Energy, Environment and Buildings (EEB)

 

Everything is interconnected. As James Lovelock suggests in his Gaia principle, Earth’s biomass, atmosphere, cryosphere, hydrosphere and lithosphere are all interconnected to form a complex, self-regulating system.

Human driven changes -- such as to Earth’s land surface, atmosphere, oceans, coasts, biological diversity, water cycle and biogeochemical cycles -- have significantly altered Earth’s systems beyond their natural variability. These changes, which cannot be understood in simple causal terms, cascade through the natural environment and interact with each other in complex and unpredictable ways.

It has become clear that massive civilizational change is inevitable given the unsustainability of current trends.  Will this change occur in a catastrophic fashion or can we shape our future towards a smooth transition?

Architects can play an extremely important role in defining this smooth transition, a transition that will only emerge out of a comprehensive, and integrative thinking process along with a profound understanding of complex interdependencies.

This course will cover a broad spectrum. Students will get a primer on global environmental issues, on power and energy, the nexus between energy and water, renewables, the smart grid and net zero energy buildings.