ARCH 575

The objective of this course is to provide students with an understanding of ecological principles in architecture. Principles of life-cycle design, economy of resources and humanistic design are introduced and ecological factors associated with each of these principles are examined. Design strategies to increase environmental sustainability in buildings are investigated. An emphasis is given to how environmental factors (heat, light, and sound) influence thermal, visual, and acoustic qualities in built-in environments. Field trips to visit selected buildings to analyze their ecological characteristics comprise an important part of the course.