The team behind a pioneering summer programme in Austria which brings together the latest thinking in sustainable construction will be on hand at Ecobuild to discuss the course.

Summer University Green. Building. Solutions. (GBS) is a unique opportunity for professionals and students alike the chance to discover more about sustainable techniques.

It takes place over a three week period in the capital of energy efficient construction, Vienna.

This year the programme’s organisers will be on hand at the Advantage Austria stand at Ecobuild to give those interested a greater insight into the programme.

Designed to appeal to, but not limited to, those working and studying in architecture, construction management, project management, building engineering and surveying the next GBS summer university takes place on the 23 July until 14 August 2016.

The course is organised by the OeAD-Housing Office, which offers passive house accommodation for students across Austria, together with the city’s BOKU University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, which advocates the use of natural resources by connecting natural, engineering and economic sciences.

Anyone wanting to meet the team at Ecobuild is advised to book an appointment slot beforehand to avoid disappointment at info@shepherd-pr.com

The GBS summer university, along with the social and cultural activities that run with it, is delivered wholly in English.

Topics covered include Sustainability in Building and Urban Planning, Principles of Passivhaus Planning and Renewable Energies and Business Concepts.

It concludes with a collaborative project, where participants work together to bring their learning and experiences from the course to design a ‘green’ building.

Günther Jedliczka, CEO of the OeAD-Housing Office, said: “Austria is world-renowned as a pioneer in sustainable construction and students on the course are able to tap into the expertise of acclaimed academics and industry professionals to broaden their own prospective and build a network of useful contacts.

“The programme brings together ecological insight and engineering expertise in a highly engaging format, which will bring real value to those taking part and their future career.”

The OeAD-Housing Office – which won the Austrian Climate Protection Award in 2013 and the Environmental Award of the City of Vienna in March 2015 – operates the Green Building Solutions course under a not-for-profit arrangement.

The cost of the course is €2490 for professionals and €2000 for students. The price includes all social activities as well as accommodation, which is based in OeAD’s passive house student properties in Vienna. Early booking is advised and more details can be found at www.summer-university.net

GBS has been conceived as a modular university course, with seven ECTS points awarded after successful completion.

Ecobuild 2016 takes place in Excel London on 8-10 March. Advantage Austria, the country’s foreign trade promotion organisation, has a dedicated pavilion at the event encompassing stand numbers E2130, E2140, E2125, E1140, E1144.

This area, where OeAD representatives will be based, forms an exciting showcase of the best of Austrian sustainable building technology. OeAD-Housing Office can be found at stand E2130/2.