Browse Hierarchy ARCH7024: The Sustainable Built Environment: A Bioregional Approach

Sustainable resource use in design is of critical importance in tackling climate change creatively and providing dynamic environments for all life forms. This module introduces the philosophy, theories and key concepts underpinning the principles of sustainable development and sustainability in relation to the built environment within the natural world. Natural systems theory provides a means of understanding sustainable resource use in the design of the built environment, drawing on industrial ecology and passive/natural building strategies. The complex issue of designing and managing sustainable buildings in relation to service provision and resource transportation is explored using a bioregional approach. This aligns with the processes of any naturally and culturally distinct area and its sustainable production and reproduction. Sustainable materiality locates the efficient use of construction materials and products in relation to the cultural appreciation and understanding of these in a particular place. Sustainability briefing, indicators, targets and benchmarking strategies for tackling climate change are introduced to ensure that design solutions are properly evaluated when put into the practice in order to improve future approaches.