|
ESTU 415 SUSTAINABLE DESIGN STUDIO
|
Nicholas C. Zaferatos, AICP Associate Professor of Planning
PLANNING
AND
ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY Environmental Studies Center Room 444; Tele: 650-7660
ESTU 415 | SUSTAINABLE DESIGN STUDIO
Link to Class Syllabus
COURSE OBJECTIVES This course combines an exploration of GREEN building and sustainable site design concepts, training in LEED certification, and the application of GREEN design philosophy and skills to an urban development design problem. The objectives for this course are to: 1) introduce students to the emerging ideas concerning sustainable design and development, 2) acquire skills in LEED Green Building techniques, 3) introduce students to the construct of innovative development regulations, 4) explore the social, ethical, and psychological dimensions of sustainable development, and 5) work collaboratively with fellow students and students in other design classes using the studio design approach to applying sustainable design principles to a sustainable design problem.
The Philosophy of Sustainable Design What is sustainable design? Sustainable design is a conscious approach that maximizes the quality of the human built environment while simultaneously ensuring that negative consequences do not result to the natural environment. It is an approach that emphasizes an authentic respect for the people and the constructed places we design within the context of a clearly understood environment. It revolutionizes our ideas about how to think about the design and construction process so that our work may result in a vernacular community architecture that adapts the built environment within a natural resource system to sustain its occupants. The approach is informed by the history of place and the natural constraints, opportunities and carrying capacity found in the surrounding landscape. McLennan (Jason F. McLennan (2004) The Philosophy of Sustainable Design) provides a framework of design parameters supporting the sustainable design approach, consisting of 6 major principles to reflect a respect for the wisdom of natural systems. They include: 1) biomimicry principle; 2) the human vitality principle; 3) the ecosystem principle; 4) cycle of life principle; 5) conservation principle; and 6) the holistic thinking principle. Biomimicry seeks to create architecture by understanding nature as a systems model which sets for a measure and standard of ecological balance. Nature, here, serves as a mentor to the design process and emphasizes the value of what we can learn from attempting to achieve a balance between the building and natural environment, versus what we can extract from the natural environment. The human vitality principle recognizes that as a main purpose to community planning, we are ultimately creating places that nurture people. The respect of place principle emphasizes the unique relationship of building spaces in relation to natural occurring environmental assets, including wind and solar orientation, climate, water resources, and other natural site conditions. The cycle of life principle emphasizes our connection of people to the global community, not as separate from nature, but rather, integral to a system of global community. The conservation principle recognizes that we live in a finite world and emphasizes the design goal for building buildings that should be an energy generation facility. Finally, the holistic principle emphasizes an understanding about learning and communicative processes that include collaboration, holistic thinking, reforms to ways things are done, and emphasis on innovation. 2009 Winter | Spring Class Project Defining WWU Sustainability on the Waterfront
The 2009 Sustainable Design Studio focus will return to WWU’s proposed development on the Bellingham waterfront. Students will examine the particular “characteristics” defining the WWU campus community and formulate a adaptive strategy for integrating that identity within the broader character of the waterfront development. Emphasis will focus on the implementation of illustrative design criteria to achieve LEED standards in sustainable design. Students will work in small teams to address several class objectives, including:
· LEED building design criteria; LEED Neighborhood Design criteria · WWU's institutional design character principles · Port of Bellingham / City of Bellingham waterfront master plan · Historic Preservation objectives and resources · Sustainable transportation alternatives · Sustainable energy generation alternatives · Multiple purpose (community-university) facility design; site design as laboratory for environmental education
Studio Instructors · Arunas Oslapas, Industrial Design · Nicholas Zaferatos, Environmental Policy and Planning
LEED Instructor
·
Alistair Jackson, LEED AP, CSBA * Principal
Professional Resources
·
Douglas G. Graham
AIA,
CDS | STRATUS
·
Rick L. Benner,
AIA
RESOURCES - Links to Public Documents
Winter 2009 ESTU 415 Final Report Publication - PDF file
Base Maps WWU Waterfront Planning Reports
City/Port Waterfront Planning Links (See also www.cob.org)
Environmental Impact Statement (Draft 2008)
LEED References - Slides and Manuals Midterm LEED Study Guide
|