Kursusinformation

Buildings account for approximately 40 % of the global energy use. On top of that their urban organization highly influences the amount of fuel used for transportation. Buildings are structures that are expected to last for many decades. Thus the buildings presently constructed will have to function also in a carbon dioxide-neutral future. 

Sustainable building principles and approaches should aim to bring down the use of fossil fuels and reduce the emission of carbon dioxides, and should aim to relate to and benefit from sun and wind, climate and topography. Thus, sustainable architecture has a lot to do with building physics. These can be measured and calculated, and the technical aspects of sustainable architecture are therefore easy to acknowledge though hard to handle.
Sustainable development also has to do with creating good life conditions for human beings. This aspect is harder to define but cannot be ignored as it is a crucial part of sustainable settlement. Sustainable architecture is about designing new urban buildings where ideals of respect for nature, moderation and reflection have to go hand in hand with human urge for material comfort, desire, experience, wellbeing and richness of life. Sustainable architecture furthermore requires inter-disciplinary collaboration at every stage in the building process opposed to the current methodology applied by the majority of the building industry.
The duality calls for an answer: The days of uncritical material expansion and abundance may be over but we still urge for a good and rich life: How is this expressed in place, space, materials, architecture?
The course focuses on: New technical demands and low energy-standards. Integrated design processes that can unite technical, functional and aesthetic concerns through design and construction. Research and architectural positions in the field of sustainable architecture. 
The course objective is to provide an overview of demands, methodologies and positions in the field of current sustainable architecture in a European cultural and climatic context.
The PhD student is required to write a 3 to 5-page (max. 2400 characters with spaces per page) essay with references to the course presentations and literature in order to obtain the full 5ECTS.

Key literature:

Knudstrup, M-A: Integrated Design Process in PBL. In Kolmos et al (Ed) (2004): The Aalborg PBL model – progress, Diversity and Challenges. Aalborg University Press, Aalborg.

Knudstruo, M-A: How can we adapt education programmes to the architecture of the future? In Nordic Journal of Architectural Research, Volume 22, No 1-2, 2010.

Lauring, M: From ecological houses to sustainable cities. Architectural Minds. In Nordic Journal of Architectural Research, Volume 22, No 1-2, 2010.

Lauring, M: Fremtidens bæredygtige bolig og bebyggelse – et scenarie. In Jesper Holm et al (Ed) (2014): Bæredygtig omstilling af bolig og byggeri. Frydenlund Academic, Frederiksberg.

Brunsgaard, Camilla: Architectural Qualities in Passive Houses. In (2012)
Conference Proceedings: Passivhus Norden 2012. TAPIR Akademisk Forlag.

Brunsgaard, Camilla (2010): Understanding of Danish Passive Houses based on Pilot Project Comfort Houses. Department of Civil Engineering, Aalborg University, 2010. (DCE Thesis; Nr. 28).

Petersen, Mads Dines: Educating for a Carbon Neutral Future : A Danish perspective in a Global World. In Stuart, J & Wilson, M (2014): GLOBALIZING ARCHITECTURE: Flows and Disruptions. ACSA Press.

Petersen, Mads Dines (2011): Informing the Design Process: A Study of Architects' Approach to Environmental Architecture. Institut for Arkitektur og Medieteknologi. (A&D Files; Nr. 59).

Prerequisites: Open for all regardless of discipline. The course is specifically relevant for PhD-students within architecture, urban design and planning

Learning objectives: The participants will obtain knowledge about state of the art theories and methodology within sustainable architecture. The participants will obtain competencies in reflecting over their research projects in relation to the theories presented.

Teaching methods: The course is organized around presentations be the lectures combined with the participant’s reflections over their own projects in an open ‘research workshop’ atmosphere.

Criteria for assessment: Active participation and engagement with the course literature, the plenary sessions and reflections over one’s project in relation to the theme of the course.