Q&A — Eco Design Studies
by Warren McLaren, Sydney on 07. 7.05
Q. (A double whammy!) In the beginning was this: Hi guys at treehugger! Congratulations for an excellent blog. It is one of my favorites, i check it mostly every day. I'm a designer living in Chile, South America, and i'm planning to take a MA degree next year. My interests are around eco-efficiency and eco-design, but I just can't find a place to study about that. Now, the question is: do you know any university to study eco-design? Any help is really appreciated. Any, really. Thanks again. Raimundo H. We were just getting started on the research when another arrived: First and foremost, what an excellent site treehugger has become and continues to be. Congratulations on having built up some real steam. I've got a couple of suggestions that you've likely heard before .... highlighting green educational programs would be fantastic. Brian C.
A. How could we resist such a double invitation. (Actually we sort of wish we had.) In the course of researching this post we came across some of the most obtuse websites on the internet. How anyone can find an real course of study on a University site escapes us. What a pile of ... academicspeak. Who writes this stuff? But digging beneath the dross we found the following courses. No doubt there are many more. Feel free to plug the holes we’ve left.
In the USA, there is the Ecosa Institute (who advertise on TH) in Arizona. They offer “two semester programs, one for professional design students and one for students and graduates without a design background”, as well as seasonal workshops. Students are “from all design disciplines including landscape architecture, product design, interior design, planning, as well as architecture.” They suggest the difference between them and other learning institutes is that sustainability is core curriculum, not an adjunct. ::Ecosa Institute
Or if closer to Pennsylvania you could try the Carnegie Mellon University, as another that offers graduate and postgraduate opportunities to study in green design. For example, you could do a Green MBA in Environmental Engineering Dual degree or a Master of Science in Civil and Environmental Engineering with Concentration in Green Design. Such courses work hand in glove with their Green Design Institute. ::Green Design Institute
The University of Oregon seem to be trying to provide “ecological design resources and opportunities” through their Ecological Design Centre, who suggest “The relationship between the built and natural worlds must be sustainable. The EDC believes designers should pioneer this relationship. The EDC seeks to educate and inspire University of Oregon design students to have the awareness, sensitivity, and expertise to lead the community toward sustainability.” ::Ecological Design Centre
Over the pond in Britain, you’ll find the Surrey Institute of Art & Design, where one can pick up a BA Honours Degree in Product Design Sustainable Futures. Which Surrey describe as combining “two important disciplines, product design and the emerging field of sustainability. You are introduced to a variety of creative design and sustainable design tools and methods, central to successful product development in the 21st century.” The Institute is closely related the Centre for Sustainable Design, a research arm, who are very active in all fields of green design. ::Surrey Institute of Art & Design
Apparently the prestigious Goldsmiths College, which is part of the University of London offered a BA (Hons) Eco Design, but finding any detail about it drove to us to distraction. (We have since learned that the course content has been parceled up with their main Design degree) ::Design at Goldsmiths
Manchester Metropolitan University’s Department of Engineering and Technology were a bit more accessible. They seem to provide research courses in Design for the Environment (DfE). “Initially DfE concentrated on Design for Disassembly and Recycling. However, over the years the research has grown to encompass all aspects of environmental impact caused during manufacture, use and disposal of products” ::MMU’s Design for the Environment
University of East London (UEL) have got together with the Centre for Alternative Technology (CAT) to offer a Masters under the short title of ' MSc Architecture: Advanced Environmental and Energy Studies'. The course examines "the relationship between human beings and the environment and in particular offers an ecological perspective on building. Topics include: resource provision and waste disposal, occupant health and well being; choice of materials with environmental constraints; environmental design; design for energy efficiency and renewable energies. ::CAT
Over on the European continent, there is the Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands, yet another global leader in ecodesign, who we believe provide both Bachelor and Master courses in “Design for Sustainability (DfS)”. We were very impressed to see that you could even do a course in Product Service Systems (PSS). Cool! ::Delft’s Design for Sustainability
