Bond University has officially launched its new Institute of Sustainable Development and Architecture with a forum featuring the who’s who of the property and development industry.
Designed to showcase the Institute’s key strategic partnerships with stakeholders including Mirvac, Soheil Abedian (founder of Sunland Group), the Property Council of Australia, and L J Hooker, the forum highlighted the innovative and ground-breaking projects these unique linkages are delivering both in education and industry, as well as debated the wider issues facing sustainable built environments today.
Keynote speakers, National President of the Planning Institute of Australia, Mr Neil Savery and Chairman of the Centre for Real Estate at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Professor Brian Ciochetti provided a national and global perspective on sustainable development and real estate.
Founding Director of the Institute of Sustainable Development and Architecture, Professor George Earl said the forum was a celebration of the incredible growth of Bond’s sustainability programs and facilities.
“These strategic partnerships with our key stakeholders reflect a long term investment in the next generation of students who will develop an invaluable understanding of the growing importance of sustainability in property development,” said Professor Earl.
The Institute comprises Bond University’s new Soheil Abedian School of Architecture and the Mirvac School of Sustainable Development, which has experienced remarkable growth and success since its establishment in 2006.
“Our vision for the Institute is to combine teaching excellence with practical experience to deliver top class sustainability graduates,” said Professor Earl.
“As both a teaching and research Institute – which is unique to the Australian tertiary landscape – it will allow for collaboration both within Bond’s Schools and externally with other institutions, government, and business, resulting in a hub of knowledge and expertise that is world-class.
“Students will benefit from facilities that are second-to-none, including Australia’s first 6 Star, Green Star Design educational building that has received a number of prestigious international awards, including the 2009 global ‘Award for Sustainability’ from the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) and the more recent ‘Szencorp Green Building Award’ at the 2010 United Nations Association of Australia World Environment Day awards.
“The building itself is an inspiration for the students who learn within it and confirms Bond University’s position as an educational leader in sustainable building design, which is a strong focus of all our property and development degrees,” he said.