Eco Village TORRI SUPERIORE - VENTIMIGLIA (IM) ITALY

By project FEEL

Published on 17 July 2024

Italy

Liguria

About this good practice

The Eco-Village, that is member of RIVE (Italian Ecological Villages Network), is a perfect example of sufficiency and the concept of
“frugality and sufficiency”, as it is based on alternative concepts of housing and living, promoting a resource saving lifestyle which can inspire and motivate many people. It is also a virtuous example of sustainable tourism in a Region (and Country) that is under over tourism.
The Eco-Village promotes ecotourism as well as courses, meetings and programs on environmental education and resource sufficiency. There is also a resident community living sustainably with the lowest possible environmental impact and in a completely energy sufficient way (through the installation of solar panels).
In the field of European projects, the Eco-Village writes and submits ERASMUS+ projects in order to promote and provide training course focused on art and culture, and on sustainability (energy, environment).
During these months, it has held modules on training method “CLIPS - Community Learning Incubator for Sustainability”, hosted by the Eco-Village, and lessons on building of small businesses and start-ups, thanks to the Green Economy project.
The targets of these activities have been young people from different European countries.

Resources needed

The Eco-Village has been financed through private and public funds, as well as European projects (Erasmus +). Small local firms were employed for the renovation with the support of Association, residents and contributions from volunteers, including NGO Legambiente and International Civil Service.

Evidence of success

The Eco-Village has promoted a sustainable restoration of its spaces and areas, with efficient and sustainable energy saving methods (solar panels, local food production for the community). Thanks to its activities based on ethical values, it can connect people (inhabitants and visitors) to the nature and to different ways of life. The Village is managed by 3 bodies: Torri Superiore cultural association, Ture Nirvane Community Social Cooperative, and the resident community.

Potential for learning or transfer

The Eco-Village is a perfect example of sustainable tourism, as it promotes a tourism aimed at discovering nature and landscapes,typical of rural and inlands areas: it can offer information on excursions, involving experienced and certified local guides. These services make it possible to reduce the pressure of tourism on the coastal area. The Eco-Village has increased the use of low-technologies and of sufficiency actions to save energy resources: for example, it has built solar panels, it has used local stone, natural lime (for plasters and wall paintings) and natural insulating materials (cork, coconut fibres), and low-temperature heating systems are installed both in the accommodation and in some private houses. The inhabitants produce local food thanks to vegetable gardens and orchards inspired by permaculture principles. Hence, the Eco-Village is a self-sustainable ecosystem, also from a management point of view: inhabitants make their decisions based on the Consensus method.