Participants from the 2016 GBS programme

Find out more about ‘green’ construction summer university programme at Ecobuild

Visitors to Ecobuild can find out more about a pioneering Austrian summer university programme, which provides world-leading insight into sustainable architecture and the built environment.

Green.Building.Solutions. (GBS) takes place in Vienna, the capital of energy efficient construction in the summer.

Representatives from the OeAD-Housing Office will be on hand at Ecobuild from the 7 to 9 March to discuss the course, from their base located within the Advantage Austria pavilion, on stand number A189.

The programme provides a unique opportunity for professionals and students in the fields of architecture and construction to strengthen their knowledge and gain a career advantage in the field of sustainability – an area of increasing global significance.

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

The three-week programme’s lectures and all associated social activities are carried out in English and the course is of appeal to – but not limited to – those working in and studying architecture, construction management, project management, building and energy engineering and surveying.

It concludes with a collaborative project, where participants work together to bring their learning and experiences from the course to design a ‘green’ building. Student participants are entitled to seven ECTS points after successful completion.

The GBS summer university takes place from July 22 to August 13, 2017.

The cost of the course is €2,490 for professionals and €2,000 for students. This price includes all social activities as well as accommodation in OeAD’s passive house student properties in Vienna. The cost also includes accommodation for participants for almost a week after the programme, enabling them to explore the city at leisure.

Günther Jedliczka, CEO of the OeAD-Housing Office, said: “Austria is world-renowned as a pioneer in sustainable construction and GBS offers professionals and students from the UK and Ireland the opportunity to broaden their perspective and build a network of useful contacts across Europe and beyond.

“We offer a truly international atmosphere, with 38 participants from 20 nations successfully completing the programme last year covering topics including Sustainability in Building and Urban Planning, Principles of Passive House Planning and Renewable Energies and Business Concepts.

“Everyone wanting to find out more is warmly welcomed to come to our stand at Ecobuild, where we will be able to provide more details.”

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.

As well as GBS, OeAD also runs the Alternative Economic and Monetary Systems programme (AEMS), which analyses how economic, political, monetary and environmental factors need to change to be more sustainable – from the 26 July   July until 11 August, 2017.

More details about GBS and AEMS can be found at www.summer-university.net

from The UK Construction Blog http://ukconstructionblog.co.uk/2017/02/16/participants-from-the-2016-gbs-programme/

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Letting fee ban: a round-up

Unfair letting fees have long been a problematic issue and it wasn’t until the the late 2016 Autumn Statement produced by Chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Hammond, that the problem was tackled head-on at last.

The statement was given on the 23rd of November 2016 last year in the Parliament (the full version can be found here, on the official government’s website) and the news spread rapidly like wildfire and raised numerous questions among tenants, landlords, letting agents and property portfolio managers alike all across the country.

Will tenants really save hundreds?

In recent years, fees had become so out of control that when the Autumn Statement was publicly released, it resulted in a 13pc share prices drop for Foxtons, one of the most high-market estate agencies in London. On average, tenants pay around £337 so savings could indeed be quite substantial.

What the ban means for letting agents

Some experts believe the fee ban might drive landlords to self-manage their property, potentially signifying great financial loss for letting agents. Are landlords really ready to take the plunge and go solo?

Will renting cost go up?

The ban was probably intended to shift the costs from tenants to landlords. Many people firmly believe that the unintentional consequence of this letting ban might be rising rent costs, as landlords will be looking to make up for the financial loss. Admin fees and commissions might go up but landlords shouldn’t be charged for it without trying to re-negotiate. According to conservative party member Mike Freer, this is exactly what happened in Scotland in 2012 when the ban was implemented. There is another side to the story though, as an independent research commissioned by Shelter actually found that the rise was small and short-lived. Another recent survey conducted by online letting agent Upad (and published on their blog) showed that around forty percent of landlords intend to rise up prices if extra fees are passed onto them to pay. But those numbers don’t reveal facts, only intentions: tenants and landlords will have to wait and see.

In recent years, fees had become so out of control that when the Autumn Statement was publicly released, it resulted in a 13pc share prices drop for Foxtons, one of the most high-market estate agencies in London.

When is the letting fee ban going to be implemented?

A few months after the Autumn Statement, tenants are now growing worried that the government will drop the ban as consultation for the projects has not began yet. It is however due to be held in the Spring, so everything suggest that the ban is indeed going forward even if it might take a little while to be implemented.

from The UK Construction Blog http://ukconstructionblog.co.uk/2017/02/01/letting-fee-ban-a-round-up/