Ecology

If there is a benefit to recent global and national upheavals, it may be that we are even more keenly aware of the importance of equity, social justice, and a more sustainable future. The primary goal of the course is for students to learn about sustainability in the context of the full range of the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals so that they can develop an understanding of how they can contribute to a better future through design in the built environment. High performance buildings are achieved with designs that effectively integrate passive and active systems. This course focuses on active systems in commercial buildings and their integration with passive design elements that students have previously studied: envelope, ventilation and lighting. We also consider building codes that address outside air requirements for ventilation, and energy and water efficiency, and discuss where related U.S. building codes lead or lag in promoting exceptional building performance. Our work emphasizes environmental sustainability and buildings within the U.S., but we also consider how performance definitions may change where resources like energy or water are limited or unavailable. The active systems covered include lighting, ventilation, heating/cooling, water distribution and water heating, and renewable energy production and storage.