Milan Monza and Lake Como

Water Food Fashion and Design

Unlike most European and world leading cities, Milan was not settled on a river or by the sea, but in the middle of the Po River Valley. Hence, Milan’s is a history about water and how water was brought to the city. The concentric layout of the city center has been influenced by the Navigli, an ancient system of navigable and interconnected canals, now mostly covered.

Water History and Leonardo Da Vinci

A Source of energy for transportation and as a defense system throughout the centuries. Leonardo Da Vinci spent his most productive years in Milan, and his activity as an engineer crossed with the water history of the city; marks of his activity are still visible after hundreds of years. Water, sustainability and Leonardo are the threads that unify the different epochs in the city’s history and this part of Italy.

Traditions and Innovations in Energy and Water

Classical Milan the old Roman city of Mediolanum, and the more hidden parts of Milan, will connect the visitor with old artisan shops, the new Museum of Cultures, Villa Necchi Campiglio and the Last Supper.

Shopping and Design Milan is a global capital in industrial design, fashion and architecture. It is also a mecca for food lovers. As the commercial capital of Italy and one of Europe's most dynamic cities, it accounts for the lion’s share of the fashion trade, with some of the most renowned fashion houses headquartered here. Its upscale fashion district- il quadrilatero della moda - and La Galleria, the world’s first shopping mall, offer the best shopping opportunities anywhere.

Reduce Transit Times and Travel Costs on Your Next Trip

The Royal Villa in Monza has its own history dating back to the middle ages with a Royal Villa and the surrounding Monza Park. Recently restored the villa rivals in size and quality Versailles and Caserta’s Royal Palace. Behind the Royal Villa, Monza Park is the largest walled park in Europe. You may be already familiar with it as the racetrack where the Monza Formula 1 Grand Prix takes place every September.

Lake Como Bellagio is a cozy old village where the two branches of the lake converge in a narrow Canyon and where the water is still feeding an old-fashioned power plant. Isola Comacina is an old settlement with ruins dating back from the middle ages, and a terrific view of the Lake. The road back to Milan is via the Strada Regina - Queen’s Road - along the lakeshore and an opportunity to look at some gorgeous villas, including George Clooney’s residence.

Land Water and Countryside Landscapes in the Po River Valley

The Countryside around the Po River is now a huge expanse of fields, but once was a vast brughiera of swamps and forests. The village of Trino, at the crossroad between the old Roman military camps and the medieval towns of Milan, Turin, Vercelli and Asti, was a sacred forest called Lucedio (Lucus Dei), where the Cistercian monks settled in 1123 and built an abbey.

Near the Settlement, there is still a forest - Bosco delle Sorti della Partecipanza di Trino - managed with sustainable socio-criteria since 1202 and from 1991 a public park under FSC protection. Elsewhere in the Po Valley, the monks slowly reclaimed and brought the land under cultivation creating a new eco-environmental system, the Pianura Padana. 

In the Monferrato area by the Po river, the Pianura is an expanse of rice fields divided by canals and flooded in spring time, the so-called Terre d'Acqua, a water-land populated by many migrant animals - herons, storks, swallows. In between the fields there are many old and unique farmhouses, the so-called grange, built by the monks at a distance of half a day’s walk from each other. The reflections of sun rays and moon lights on the still water that covers the flat fields design a very particular landscape, which has been also captured by many artists. 

The Parco Fluviale del Po e dell’Orba is a park with conservation and environmental protection of the cultivated lands is assigned to the EcoMuseo delle Terre d’Acqua located in the Antica Riseria San Giovanni, founded in the 15^th Century, which preserves the original plant and a 17^th Century watermill. It also houses the Museo delle Macchine da Riso.

Palazzo Mossi (Mossi Palace) in Frassineto Po is where the Centro di Interpretazione del Paesaggio del Po shows environmental changes, the many historical, natural and geological events which over time have changed the landscape and the current configuration of the area.

Po River Tours a travel and education experience for families and groups to discover the history, traditions and cultures of this major waterway: Boat Tours; Culinary Experiences - wineries, breweries and local food; Walking, Biking, Canoeing Horseback Riding; Museums and Cultural Attractions; Accommodations and Transfers.

