Bauhaus
Spring
School
11/03 – 20/03/2027

Urban Heat Islands

Urban Heat Islands - Understanding the context of climatic, cultural and physical conditions in urban environments

In this intensive course, participants get an insight into the subject of “urban heat” and are offered the opportunity to develop GIS skills.

The course systematically leads participants to learn about the relation between human-made and natural factors on the built environment, and how responsive planning and design strategies serve heat mitigation.

During the course, participants are also acquainted to use Geographic Information Systems (GIS) or professionalise existing GIS-skills to map heat islands and mitigation strategies for different case areas in Cairo.

Participants will work with climate data, interpret and discuss them with expert input and leverage their own experience of perceiving urban heat into a scientific context, leading to practical design solutions that respond to urban heat in a spatial, cultural, and social context.

The course gives an overview about the course subject on Urban Heat in the context of climatic effects, mitigation approaches and current urban development through several lectures with discussions and through main readings. The case study Cairo is also introduced related to heat, urban development and its specific cultural and social context.
In parallel, GIS is introduced through lectures and through exercises (different levels can be considered here). Both are brought together to create urban heat maps, linking climate data with physical building data and interpretation. At the end, participants conclude their learning in maps for different heat mitigation strategies.

Upon successful completion, participants will receive 3 ECTS.

Students (Bachelor from the sixth semester onward and Master students) of disciplines related to spatial development like architecture, landscape architecture, urban design and spatial planning, geography, engineering, international development, and others.

  • Dipl.-Ing. (FH) Philippe Schmidt M.Sc. (Course lead)
  • Eng. Mohamed Mousa M.Sc. (Co-lecturer)
  • additional lectures by Dr. Conrad Philipp (Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry), Dr.-Ing. Hassan ElMouelhi M.Sc. (Habitat Unit, TUB),  Mauriz Porsche M.Sc. and Vojtech Horák M.Sc. (IUDD Alumni), et al.

Your application should be submitted until November 2nd, 2026. It should include:

  • Letter of Nomination (applicants financed by the BIP scholarship from the partner universities)
  • CV
  • Portfolio (optional)
  • English language certificate (optional)
     

In addition to the documents listed above, you will be asked to answer questions and/or complete tasks related to your motivation as part of the online application process.

The course fee is 300 EURO and includes:

  • Orientation & Support
  • Programme according to description
  • Teaching materials
  • Certificate
  • Free use of library

 

The course fee does not include:

  • Travel costs
  • Accommodation
  • Insurance
     

Participants, coming from the partner universites in the framework of Erasmus BIP scholarship and BUW students don't pay the course fee.

Teaser

Discover how urban heat islands and built environment are related and develop mitigation strategies for more resilient cities while starting to learn or to extend GIS skills!

At a glance

  • Online-phase (part I): tba.
  • On site-phase in Weimar (part II): 11/03 - 20/03/2027
  • Credits: 3 ECTS
  • course language: English
  • BIP ID/Component Code: tba.

Service Package

In addition to the Spring School courses, we offer a comprehensive Service Package. The booking of the Service Package for €70 is optional. It includes: *

  • participation in one excursion
  • participation in one guided tour
  • free entrance to one movie night
  • free lunch at the University’s cafeteria
  • free entrance to all museums belonging to Klassik Stiftung Weimar
  • Spring School welcome gift

 

Students who do not take up the Service Package are automatically required to pay a course deposit of €100. This is to protect us against costs incurred by non-participation. Since in this case, the universities will not receive any funding from the European Commission. The deposit will be refunded as soon as the participants start the course in Weimar.
 

* the total value of the services included in the service package is around 150€.