Austrian summer school shares pioneering approach at Futurebuild

1 Mar 2019

Futurebuild visitors can learn about the unique attributes of the Green.Building.Solutions. summer university, which has become a magnet for architects and building professionals seeking to put the environment first in their careers.

At the Advantage Austria pavilion from stand number B100, representatives from OeAD-Housing Office will be at the expo, taking place at ExCeL London, to share insight and information on the award-winning programme.

Green.Building.Solutions. (GBS) takes place in Vienna this year from July 20 to August 11, with the city providing a live case study in passive house developments and sustainable, smart city expertise.

In 2018, GBS attracted 42 participants from 27 different countries to the Austrian capital, and with all study and social activities carried out in English, the not-for profit programme is well-suited to participants from the UK and Ireland.

This year the OeAD-Housing Office – part of Austria’s national agency for international mobility and cooperation in education, science and research – will once again provide a unique opportunity for global collaboration between like-minded individuals.

Participants develop new skills and inspiration to design and build sustainable cities, through workshops, lectures, fact-finding visits and also gain insight from world-leading academics.

The knowledge gathered is then channelled into a group work project, where teams design homes of the future, with the environment in mind.

The project work brings together different elements of international thought, with features including a greater emphasis on social interaction and connectivity within buildings, measures to adapt to a changing climate and the innovative use of sustainable materials.

Places are limited for the programme, which is relevant to students and professionals alike in the fields of architecture and the built environment, including construction management, project management, building engineering and surveying.

Günther Jedliczka, CEO of the OeAD-Housing Office, commented: “GBS attracts like-minded people who aspire to make the world a better place through the built environment.

“Those taking part gain the understanding and inspiration to apply their learning throughout their careers and build an international network of other professionals with the same outlook.”

Run in association with six national partners who contribute to the content, including Vienna’s BOKU University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences and the Vienna University of Technology – and supported by a further 21 universities around the world – the course is priced at €2,490 for professionals and €2,000 for students.

This cost includes all social activities, lessons and tours, as well as accommodation for participants throughout the duration of GBS in one of OeAD’s passive house student residences – giving an added perspective to participants’ experiences in Vienna.

The accommodation is also included as part of the fee for almost a week after the programme, meaning those taking part can explore the city at leisure.

As well as GBS, the OeAD-Housing Office also operates the Alternative Economic and Monetary Systems programme (AEMS), which analyses how economic, political, monetary and environmental factors need to change to be more sustainable – it takes place this year from July 24 to August 9.

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