Michael Waibel is a senior lecturer at the Department of Economic Geography at the University of Hamburg – Germany. He has been doing research in Vietnam since 1996. He has obtained a PhD-degree in geography in 2001 with a thesis on urban development of Hanoi since the introduction of Doi Moi policy.

He is now a recognized partner of a research group, which has received a grant within the funding programme “Research for the Sustainable Development of the Megacities of Tomorrow - Energy- and climate-efficient structures in urban growth centres” (2008-2013) of the German Federal Ministry of Research and Education (BMBF), Title of the project: "Integrative Adaptation Planning Framework for Climate Urban Environment of Ho Chi Minh City - Sustainable Strategies for Energy- and Climate-Efficient and Housing Typologies for Mega-Cities of Tomorrow" (Main applicant: BTU Cottbus – Germany).

He is especially interested in the promotion of pro-environmental behavioural change which he regards as bottom line fighting climate change. In this context he considers the rapidly emerging urban middle classes of Vietnam as key target group for more sustainability and has identified energy-efficient housing as most promising field of action.