over), round of informative meetings organized by the Polytechnic of Turin on the occasion of the celebrations of its 150 years of life.

The seven lectures, which started on January 20th and will end March 3rd, 2010, will address the theme of energy and its implications in technological, environmental, social, political and economic issues. Fact we will discuss the energy crisis, fossil fuels, renewables, nuclear energy and electricity and efficiency energy in buildings and transport.
With prestigious leaders borrowed from the business community and academia, the Polytechnic is directed towards anyone who is sensitive and shows interest in an issue that transcends issues often restricted to a small number of insiders. Moreover, «All the conferences will be visible in direct connection to the Internet through a dedicated web page of the Polytechnic. In this space will be also included materials produced and you can ask questions», says Professor Bruno Panella, director of the Department of Energy of the Polytechnic and organizer of the event. «It’s not possible a sustainable development without a continued commitment to safeguarding the planet -continues the teacher- and is the control of energy use the tool that can guarantee success or failure of this intention, because that's what in history has accompanied every great achievement of man».

And just to prove this, the Polytechnic of Turin has decided to make use of videoconference, a synchronous interaction in audio and video. Surely now can be considered the most environmentally friendly channel where the flow of information through a single channel that is shared among multiple recipients. It allows the relocation and the benefits are numerous: economics but mainly environmental. In fact, it allows the obvious saving of time, transport costs and facilitates and increases contacts and cooperation between individuals.
Certainly, the virtual meeting outside the unit of space is to the detriment of the physical but it can contribute not only to increase the number of participants, to make knowledge sharing more subject however exceeding the technological gap that divides our society. A service from innumerable potential still not adopted although illustrious testimonials like Bill Gates, Al Gore and the Prince Charles. The prince, for example, as in a science fiction movie, made his hologram travel to participate in January of 2008 at the World Summit on the future of energy held in the United Arab Emirates.

For the traditionalists, don’t miss the next appointment. It’s for Wednesday, January 27th at the Aula Magna of the Politecnico of Torino at 17.30. We discuss “Fossil fuels: hydrocarbons. Coal”. The complete program is available at the following address: http://www.conferenze.energia.polito.it/le_conferenze.