Got the following email and thought I’d pass it on in case somebody here might be interested:
Do you want to know more about green building? Do you know a student who might want to earn college credit to learn about green building?
My name is Ryan Harb. For those of you who don’t know me, I’m a finishing graduate student from UMass and in May I will become the first person in the country to receive a MS in Green Building. I have a strong interest in ecological design and for 4 years I have been transforming my single-family home in Amherst, a college rental property, into a model sustainable residence. One project I’m working on now is a front yard transformation – creating a 5000 s.f. highly productive, food producing, permaculture garden at my home. Designing sustainable (food and other) systems is one of many aspects of green building.
This summer I will be co-teaching a 3-week Sustainable Design and Construction course at Sirius Community in Shutesbury, MA – a model educational and sustainable ecovillage in scenic western Massachusetts. This is one of the few opportunities in the country to receive college credit while learning experientially about sustainable design and construction. All students will receive natural building certification upon completion of this course.
Course Topics:
What is Green Building?
We will take you on an ecological journey through the entire green building process: from site selection and laying the foundation to selecting appropriate materials and conducting a life cycle analysis.
Green Structures: Simple to Complex
Green building at its simplest form: primitive shelter building, site analysis, passive solar architecture, patterning for energy efficiency, renewable energy technologies.
Natural Building:
Exploration of natural building materials, their properties and their ‘roles’ as structural components. Students gain experience in timber frame, straw bale and cob construction.
Community Strategies:
Eco-village and community design; master plans and how they evolve over time. Group design project and presentation.
Course Dates: June 21 – July 11
Apply before April 15th! The deadline is soon approaching.
Contact Living Routes today: http://www.livingroutes.com/pr…
Questions to: Ryan Harb iamharb@gmail.com