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Environmental Design in University Curricula and Architectural Training in Europe

EDUCATE

Grant agreement no.: IEE/08/635/SI2.528419Project Duration: from 1st June 2009 to 31st May 2012 (36 months)

Coordinator: Dr Sergio Altomonte, University of Nottingham (UK)Date: July 2012

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• The mission of EDUCATE has been to :

Foster knowledge and skills in sustainable environmental design aiming to achieve comfort, delight, well-being and energy efficiency in new and existing buildings and urban spaces.

This has been promoted and demonstrated within a culturally, economically and socially viable design process, at all stages of architectural education.

Mission of the Action

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Subcontractors:

Project Partners:

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The EDUCATE Action was set up primarily to:• Remove pedagogical and professional barriers to the

successful integration of energy-related sustainable environmental design in the education and practice of architecture and urban design.

This has been achieved through the accomplishment of the following specific objectives:• Propose and test principles and strategies for

curriculum development that bridge divides between sustainability-related technical sciences and creative design at all stages of architectural education;

• Develop an online Portal on sustainable environmental design and energy efficiency that facilitates such integration in higher education and supports lifelong learning;

• Propose clear criteria for academic accreditation and professional qualification measuring the knowledge, skills and competence of sustainable environmental design required for the practice of design.

Objectives of the Action

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EDUCATE has achieved the following main results:

• Consolidation of the state of the art of environmental awareness and knowledge in education and practice

• Systematisation of the knowledge base of sustainable environmental design and energy efficiency

• Development of an online Portal to foster knowledge transfer and provide interactive support to students and professionals

• Proposal and testing of pedagogical practices in higher education and in continuing professional development (CPD)

• Proposition of pedagogical principles for programme development at all levels of architectural education

• Formulation of consistent criteria for professional qualification informed by - and aiming to - the practice of sustainable environmental design and energy efficiency

• Dissemination of know-how and exempla of best practice on environmentally sustainable design and energy efficiency

Results Achieved

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Amongst the lessons learnt within the development of EDUCATE, of particular relevance are the following:

• There is still reticence from some academic and professional bodies to modify current practices towards the comprehensive integration of environmental sustainability and energy efficiency in higher and post-professional training

• There still are misunderstanding and lack of confidence by some parts of the public to the notion that a sustainable approach to design can go beyond the meeting of carbon reduction targets and also provide a creative inspiration to design and contribute to the comfort and well being of building occupants

• A bottom-up and a top-down approach should be tackled simultaneously to support the successful implementation of sustainability and energy efficiency in the education and practice of design, and foster changes of behaviour and expectations

Lessons Learnt

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• Sergio Altomonte, Department of Architecture and Built Environment (Action Coordinator)University of Nottingham (United Kingdom), www.nottingham.ac.uk/abe

• Simos Yannas, AA E+E, MSc / MArch Sustainable Environmental DesignArchitectural Association School of Architecture (United Kingdom), www.aaschool.ac.uk/ee

• Andre’ de Herde, Faculté d'Architecture, d'Ingénierie architecturale, d'Urbanisme - Architecture et Climat Université catholique de Louvain (Belgium), www-climat.arch.ucl.ac.be

• Hana Riemer, Lehrstuhl für Bauklimatik und Haustechnik, Fakultät für Architektur Technische Universität München (Germany), www.ar.tum.de/en/aktuell/

• Eliana Cangelli, Dipartimento DATA, Facolta’ di ArchitetturaUniversita’ degli Studi di Roma La Sapienza (Italy), w3.uniroma1.it/itaca

•Maria Lopez de Asiain, Seminario de Arquitectura y Medioambiente, SAMA S.C. (Spain), www.arquitecturaymedioambiente.es

• Sara Horvath, BME Építészmérnöki Kar Budapesti Müszaki és Gazdaságtudományi Egyetem (Hungary), www.bme.hu

EDUCATE Project Managers

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For further information on EDUCATE, please contact:

Dr Sergio AltomonteEDUCATE Action CoordinatorDepartment of Architecture and Built EnvironmentUniversity of Nottingham United Kingdomeducate.enquiries@educate-sustainability.eu

Or logon to www.educate-sustainability.eu

EDUCATE Contacts