Drop south into Spain, right down to Barcelona and you could end up at the Elisava Escola Superior de Dissseny, who can suggest a Postgraduate Diploma in Eco-design. Environmental Improvement of Products and Processes, with your qualification being issued by both the Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF) and the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB). “The aims of this Postgraduate Diploma are: to learn about the globalising culture of environmental problems associated with products and processes, and to provide tools of prevention and improvement concerning environmental aspects within the framework of the new Integrated Product Policy (IPP) of the European Union.” You’ll need to speak Spanish though. ::Elisava’s Postgrad in Eco-design
Travel East into Austria and arrive at Salzburg, where the HTBL - Hallein College has a 2 year course in ecodesign. Our Deutsch is pretty rusty, but it seems to cover thus: product development with regard to avoidance of problematic raw materials, environmentally fair production procedures, energy minimization of the employment, emission and waste avoidance and/or reduction, repair and servicing, product life span extension as well as recycling. All sounds gut! ::HTBL - Hallein’s Eco-Design
Still in the Teutonic region and based out of the Vienna University of Technology is a online ‘eLearning’ course in Ecodesign, whereby you “will learn the ability to develop products with better environmental characteristics.“ It also covers the new EU WEEE regulations on electronic waste. ::Vienna’s online Eco-design
Although the Centre for Design at RMIT (Melbourne, Australia) does not offer degree courses, as such, it is an acknowledged world leader in ecodesign research and does provide professional development and training courses. Their area of expertise is: “Research and consulting—new design methods and tools, sustainable product and building design, product stewardship strategies, market intelligence and trends analysis, life-cycle assessment (LCA) and policy development.” ::Centre for Design at RMIT
As we said earlier, please tell us about the ones we missed.
There are some resources in Vermont, too. I've been trying to research the same thing and this post was very helpful!
At UVM: http://www.uvm.edu/~edstudio/ This isn't a program, but an Ecological Design Studio; a component of the Environmental Sciences and Environmental Studies programs. There are also courses offered through the Community Development/Applied Economics department that relate to sustainable design strategies.
Also, http://www.yestermorrow.org - design/build school in Waitsfield, VT (near Sugarbush, a ski resort) that teaches ecological design, architecture, etc.
Hope this helps!
In San Francisco, California, we have the San Francisco Institute of Architecture which has a Masters in Ecological Design and Architecture. Notable professors include, Phil Hawes (Biosphere 2), Fred Stitt, Eugene Tsui, Daniel Lieberman, Craig Henritzy, David Deppen, and other Ecological Design pioneers and architects.
Courses include innovative topics like Green Roofs and Green Walls, LEED Certification Courses, Bioclimactic Design, Building with Natural Materials, Organic Architecture, and Alternative Energy Systems.
http://www.sfia.net (Website is a little dated but lots of information resides there.)
Holy smokes - Treehugger, you've totally outdone yourself on this one.
I've been waiting to see a list like this for ages, the only improvement I'd like to see is some Canadian coverage (attending school in the US is considerably cost prohibitive).
I've taken the liberty of including some relevent Canadian links (sorry, mostly around Toronto), but if any other treehuggers out there have info on degree, diploma or certification programs pertaining to livin' green, PLEASE post 'em in the comment thread.
Once more, kudos TH, this is the sort of thing I've been dying to see!
Canadian Green Programs -
Leed Accreditation
http://www.cagbc.org/building_rating_systems/leed_accreditation.php
University of Toronto at Mississauga Centre for Emerging Energy Technologies (on their "Green" campus)
http://www.utm.utoronto.ca/1558.0.html
Seneca College has the Centre For The Built Environment, within with there's the Energy Training Office and a course on becoming a photovoltaic technician/installer
http://www.senecac.on.ca/eto/
The Kortright Centre has some renewable energy workshops
http://www.trca.on.ca/parks_and_culture/places_to_visit/kortright_centre/default.asp?load=energy
True North Power offers a 2.5 day, hands on workshop to learn everything you need to know about wind turbines
http://www.truenorthpower.com/trainning.htm
Retscreen is a free application used in the design and implementation of alternative energy solutions. It's all based within excel, so if you're interested, here's a great (cheap) place to start learning.
http://www.retscreen.net/ang/11_form1.php
That's it for me - like I said though, I'd like nothing more than to hear about what else is out there in Canada. The brunt of my links are energy related, I'd love to learn of any eco-design programs out there.
