Students from South West College in Northern Ireland joined Penn State students in Pittsburgh to learn best practices in energy-efficient design during the High-Performance Building Summer Program, held June 3-21. Pittsburgh was selected because of its classification as a United Nations International Center of Excellence on High-Performance Building. A joint initiative between the Franco Harris Pittsburgh Center at Penn State and South West College in Northern Ireland, the program was developed in collaboration with Pittsburgh’s Green Building Alliance and the Penn State-led Global Building Network.

Along with engineering and construction technology students from South West College, the program is open to first- and second-year Penn State architectural engineering, architecture, and environmental systems engineering students who want to learn about high-performance building standards and features. Tom Bartnik, director of the Franco Harris Pittsburgh Center at Penn State, said the program also helps to prepare students for future training as certified consultants and designers.

“This program goes beyond instruction about the technical side of high-performance buildings, offering students a multi-disciplinary and cross-cultural experience in Pittsburgh,” Bartnik said. “By framing the program in the context of sustainable development, the students also engage in discussions about the built environment’s role in reducing carbon emissions, improving quality of life for individuals, and contributing to equitable and thriving communities.”

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