Course Description
Exploration of housing using the environmental, economic, and social dimensions of sustainability. Students will learn about green building and alternatives to normative housing in the United States. Housing equity and the development of healthy and sustainable housing for low-income communities will also be explored.
Additional Requirements for Graduate Students:
Students will be required to investigate a specified research
topic on an aspect of sustainable housing. This will entail a
thorough review of literature, analysis of major questions to be
answered, and identification of specific research topics worthy
of pursuit. This will be reported in a written research paper.
The results of this work will also be presented in class and
graded for content, analytical acuity, and presentation quality.
Athena Title
Topics in Sustainable Housing
Non-Traditional Format
Course includes a service-learning project during the semester that either employs skills or knowledge learned in the course or teaches new skills or knowledge related to course objectives. Students will be involved in the planning and implementation of the projects(s) and may spend time outside of the classroom. Students will be engaged in the service-learning component for approximately 50-75% of overall instructional time.
Prerequisite
Permission of department
Semester Course Offered
Not offered on a regular basis.
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Course Objectives
-Students will be able to critically examine the three realms of housing sustainability: environmental, economic, and social. -Students will be able to analyze the viability and effectiveness of green building requirements within the context of U.S. housing standards and preferences. -Students will examine the strengths and weaknesses of alternative forms of sustainable housing. - Students will be able to demonstrate relevance of service-learning experience to course content.
Topical Outline
Course introduction Part 1: Green building Green building practices, the house as a system, planning, and design Foundations, framing, roofs, and attics Windows and doors, plumbing, HVAC Electrical, insulation, siding, and decking Solar energy, indoor air quality, interior finishes Part 2: U.S. housing norms and alternative strategies Why is ‘bigger is better” the norm in U.S. housing? House size, form, and affordability House size, form, and local building regulations Alternative forms of affordable housing Part 3: Housing challenges for low-income and special populations
Syllabus