NPPC Logo

Sustainable Architecture

This page describes current documents in our Sustainable Architecture Compendium. You are welcome to download and print anything here -- free of charge!-- for non-commercial educational purposes. If you would like to have a paper copy mailed to you, please contact us directly. Note that we must charge a small fee to cover printing and mailing.

Introductory Module

Sustainable Design Module

Sustainable Building Materials Module

Recycling and Reuse Module

Case Studies Module

(Related site: The Society of Building Science Educators The Society of Building Science Educators (SBSE) is an association of university educators and practitioners in architecture and related disciplines who support excellence in the teaching of environmental science and building technologies.)

Introductory Module

"An Introduction to Sustainable Architecture"

The construction and operation of buildings consume the majority of the world's natural resources and energy, and contribute the bulk of landfill waste. This paper introduces the concept of sustainable architecture and gives an overview of the educational resources in this compendium. Included are the following appendices:

  • Appendix A: Survey of Educators. Documents an informational survey of educators from architecture schools across the country to assess the current status of environmental education in architecture.
  • Appendix B: Survey of Building Materials Manufacturers. Documents an informational survey of building material manufacturers across the country to assess the current status of environmentally sustainable building materials.
  • Appendix C: NAAB Criteria Review. Summarizes a review of National Architecture Accreditation Board criteria evaluated for relevance to sustainable design issues. Limitations of current criteria are discussed; suggestions for expanding or rewriting criteria are given where appropriate.
    350K Acrobat file [Printed copy available for $3.50. How to Order]

    Combined Bibliography

    The 300+ publications in this list form the combined bibliography for the four modules that comprise this Compendium. Wherever possible, we include contact information for publishers of materials not commonly found in campus libraries or bookstores.
    70K Acrobat file [30 pp. Printed copy available for $2.50. How to Order]

    Combined Annotated Bibliography

    Describes 18 publications from the Combined Bibliography.
    40K Acrobat file [Printed copy available for $2.50. How to Order]

    Resource List

    Listed here are the 18 best web sources we know of (besides our own!) for publications, computer software, slides, videos, and other educational resources in sustainable architecture.
    HTML-formatted file

    Selected Readings

    Forty journal articles on environmental issues related to architecture.
    [Not yet available]

    Sample Syllabi

    A collection of 14 syllabi submitted by architecture faculty from universities across the U.S. and Canada. Featured are lecture schedules, homework assignments, lab experiments, studio design projects, and essay questions pertaining to sustainable architecture. 1,570K Acrobat file [Printed copy available for $11. How to Order]

    Sustainable Design Module

    "Fundamentals and Methods of Sustainable Design"

    This paper may be used in a coursepack or as supplemental reading for architecture courses at the undergraduate and graduate levels. It examines the environmental impact of building design and construction. Principles of sustainable architecture are discussed as a means of reducing this impact. Analysis of a building's phases of construction ("pre-building," "building," and "post-building") are used to explore the concepts of Economy of Resources, Life Cycle Design, and Humane Design
    173K Acrobat file [Printed copy available for $3.50. How to Order]

    Sustainable Design Bibliography

    Lists 130 books and journals specifically related to sustainable design theory and application.
    88K Acrobat file [Printed copy available for $1. How to Order]

    Sustainable Design Annotated Bibliography

    Summarizes selected literature from the Sustainable Design Bibliography
    95K Acrobat file [Printed copy available for $1. How to Order]

    Sustainable Building Materials Module

    "Qualities, Use, and Examples of Sustainable Materials"

    This paper can be used as a coursepack or supplemental reading for architecture courses at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Rich with illustrations, it examines the source of common building materials and the environmental costs of their production. The authors describe and discuss examples of environmentally friendly materials (such as adobe and recycled aluminum) and products (such as recycled-content insulation and triple-paned windows). General principles of life cycle analysis are applied to a building's phases of construction (pre-building, building, and post-building).
    1,090K Acrobat file [Printed copy available for $5. How to Order]

    Sustainable Materials Bibliography

    Topical listing of nearly 70 books and journals specifically about the production and use of sustainable building materials.
    81K Acrobat file [Printed copy available for $1. How to Order]

    Sustainable Materials Annotated Bibliography

    Summarizes selected literature (eight articles) from the Bibliography of Sustainable Building Materials.
    86K Acrobat file [Printed copy available for $1. How to Order]

    Recycling and Reuse Module

    Recycling and Reuse Learning Units

    To help architecture students "become critical of the upstream and downstream effects of building design, construction, use, and disposal," this graduate thesis addresses "the problems of scarcity, costly extraction, and increased regulatory provisions associated with unsustainable natural resource consumption and waste disposal." It is designed to be used as a coursepack or supplemental reading for architecture courses at the undergraduate and graduate levels. This lengthy (100+ pp.) document, complete with more than 100 illustrations, provides an introduction (45K Acrobat file) as well as discussions, case studies, and exercises for each of the following topics:

  • Waste Prevention (1,291K Acrobat file)

  • Construction and Demolition Recycling (2,261K Acrobat file)

  • Architectural Reuse (951K Acrobat file)

  • Design for Materials Recovery (748K Acrobat file

    Recycling and Reuse Appendices, Bibliography, and Annotations

    Appendices, a list of 100 books and journals specifically related to the recycling and reuse of building materials, and summaries of selected publications. (168K Acrobat file)

    [Printed copy of entire Recycling and Reuse Module available for $11. How to Order]

    Case Studies Module

    Sustainable Development Case Study

    This case study is an illustrated examination of the planning, development, and construction of NEXT 21 located in Osaka, Japan. NEXT 21 is an experimental multi-family housing project demonstrating new concepts of multi-family housing units that incorporates sustainable design methods and advanced technologies. 2,837K Acrobat file

    To Order Materials From the NPPC

    Center for Sustainable Systems
    University of Michigan
    Dana Bldg., 440 Church Street
    Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1041
    734-764-1412
    fax 734-647-5841 or send e-mail css.info@umich.edu

    Return to the CSS Homepage


    This page last revised on December 5, 2005.