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BARC0086 introduces the principles of Environmental Design, to create healthy conditions for people, neighbourhoods and nature locally and globally. The built environment sector contributes extensively to climate change, and the loss of biodiversity and habitats, with related social and environmental justice issues. We explore the science-based strategies that address these challenges of our age:

·ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýClimate change mitigationÌý– design that minimises energy demand, and supports transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy supply

·ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýClimate change adaptationÌý– design that keeps people safe and healthy in increasing temperatures, more severe rainstorms, cyclones and other weather events

·ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýEcological regenerationÌý– design that supports biodiversity, our living system, and the services and resources it provides such as clean air and water, pollination, food and materials, as the basis of all life on Earth.

Buildings are planned, designed and delivered by people – often planners, developers, architects, engineers, builders and their teams, but also individuals, family, friends and communities. Their design affects people’s health, wellbeing and resilience inside and outside. They can be resilient to heatwaves, storms and cyclones or not. They can keep people cool and cool the neighbourhood, or radiate heat, increase flooding or absorb stormwater, and so on.Ìý

Through lectures, exercises, workshops and tutorials, we explore how humans have developed healthy, resilient environmental design strategies over millennia, in harmony with local contexts. By analysing vernacular to contemporary designs, students learn how to assess qualities of context – bioclimate, biodiverse habitats and green infrastructure, solar orientation and heat, soil and geology, rainfall and humidity, wind, noise and air qualities. And to respond through passive and/or active energy, water and sewerage strategies, and positive materials choices, to create healthy, low-energy, low-carbon, high-quality internal conditions, benefiting and relating to local neighbourhoods, communities and cultures. Students apply, present, analyse and critique these principles through a coursework report.