Course content

The course gives a general introduction to sustainable buildings, concepts and strategies that can be used to design sustainable buildings and neighbourhoods. The course provides an insight into climate change and as such the backdrop for the need to design sustainable buildings and cities with considerably less greenhouse gas emissions. In addition, the course introduces the coming courses in the master programme in Sustainable architecture as well as the most important tools and methods used in them.

Learning outcome

Knowledge: environmental challenges and sustainable development of the built environment; green building concepts from solar houses to Zero Emission buildings; strategies for mitigating environmental impact of the built environment.

Skills: The students will learn to identify, understand and analyse terminology, principles and challenges related to sustainable architecture, more specifically energy-efficient and zero-emission buildings and built environment.

General competence: Critical insights in green building concepts and sustainable development of the built environment.

Learning methods and activities

Lectures, exercises, site visits, presentations and discussions.

Excursions can be arranged as part of the teaching of the course. The course leader will inform the students if the excursion is obligatory or optional at the start of the semester. Obligatory excursions will be free of cost for all students. Students who participate in optional excursions must expect to pay a small share of the expenses. For students who do not participate in optional excursions, an alternative will be offered.

Specific conditions

Required previous knowledge

Bachelor in architecture, engineering or urban planning. Or equivalent.

Course materials

Literature and research articles, lecture notes, case studies.