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Master of Design Science (Sustainable Design)
Admission Requirements | Core Units of Study | Option Units & Electives | Professional Development Courses | Career Profiles
Sustainable Design
Recent concerns about the impact of global warming upon the world's climates and increased pollution and despoilation of natural habitats have introduced the concept of environmental and ecological sustainability as a criterion against which to judge all human activity. Nowhere are these issues more critical than in the creation of the world's built environments. The built environment consumes energy and resources in its making and also in its day to day operation. The complex pattern of human habitats so formed are intimately connected to both natural and man-made energy and resource flow networks. The making of these habitats, therefore, requires knowledge of how the actions of individual designers, planners, builders and users of these habitats interacts with these energy and resource flows.
Thus, one of the greatest challenges facing all involved in this process is the creation of a future built environment which not only continues to fulfil all of the traditional social, aesthetic and functional requirements of human settlements but also minimises its impact upon the natural environment by limiting what is taken from it and given back to it. In other words, the challenge is to create a more sustainable built environment.
This program explores the sustainability of the construction industry, develops an understanding of the principles underpinning sustainable design in the built environment and provides you with the practical skills and understandings which allow you to develop more sustainable design practices.
Program Coordinator: Dr Richard Hyde
Admission Requirements
Masters and Graduate Diploma applicants should hold a bachelors degree. Graduate Certificate applicants should hold a bachelors degree or possess experience which is considered to demonstrate the knowledge and aptitude required to undertake the course.
Core Units of Study
Total credit points required
Graduate Certificate 24
Core 18, Options 0, Electives 6
Graduate Diploma 48
Core 24, Options 12, Electives 12
Master 72
Core 24, Options 18, Electives 30
Sustaining the Built Environment
DESC 9145, 6 credit points, semester 1, classes: intensive
An environmental history of 20th century urban growth and development; the impact of climate change and environmental degradation upon the planning and design of the built environment; energy and resource flows in the built environment; the dimensions of ecological sustainable development; urban and regional planning perspectives on a sustainable built environment; the roles of governments, industries and professions in creating a sustainable built environment; the role of architects in creating a sustainable built environment.
Climate, Comfort & Sustainable Design
DESC 9146, 6 credit points, semester 1, classes: intensive
Climate: the meaning of the concept of climate; the elements of climate – solar energy, the atmosphere, longwave radiation, the carbon cycle, the water cycle, winds, the earth’s energy balance; the causes and likely impacts of global climate change; the influence of climate upon built form; the consequences of climate change upon building design practice; climate data and its interpretation.
Thermal Comfort: energy balance of the human body and its thermal environment; thermal spatial dimensions and their impact upon human thermal sensations; traditional methods for defining and measuring thermal comfort; cultural and climatic influences upon thermal comfort; the Adaptive Model of thermal comfort and its application to sustainable design of buildings.
Sustainable Building Design Principles
DESC 9147, 6 credit points, semester 2, classes: intensive
Environmental and health impacts and their environment; the principles of passive solar heating strategies in cold and temperate climates; strategies for controlling solar and other loads on the building fabric; principles of cooling by natural ventilation; low energy mechanical cooling strategies; hybrid and mixed–mode cooling strategies.
Sustainable Building Design Practice
DESC 9148, 6 credit points, semester 2, classes: intensive
The response of architectural practice to the rise of environmentalism in the 20th century; the emergence of passive solar architecture; ecologically sustainable design (ESD) and its impact upon current design practice; real and perceived barriers to a more sustainable design practice; impact of education and theory on practice; expressing the values of sustainability in built form; towards a new sustainable design paradigm.
Option Units & Electives
Sustainability Research Project
DESC 9150, 6 credit points, semester 1 & 2
Sustainable Design Workshop
DESC 9149, 6 credit points, semester 1 & 2 weekly
Building Energy Analysis
DESC 9015, 6 credit points, semester 2 intensive
Energy Management in Buildings
See Facilities Management
Environmental Design and Planning
See Urban & Regional Planning
Introduction to Building Services
See Building Services
Daylight in Buildings
See Illumination Design
Lighting Design
See Illumination Design
Electives
Students are encouraged to choose electives from any graduate program. Students must refer to the web for timetables.
Just want to study one unit of study as professional development?
Career Profiles
Daniel Londono
How did you find out about Sustainable Design? I believe I always had an interest in the relationship of architecture and the environment as science and not only a simplistic aesthetic. Besides, in recent times it is becoming a front line agenda that the current way of built the environment is causing irreversible ecological damage and that something has to be done.
What is one thing that sticks in your mind about your master's degree in Sustainable Design? Most importantly I became conscious of this crucial knowledge, enabling me to be part of one of the most debated and current global issues. As well, this has brought great professional success; I was recently awarded the Young Architect Encouragement Prize at the last Holcim Awards Competition for Sustainable Construction. My submission was based on work completed as part of my Sustainable Design Masters Degree at the University of Sydney, Faculty of Architecture.
What are your plans for the future? After living and working three years in Sydney I am preparing to retune to my home Country. This will be a major challenge, I hope can implement the practical knowledge I acquired in my studies.
Ricardo Gutierrez
How did you find out about Sustainable Design? When I was about to finish my Bachelor in Architecture, I started to look for a posgraduate degree related with sustainability and energy conservation issues . After searching I found myself with 3 possibilities in different countries & universities. The one in Sydney was the one that suited me best.
The course is very interesting because you learn about issues that at the undergraduate level are seen in a superficial or non existent way. You learn how to design strategies that avoid, as much as possible, the use of airconditioning and heating systems, strategies on how ventilate a building naturally, ways to avoid or let direct sunlight into the building, use of different materials, etc. In fact, while helping the environment you are also trying to bring down the services costs of the building. You also learn to calculate the amount of heat or energy the building is gaining or loosing depending on the climate you are designing for.
The course is theoretical at the beginning, but after you have learnt the basics through classes and research, you are able to put your knowledge into practice! The faculty's workshops and computer software allow you to test your design model. For example the windtunnel analyses how the wind flows through the building spaces and the heliodon demonstrates how much direct sun comes into the building.