An EU-funded Erasmus intensive programme under the thematic ‘Sustainable construction – principles, tools and methods’ was recently organised in Protaras, Cyprus, by the University’s Faculty for the Built Environment and five other universities.

Three final-year students, Sarah Borg, Lara Mifsud and James Schembri, completed the programme.

Architect Kevin Gatt, senior visiting lecturer at University, delivered lectures on Malta’s water resources and presented case studies of best water practice in the hospitality, manufacturing, banking and healthcare sectors as examples for potential adoption in buildings.

The programme’s main aim was to teach participants the principles and the applicable tools regarding sustainability in the life cycle of buildings.

The programme focused on the meaning of sustainability as applied in the construction sector.

It also examined design, construction, use, and decommissioning of buildings to contribute towards curbing climate change and more rational use of resources.

The course addressed issues such as sustainable planning and design, the interactions between people, the environment and buildings, and the relationship between technology and sustainability.

Sustainability issues are at the core of today’s decision making. Moreover, buildings consume significant resources be they water, energy or materials. Hence sustainable construc-tion is of utmost relevance to sustainable development.

Apart from the University’s Faculty for the Built Environment, the other five participat-ing universities were the Department of Civil Engineering at Frederick University, Cyprus, the University of Seville, Spain, the University of Rome ‘Tor Vergata’, Italy, the University of Algarve, Portugal, and Alexander TEI of Thessaloniki, Greece.