In December 2025, IMECOGIP presented the plans for the implementation phase of EnhancES at various locations in Asia: in Qingdao (China), Shanghai (China), and Bangkok (Thailand). The overarching goal was to advance the practical application of EnhancES in China. Prof. Dr. H. Zepp, the consortium coordinator, was accompanied by Dr. P. Sliwka from the DLR Project Management Agency, who visited the IMECOGIP project during this trip. In Bangkok, the kick-off event for the implementation phase of all projects united in SURE (Sustainable Development in China and East Asia) took place. We will report on these three stops of the journey in the coming weeks, starting with Qingdao. 🌏🌆
The local practice partner in Qingdao is the Qingdao Surveying and Mapping Institute (QSMI). QSMI is a service provider that works in numerous fields of surveying, environmental observation and analysis. Among other things, QSMI supports the planning of a High-Tech Development Zone in the north of the city, which is to be developed according to the principles of the Green City, Sponge City, and carbon-neutral City. This is where EnhancES is being applied in planning practice. The Chinese partners informed about their previous applications of EnhancES in this development project and explained their planned next steps. Prof. Dr. Harald Zepp presented the latest developments around EnhancES. He explained exemplary applications of EnhancES in Germany. In the afternoon, there was the festive opening of the “Sino-German IMECOGIP-EnhancES Innovation Studio”, which will find its place in the new building of the International Center of QSMI. 🏢🤝
The short video provided by QSMI illustrates the visit. The individual stations were:
IMECOGIP is a joint research project between the Institute of Geography at Ruhr University Bochum and the Research Institute for Regional and Urban Development (ILS Research gGmbH).
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Last update: Jan 08, 2026
