IET: Leading students learn about the Olympic Games’ sustainability
Top architectural and engineering students from 20 countries are in London learning about the latest in sustainability and energy efficiency at the heart of the Games.
Companies that helped to build the Olympic park are running sessions with the students. The students have developed their own projects focusing on the energy performance of sports facilities, sustainable design and building processes. This work will later be disseminated across a network of European universities.
The students’ work is being presented today (31 July) on the closing day of the summer school, at the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining in central London.
The students are attending the Universities and Students for Energy Efficiency (USE EFF) summer school, held in partnership with the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) and the Italian Ministry for the Environment.
They are working with companies including Buro Happold, Arup Associates, Sutton Van Associates and Expedition. In addition, further learning sessions are being delivered through the IET and companies such as Laing O’Rourke and AECOM.
Dr Daniela Melandri, President of the USE Efficiency Association, said: “This is a tremendous opportunity for students across the world to come together, to work with professional experts, to bring a fresh point of view in the professional debate to improve energy performances in the building sector.”
Dr Mike Short, President of the IET said: “Nurturing and supporting tomorrow’s engineers is a fundamental passion of the IET and we are proud to be the primary partner for the USE Efficiency summer school.
“This partnership was born out of our relationship with the ODA’s Learning Legacy programme and sees the IET underpinning the industrial material for these students during their summer school. This will reinforce the early stages of their career once they leave university, equipping them for a solid start in engineering. We have been delighted with the student response to the IET’s contribution and look forward to watching their progress.”
Observing how USE Efficiency had overcome the challenges of organising the school in London during the Games, Bruce McLelland, IET Built Environment Sector Head said: “It was quite remarkable how determined the students were to be in London and their dedication to the summer school.
“They have personally had to finance themselves in some cases and resolved accommodation issues by camping in some cases. The school even managed to find a venue to host the school at time when such places are extremely hard to come by at reasonable cost. The IET and its partners are only too delighted to part wisdom to such motivated individuals.”
Ends
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The Institution of Engineering and Technology is the lead sponsor of the summer school.
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