As you may already know, the CUF Training projects comes from the GROOF project, which had as objectives to design rooftop greenhouses for local food production and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
The goal of the project is to capitalize on the knowledge and experiences gained from the GROOF project to develop and implement training in circular urban farms. This effort led to the creation of the "Grow the City" training program as part of the CUF Training project.
Our program stands out for its approach, with online learning modules and hands-on training sessions conducted in four partner countries: Belgium, Luxembourg, France, and Germany.
This project is possible thanks to seven partners located across North-West Europe. Each is taking part in this project by putting their own skills to good use ! You may recognize them as they were also involved in the Groof project ✨
-Groupe One: specialists in transitioning to a sustainable economy, focusing on localization, food systems and circular economy
-IFSB - Institut de Formation Sectoriel du Bâtiment: training leaders in the construction sector, and in energy and carbon transition
-Le Bureau d'Etudes de Gally: experts in gardens, landscape and urban agriculture designs taking account of biodiversity
-Institut für angewandtes Stoffstrommanagement: pioneers in energy and material flow management
-Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech: specialists in urban agriculture and sustainable food systems, advancing innovative production and biodiversity solutions.
-ASTREDHOR - Institut des professionnels du végétal: experts in research and innovation, and supporting professionals with expertise, training and advice
-ebf GmbH: specialist for energy management and integrated food and energy systems
We would like to introduce you to the incredible experts who will guide you through this journey. Each of them brings a unique blend of expertise, passion, and hands-on experience in urban farming.
From construction to business models or sustainable farming techniques, our trainers are here to inspire you and share their knowledge to help you thrive in this growing field.
Meet them in this article as we share more about their backgrounds, specialties, and the expertise they’ll bring to the table!
Design & Construction
Civil construction engineer with over 20 years of
experience in a stability design office, Marcel combines his professional
expertise with a passion for teaching. He is a part-time lecturer at the
University of Luxembourg and at the University of Lorraine.
Growing systems
Professor and head of the Integrated and Urban Plant
Pathology Laboratory at Liège University, Haïssam has over 33 years pioneering
biocontrol methods to protect plants. Founder of the Research Centre in Urban
Agriculture (C-RAU) and the WASABI Platform, he develops innovative soil and
soilless production systems for urban communities, as hydroponics, bioponics,
and rooftop greenhouses. He bridges academia and industry to create
sustainable, accessible solutions for agriculture and horticulture.
As a soil biology and microbiology specialist, Caroline is a assistant professor at Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech (ULiiège). Caroline focuses mainly on soil biology and microbiology, bringing expertise in sustainable agricultural practices.
Business models
Caroline Bini is a biologist and environmental manager with 25 years of experience. For the past 17 years, she has been a project manager at Groupe One, a Belgian organization dedicated to promoting sustainable entrepreneurship and driving economic transitions. Caroline worked on topics such as economic localization, sustainable food systems, and circular economy.
Since 2018, Caroline’s main mission is to support cities and developers in creating and implementing urban farms.
Energy
Karsten works at the Institute for Applied Resource Management (IfaS) at
Trier University of Applied Sciences. After studying horticulture in the 1990s,
he joined IfaS in 2008 and specialized in International Material Flow
Management (IMAT). His expertise spans climate protection, climate change
adaptation, horticulture projects, energy supply, and EU initiatives like CUF
With degrees in Physics and Energy & Environmental Management, Franz founded ebf GmbH in 1996, after working in an engineering office building simulation and for a large electricalcompany. He advises medium- and large-scale businesses on energy efficiency and management worldwide and has supported horticultural enterprises since 2007. His expertise is integral to projects like the Interreg initiative GROOF.
Water management
Horticultural engineer specializing in sustainable
plant production, Marie is a technical advisor and trainer in Horticulture at
the ASTREDHOR institute, bringing expertise in innovative and eco-friendly
cultivation methods.
Waste management
Camille is an experimentation manager at ASTREDHOR -
Institut des professionnels du végétal. With a background in agronomy from the
University of Caen and plant physiology research at INRAE, he joined ASTREDHOR
in 2019 as a plant physiology and experimentation specialist. Camille has
managed several innovative projects, including developing alternative growing
mediums from urban residues.
On-site programme leader
Agricultural engineer by training, Théo has been part
of the Bureau d’Études de Gally for the past 4 years. He conducts technical and
economic studies for urban and peri-urban farming projects and designs planting
plans for vegetable gardens.
With a background as an agronomist specialized in environmental and
land-use planning, Amandine has been working for over 6 years at the Bureau
d’Études de Gally. An expert in urban farms and educational farms, she supports
project owners, landowners, and developers in designing and developing these
innovative initiatives.