Thursday, March 10, 2022

UMD-Summer: Greece: Sustainability & Infrastructure (ENCE)

 

With the significant global climatic changes and severe impact on living conditions, planners, designers, engineers, environmentalist, and citizens are looking into the development and implementation of innovative sustainable and resilient solutions. Such effects are further accentuated with the rapid world’s population growth and the transition from rural to urban living. It is predicted that by 2050 nearly 70 percent of the world’s population will be living in urban areas. Athens has been proactive in addressing “sustainability, resilience and climate action plans.” It’s reach cultural heritage combined with the high concentration of population (more than 40%) and services, and the social, migration, and economic challenges over recent years presents a unique, complex and challenging scenario for developing and implemented such actions.
 
By participating in this program and through the wide variety of (i) learning activities, (ii) technical and (iii) cultural site visits and (iv) field excursions, students will explore, witness and experience firsthand the innovative sustainable and resilient strategies implemented in Athens and the surrounding areas, and including:
 

  • Explore Athens city action plans and case studies addressing many of the 17 UN Sustainability Development Goals;
  • Analyze “large scale system” strategies ” (i.e., large portions of the city and neighborhoods, large infrastructure components, such as the 2004 Athens Olympics infrastructure network and highway roadway network);
  • Examineproject level” specific interventions, such as the Niarxos Sustainable and Resilient Building eco-park Complex, the Venizelos Athens International Airport, the Rio-Antirio resilient bridge, the Korinthos Canal, other;
  • Learn & apply life cycle analysis , LCA, methods and sustainability metric ratings considering environmental implications, energy systems and energy conservation principles, recycling and waste reduction practices, mobility and greenhouse gas reduction emissions, in conjunction with economic and social implications.

 
Following such direct “hands-on” and “on the go” learning experiences students will develop their own sustainable solutions for specific projects pertinent to such city initiatives.

*There are need-based scholarships available for this program, please contact the Office of Global Engineering Leadership for additional information once you have completed your program application.