GrAT (Center for Appropriate Technology) is a scientific association for research and development of Appropriate Technology. Since 1986, GrAT has been proactively responding to a wide range of relevant issues in sustainable development:

• Sustainable building
• Renewable ressources
• Renewable energy
• Product service systems (PSS)
• Cleaner production
• Eco design

The long-term vision/mission of the assocaiton is to establisch systematically developed sustainable solutions, and to demonstrate the feasibility of those solutions through successful implementation projects. Coordinated dissemination activities enable more and more citizens and stakeholders to be aware of the alternatives which are better in ressource efficiency and beneficial to human well-being. This stepwise approach is believed to contribute to bringing us to the sustainable society.

The diverse backgrounds and expertise of the GrAT members in process engineering, mechanical engineering, industrial design, computer science, biology, agriculture and project management, is one of the strenghts of the group. Based on their multidisciplinary knowledge and experience, synergetic and innovative R&D performance is achieved. Moreover, the associated partner organizations of GrAT in the fields of architecture, cleaner production and management, flexibly form solution-oriented partnerships in order to take action in a broader variety of themes.

The common conviction of the group is that the new way of technology development contributes to the improvement of our quality of life, and that it should be responsible for its social and ecological consequences at the same time. To reach the goal, it concerns the whole processes of R&D project entailing analysis, planning, design, implementation, monitoring and dissemination. Furthermore, the knowledge gained from those projects is fed into the educational programs for college and university students, as well as into practical training and capacity building programs for professionals and individuals.

Today, susatainable solutions are urgently needed, not only for developing countries, but also developed ones. GrAT generates independent and long-term solutions that match the regional circumstances and demands. It provides innovative and sophisticated consultancy services to governmental institutions, communities and companies. Through international cooperations, strong cross-cultural partnerships with other European and Asian countries have been built up.