Program Overview
The Design of Living Buildings graduate certificate program is a 12-credit, 6-month program that focuses on the design and certification of living buildings. It emphasizes regenerative design principles, sustainable design movement, and the technical aspects of meeting the Living Building Challenge requirements. Students will gain experience in designing and validating living buildings, preparing them for careers in sustainable design and Living Building Challenge projects.
Program Outline
Degree Overview:
The Design of Living Buildings graduate certificate program is a 12-credit, 6-month program offered on campus at Jefferson's East Falls location. It focuses on the design and certification of living buildings, emphasizing regenerative design principles and a strong connection to "light, air, food, nature, and community." Students will gain experience in simulation, calculation, and validation, culminating in a Living Building Design Studio where they will design a living building under the guidance of professionals with direct experience in the field.
Outline:
The program is structured across two semesters:
Spring Semester (6 credits):
- Principles of Sustainable Design (3 credits): This course explores the concept of sustainability, its importance for humanity's future, and its application across various scales in the built environment. Students will learn to analyze and articulate the sustainability imperative across four dimensions: ecology, economy, experience, and equity.
- Adaptive & Resilient Design Studio (3 credits): This studio introduces students to quantitative criteria that define adaptive responses in design, focusing on human comfort, program, climate, and site. Students will investigate the interplay between design forces, explore the use of scientific instruments for measurements and performance assessments, and propose design interventions based on their experimental data.
Fall Semester (6 credits):
- Sustainable Systems for Living Buildings (2 credits): This course delves into the technical aspects of achieving a living building. Students will utilize various software packages to design, visualize, and validate a living building to meet the Living Building Challenge criteria. They will complete the design of a simple project to demonstrate their knowledge or apply their knowledge to a project in the Living Building Design Studio.
- Living Building Design Studio (4 credits): This studio-based course emphasizes the integrated design process for generating regenerative solutions to complex design problems. Students will use the Living Building Challenge as a framework to create holistic design solutions that focus on place-making, net-zero water, net-positive energy, non-toxic materials, health & happiness, equity, and beauty.
Other:
- The program is STEM designated (CIP Code 04.0902).
- Scholarships are available for students.
- The program is offered during the Spring and Summer semesters.
- The Living Building Challenge is a green building certification program and sustainable design framework that visualizes the ideal for the built environment.
- The program emphasizes the regenerative design of spaces and places that feature a strong connection to "light, air, food, nature, and community."
- Students will interact with professionals with direct experience in designing and certifying Living Building Challenge projects.
- The program provides a strong foundation in sustainable design principles and the Living Building Challenge.
- Students will gain practical experience in designing and validating living buildings.
- The program is designed to prepare students for careers in sustainable design and the Living Building Challenge.
