This past June, students from Penn State and South West College in Northern Ireland came together in Pittsburgh for the fourth annual High-Performance Building Summer Program—an immersive, three-week experience focused on sustainable building design, cross-cultural learning, and workforce readiness.
Hosted by the Franco Harris Pittsburgh Center and delivered in partnership with experts in high-performance architecture and green infrastructure, the program gave students a hands-on look at what it takes to design buildings that are energy-efficient, climate-resilient, and community-oriented.
“I didn’t have a big background on sustainable building development before this program, so my whole perspective on building design changed. The Passive House model taught me that buildings can be designed to not need extra energy at all. I never considered that as a feasible alternative when switching to sustainable practices.”
– Addy Lacey, Penn State student
Over the course of the program, students explored building concepts like Passive House design, embodied carbon, airtightness, and retrofitting. They engaged in lectures and discussions led by faculty from South West College and Penn State, and visited some of Pittsburgh’s most innovative green buildings.
Highlights included:
- a behind-the-scenes look at Perkins Eastman’s LEED Gold office, where students learned how sustainability is integrated into large-scale commercial design
- a full tour of the Phipps Conservatory Center for Sustainable Landscapes, one of the greenest buildings in the world, with an opportunity to reflect on net-zero design
- field trips to Fallingwater and Kentuck Knob, relating iconic architectural design to high-performance building principles and practices
- engaging tours at Tree Pittsburgh, the Frick Environmental Center, and the Penn College Clean Energy Center
- a visit to the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh – Carrick, North America’s first Passive House–certified library
“My top three highlights are the Pirates baseball game, visiting Kentuck Knob, and the Aviary. I’ve never seen a building designed in that certain way [like Kentuck Knob], and it was really clear to see how Frank Lloyd Wright wanted to design his buildings. I would definitely live there!”
– Jay Morton, South West College student
But perhaps the most powerful part of the program was the collaboration between students from different parts of the world. While they brought unique perspectives, the students found common ground in their shared curiosity and passion for sustainable futures.
“Learning alongside students from another country was amazing. It was cool to learn about the differences in their design processes, their schooling, and their culture. I think we were all able to learn a lot from each other, and we have all kept in contact even with the program done. I cannot wait to visit them in Northern Ireland next!”
– Addy Lacey, Penn State student
“It allowed us to bounce off each other and share different learning and studying techniques. It also allowed us to show our way of living as well as learning more on the American culture.”
– Jay Morton, South West College student
Beyond the classroom and tours, the students took time to explore Pittsburgh as a city—from donning their Irish Heritage Night ball caps at a Pirates baseball game to visiting the Carnegie Museums, riding the inclines to Mt. Washington, and enjoying the Milkshake Factory downtown.
“Going on field trips has been the highlight of my experience. I got to learn about Passive House and hang out with my friends at the same time!”
– Tina Phan, Penn State student
“This program helped introduce me to Passive House, which has helped guide me down a path of sustainable design for my future career. I am very interested in renewable energy and design topics, so this program encouraged me to further research different renewable design processes that I can potentially specialize in.”
– Addy Lacey, Penn State student
As the program concluded with final group presentations and a closing ceremony, students left with new knowledge, global friendships, and an expanded view of what’s possible in the field of sustainable design. We are proud to continue fostering connections that equip the next generation of learners to build a better, more sustainable world—one building at a time.