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With the continuous changes happening to the world’s built environment as a result of escalating extreme weather and climate change, adopting sustainable and zero-energy building and design practices is no longer an option. For the past year, the College of Architecture has worked to implement a new curriculum for its Bachelor of Architecture and Master of Architecture programs that puts sustainability, carbon neutrality, and zero-energy design at the forefront of their pedagogy. This has earned the two programs a Zero Energy Design Designation (ZEDD) from the United States Department of Energy.

Throughout his first year at the college, Assistant Professor of Architecture Youngjin Hwang led efforts to transform the programs’ curriculum so that they were compliant with ZEDD’s learning objectives. The designation is awarded to institutions that “demonstrate a commitment to preparing students for a zero-carbon future by offering a building science education curriculum within their programs of study that showcases best practices in zero-energy design and requiring a zero-energy design practicum.”

“In the field of architecture, sustainability, carbon neutrality, and high-performance building design are now essential,” says Hwang. “This designation involves our distinctive pedagogical approach to educate the next generation of architecture professionals.”

With collaborative efforts from faculty and department chairs, and support from Rowe Family College Dean Endowed Chair Reed Kroloff, Hwang was able to establish an updated yearlong course in environment and building systems in each of the programs. This course was adapted as part of ZEDD’s Building Science Education Curriculum requirement and incorporated new lecture content, assignments, and in-class workshops that provide various building performance simulation techniques.

The course also fostered a strong collaboration between lecture courses and design studios, encouraging students to apply their theoretical learning to practical design tasks in both programs.

“As designers and researchers in the field of architecture, it is crucial to be prepared to design high-performance and low-carbon buildings to promote sustainability or the future built environment,” says Hwang. “Students should be equipped with the adequate knowledge and skills in how to implement sustainability in designs of the future.”

In addition to sustainability, the new curriculum also has a rigorous focus on technology building systems, and construction.

“Our college continuously updates our curriculum to adapt to the rapid changes in the built environment and provide the highest quality of education in various aspects of architecture and design,” Hwang adds.

Since ZEDD’s launch in 2022, only 26 institutions have received this designation for one or more of their programs as of last year. Illinois Institute of Technology became one of them back in 2022 for its architectural engineering program, but Hwang is excited about College of Architecture joining the 2024 cohort and sustaining that recognition.

The designation will remain in effect until 2027.