Also in Northern California: the New College, North Bay campus in Santa Rosa offers bachelor's and master's degrees in ecodwelling, along with a bunch of other earth-friendly and social-changey type stuff (they even started a biodiesel co-op). Good place.
www.newcollege.edu
How about Canada? I'm a 3rd year Environmental Engineering student from Toronto, and next year for my posgrad I'm intending to move to Victoria BC to get a BSc in Environmental Management at Royal Roads University. My primary interest is ecological design, though I'm also very interested in sustainable urban planning.. are there any other schools here I should look into here (Canada) in addition to RRU?
Thanks for mentioning the Ecological Design Center (EDC) and the University of Oregon. I am a student member of the EDC and wanted to mention that we are currently working on finalizing a Green Design Certificate that will be offered to Architecture and Allied Arts (AAA) students completing an interdisciplinary series of courses on ecology, sustainability and green design. We are also working hard to increase the number of green design classes offered in the AAA program. It is our hope and our mission that the UO becomes a center for green design and we are working hard to make this a reality. In many ways, it is already so (we offer a number of courses throughout the university focusing on sustainability and green design) and will only continue to get better through our continued efforts. Thanks again for including our school and our organization in our post. Please consider the University of Oregon's School of Architecture and Allied Arts if you are interested in pursuing a degree (undergrad or postgrad) focusing on green design and sustainability (and make sure to join the EDC once you get here!).
Jesse Jenkins
Campus Sustainability Coordinator
Ecological Design Center - edc.uoregon.edu
University of Oregon
Check out Cal Poly Pamona John T Lyle Center for Regenerative Studies
Master of Science in Regenerative Studies
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
The Master of Science in Regenerative Studies (MSRS) is a multidisciplinary graduate program that seeks to develop the means of supporting human life within the limits of renewable resources without degrading the environment. The program prepares individuals for professional careers in public agencies and private non-profit organizations, and in business, education, environmental design, engineering, planning, resource management, and other related fields.
A key feature of the program is its integration of specialized disciplinary knowledge from a variety of university programs - agriculture, physical sciences, environmental design, business, engineering, social sciences and humanities - into a multidisciplinary research and practice-oriented core. The John T. Lyle Center for Regenerative Studies is the living research and demonstration laboratory in which coursework and experimentation are conducted, and where students live and participate in regenerative practices.
Students completing the program have an understanding of integrated problem-solving strategies in relation to environmental problems. They are able to conduct research and manage projects that have practical outcomes. Students also develop abilities to communicate and collaborate across disciplinary boundaries while gaining specialized knowledge in the discipline of their choosing.
Anyone know if any of these programs can be completed/partially completed online? Or during the summers? I'm intersted in heading in this direction, but don't want to leave my current job in Ohio. Any thoughts?
this is for steve king and others interesgted in schools in canada:
UBC has a program in the faculty of land and food systems called environmental design. it's an undergraduate program. check it out at http://www.agsci.ubc.ca/community_environment/env_design.htm
i have no idea what uvic offers, but apparently the city of victoria still dumps their sewage, untreated,directly into the ocean (i have just heard this on the radio). I couldnt go to school their cuz i would feel bad every time i took a dump.
Can anyone help with locating eco-textlie / fashion courses please? I have found one (MA Central St Martins, London ). Particularly interested in Australia. The Eco-Design post is very comprehensive but seems to concentrate on building / product design. Any ideas for short courses / MA would be much appreciated!
Q & A - Eco-Textile Courses
I must have been tired last night! I need help in locating eco-textile courses..
In response to the request for info about ecodesign education please note that there is a MASTERS programme in DESIGN FOR SUSTAINABILITY at CRANFIELD UNIVERSITY in the UK.
In essence the course focuses on placing design in a context of sustainability rather than adding sustainability to design. A subtle difference but an important one. We aim to suggest new futures for design thinking that aid the journey of organisations and individuals to a more sustainable footing. We see this new position of designing as a place yet to be populated with design ideas that relate to a post-industrial, sustainably oriented system.
you can find out more about this programme at www.design4sustainability.co.uk. Please do visit us and explore :)
I, like Tanya, am also interested studying sustainable textiles/eco fashion design. Does anyone have any info about programs in or around NYC?? I am curretnly at FIT studying basics and doing research into the eco realm on my own. The only eco-design programs dealing with fashion I can find are abroad... Thanks!