Integrating sustainability into studio design curriculum

Abstract

At the University of Hartford, we have established an architectural program founded on integration. Architecture by its very nature is connected to other disciplines, yet architectural education is often criticized for a lack of integration in the curriculum. By increasing the awareness of the interrelationship between different areas of study, we are attempting to strike a new and more effective balance. Considering our mission of integration, we set out to incorporate sustainability into our curriculum. This paper will attempt to provide an overview of the need for, benefit of and cost of sustainable design and how it relates to architecture and engineering education at the University of Hartford. We have embarked on a 3 step process to bring sustainable design into the design studio curriculum. © American Society for Engineering Education, 2010.