Development Projects Impact Assessment

points of reference

Traffic Safety and Congestion getting through the nearest signalized intersections in one green cycle during rush hour conditions. Standing at each proposed new intersection location, verify visibility of approaching vehicles at the minimum, safe sight-distance formula: posted speed limit + 10 mph x 11 feet/mph. Example: 30 mph + 10 = 40 x 11 = 440 feet sight - distance. Trips generated by the project on neighborhood streets are below 2,000 vehicles per day.

Safe Streets and School Overcrowding for residential areas, can the additional students resulting from the project be accommodated without exceeding the capacity of affected schools. Sidewalks are adequate to allow students to safely walk or bike to school along the streets receiving traffic from the project.

Trees and Forests complying with tree canopy or forest conservation laws.

clustered homes maximize forest preservation

Buffering and Screening of commercial and industrial projects from the view of adjacent residential homes. If the project obstructs natural views from existing homes, then the proposed landscaping must

be sufficient to preserve views.

Property Values commercial or industrial structures to be at least 300 feet from residential homes. If the project is commercial-industrial, can trucks reach the site without travelling on residential streets.

Air Quality if the project is a gas station, it must be at least 500 feet from homes, hospitals, schools, senior centers and day care facilities. The homes must be 500 feet from a highway with traffic volumes of 50,000 or more vehicles per day.

Fire and Emergency Medical Services the project must be within a four to eight-minute response time for fire and emergency medical services. In suburban-urban areas with water pressure sufficient to meet fire suppression needs.

Recreation Areas for residential projects, a minimum of 10 acres of park or other recreation areas for every 1,000 residents is recommended. For suburban-urban residential projects, there should be a neighborhood park within a ¼ mile walking distance of the site.

Water Supply for projects served by wells, verify the likelihood that area wells fail or become contaminated. If the site is served by piped-public water, the project must not exceed the safe or sustainable yield.

Flooding all proposed structures must be outside the 100-year flood plain, with runoff managed to prevent an increase in floodwater elevations downstream of the site.

Historical-Archeological Resources if a designated historic-archeological resource is present on or near the site, the local historic society must ascertain that it is adequately protected. For buildings 50 years or older slated for demolition, the local historic society should be consulted about the need for protection.

Water a buffer of native vegetation undisturbed within 100 feet of streams, wetlands or other aquatic resources. Rooftops, streets, parking lots and other impervious surfaces drain to bio-retention, infiltration or other highly effective storm water system. Project sewage is sent to a treatment plant and the pipes carrying the sewage do not overflow. The treatment plant has met pollution discharge limits for the last 3 years; If the project will be served by onsite sewage disposal, site soils should be rated for Septic Tank Absorption Fields in accordance with USDA Web Soil Survey.

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Business Resources for Tourism Energy Water and Transit Projects

Tema works with you and your community to develop and implement training programs to:

• Start new businesses;
• Help existing businesses adopt state of the art sustainability practices; 
• Prepare students for the jobs market; 
• Assist local governments and nonprofits  meet environmental standards; 
• Develop and implement sustainable tourism capabilities; 
• Create or upgrade your museum’s sustainability plans.

Training Management Solutions and Markets for your Products and Services

Hands-on education, training and work-study opportunities that enhance skills and knowledge to make well informed environmental choices in:

• community sustainability
• watershed management
• sustainable tourism
• museum management
• landscape architecture
• sustainable agriculture
• renewable energy
• municipality conservation & development

Training Programs

Green Buildings Systems and Materials cover the fundamentals of building science and examine a ‘whole-building’ approach to construction, operations, and maintenance. Identification of core principles, best practices, regulations, incentives, and fundamentals of the LEED rating systems.

Green Certifications Labels and Standards are an indication that green principles are practiced and that dynamic, ongoing sustainability practices are in place. Review of techniques for determining legitimacy, credibility and performance. Industry certifications in building, consumer products, environmental landscaping and lodging/tourism.

Water Resources and Conservation implement proper landscaping techniques and a water conservation plan: reuse of reclaimed water, rainwater catchment systems and reduce water leakage.

Environmental Accounting implementing environmental/carbon accounting as part of a sustainability plan that prioritizes actions based on the return on investment for owners, stakeholders and taxpayers as well as meet energy, water, and waste-reduction targets.

Renewable Energy in sustainability planning initiatives is a crucial element in lowering long-term operating costs. Energy planning creates a culture of environmental and social responsibility.

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Knowledge Tourism

Economic Development Entrepreneurs

Tourism Energy Water Transit

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