Certificate Program in Green Building and Sustainable Design
The Green Building and Sustainable Design Certificate Program addresses the trend of developing healthier communities by defining effective ways to utilize energy and promote water efficiency. The program combines elements from architecture, civil engineering, landscape architecture, environmental and land use planning, and construction management. Develop successful strategies for implementation of green building and sustainable design into site planning and design, building design and construction, and building management practices.
Gain practical knowledge that matters
- Gain an in-depth understanding of the processes of incorporating social, economic and environmental issues into the planning, design and construction.
- Learn green and sustainable design techniques for both commercial and residential buildings
- Build your understanding of: site analysis, construction management, water resources, planning and landscape architecture.
- Become better prepared to implement sustainable practices.
Designed for professionals like you
The program is designed for planners, architects, developers, contractors, landscape architects, interior designers and anyone interested in the implementation of sustainable building tools and strategies. It is also recommended for professionals moving into fields that require knowledge of green building or sustainable design, or anyone who recognizes the importance of green building and sustainable design.
| UNITS | F | W | SP | SU | ||
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| REQUIRED COURSES | Sustainability and the Built Environment | 2 | 
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| Sustainable Planning, Environmental Site Design and Development | 2 |
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| Sustainable Water Management in Site Design and Development | 2 |
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| Green Architecture | 2 |
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| Green Building Materials and Construction Methods | 2 |
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| Energy Sources, End Uses and Impacts | 2 |
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| Green Building Design Studio | 2 |
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F=Fall W=Winter SP=Spring SU=Summer;
Schedules subject to change
Classroom format |
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Elective Courses (3 courses)
Any course in the Land Use, Natural Resources or Construction Management programs may apply with prior approval.
Required Courses
Sustainability and the Built Environment
2 quarter units academic credit, X421.1. 20 GBCI Hours, 20 AICP Hours
Explore sustainability as it relates to the built environment—from the economic, environmental and social-equity perspectives. Learn how researchers and analysts define sustainability, as well as how they measure and track progress. Study historical precursors of the current sustainability movement, and how this movement translates into planning, engineering, architecture, landscape architecture, construction and other fields.
Participate in group discussions led by professionals currently engaged in sustainable building practices. This introduction to the Green Building and Sustainable Design Certificate Program highlights large-scale planned communities, infill sites and individual structures from the U.S. and other nations, as well as how these buildings are serviced and managed. Learn how to examine planning, design and building problems holistically, contrasting cradle-to-cradle life-cycle analyses (economic and environmental) against the long-term costs of traditional development approaches.
This course is not currently scheduled.
Sustainable Planning, Environmental Site Design and Development
2 quarter units academic credit, X421.2. 20 AICP Hours
Learn about fundamental sustainability issues and processes as they apply to community planning and site design situations. Discover how to identify key challenges when incorporating sustainability into planning strategies, policies and site design, and examine technical and environmental factors of site design. Discuss how policies, codes and standards can be modified to encourage sustainable planning and design practices, and practice site design methods with high-level professional feedback.
Topics include: land use planning, smart growth and urban design, transportation and transit policy and design, environmental site design, site assessment and selection, brownfield redevelopment strategies and infill development. Each topic is taught with an eye toward integrating sustainable practices into high-level policy and site scale design. There will be online class exercises and site design projects.
Sections of this course open for enrollment:
- Sustainable Planning, Environmental Site Design and Development
starts March 28
Sustainable Water Management in Site Design and Development
2 quarter units academic credit, X421.3. 20 REHS Hours, 20 AICP Hours
Incorporate a sustainable water resources approach into urban development and its related infrastructure at the planning, design and construction stages. Explore water use/demand, water conservation, water quality and wastewater treatment, use of recycled water and storm water drainage as they relate to the planning and design of urban communities and individual project sites. Learn to apply sustainability principles to natural or impacted sites, and gain a fundamental understanding of water resources policy issues and hydrologic processes as they apply to community design situations. Practice these skills including sustainable landscape design.
Sections of this course open for enrollment:
- Sustainable Water Management in Site Design and Development starts April 18
Green Architecture
2 quarter units academic credit, X421.4. 20 AICP Hours
The average American house is 2,400 square-feet and uses more than 13,000 board-feet of lumber, 6,000 square-feet of sheathing and 2,000 square-feet of flooring—putting a strain on our natural resources. Rising energy costs, a shortage of building materials, growing consumer demand and environmental awareness are forcing architects, designers and building professionals to seek better and more efficient ways to design our buildings.
Explore
the issues, challenges and
opportunities associated with green building and sustainable design.
Examine
innovative residential, commercial, industrial, mixed-use, and low- and
high-density specialty buildings. Evaluate the micro- and
macro-economic issues
associated with green buildings.
Focus
on the holistic and
geometric aspects of green design, and discuss how comprehensive
building
design can respond to the needs of occupants and environmental
circumstances. Look at specific building technologies and how to use them. Examine
thermal, water and lighting control systems.
Sections of this course open for enrollment:
- Green Architecture starts February 13
Green Building Materials and Construction Methods
2 quarter units academic credit, X421.5.
Learn to implement green building practices into homes, apartments, business
complexes
and office buildings. Utilize materials and techniques that promote
healthy,
durable and environmentally responsible construction. Increase your
understanding of helpful tools and resources, including green
building
rating systems. Hands-on exercises provide innovative solutions you can put to immediate use.
- Desirable characteristics of sustainable materials, and how to assess and quantify them
- "Cradle-to-cradle" product analysis and its application to building materials
- Sustainable site design materials and landscaping systems
- Alternative structural systems (including adobe, strawbale and rammed earth)
- Salvaged materials
- Building commissioning
- Construction and demolition waste diversion
- Modular systems
- Design and material reduction
Sections of this course open for enrollment:
- Green Building Materials and Construction Methods starts February 15
Energy Sources, End Uses and Impacts
2 quarter units academic credit, X421.6. 20 AICP Hours
End
uses—the breakdown of how energy is used
in its final stage—is a crucial component of a successful sustainable environment.
Conservation and the effectiveness of renewable energy sources like solar
power, biomass, hydroelectric and photovoltaic are key elements to achieving
energy efficiency. Examine the energy issue from the macro perspective of the
built environment to the micro approach of how heat flows throughout a
building. Using the "whole building" perspective, discover some of
the natural and mechanical means of heating, cooling and ventilation for
improved indoor air quality and cost savings. From solar panels and exterior
shades to lighting a space and painting a
roof white, learn how to analyze
energy use as an effective strategy to promote energy conservation in the built
environment.
Sections of this course open for enrollment:
- Energy Sources, End Uses and Impacts starts April 13
Green Building Design Studio
2 quarter units academic credit, X421.7. GEN CEUs, GEN Hours, AICP Hours
Apply what you learned in the Green Building and Sustainable Design or Renewable Energy certificate programs to a real-world example. Structured as a design studio, you will have six weeks to develop conceptual plans for a site and for an individual building, set of buildings or open space. You will work in small groups to explore the challenges in designing a sustainable project at different scales. Experts on different aspects of sustainable development and green building will provide feedback as you work through the design process. During the final class, you will present your project to an outside jury of experts.
You will have a limited amount of time to work on designs during classes. Anticipate working outside of class during the six-week period. Drawings and sketches can be prepared by hand or on the computer.
This course is not currently scheduled.
Downloads
Download a Green Building and Sustainable Design Certificate Program fact sheet. 
(272 KB)
Download a Land Use and Natural Resources brochure
(2.5 MB)
Download a Building and Construction brochure
(1.6 MB)
