ENV 330 - Ecosystems & Ecological Design

4 credit(s)
Ecosystems and Ecological Design will explore the application of ecological principles to the design of sustainable technologies, buildings, communities and landscapes. The strategies of conservation, sustainability and stewardship can be applied at all scales to produce revolutionary forms of buildings, landscapes and applied technologies. The course is focused on understanding how ecological knowledge informs the design process. Fundamental ecological concepts such as primary production, energy flow, nutrient cycles, community structure and ecosystem stability are used as the foundation for exploring process is introduced in the form of participatory methods for design. Laboratory exercises and group projects provide opportunities for experiential learning through the application of ecological design principles to the solution of real problems, with particular focus on the Pacific University campus and its surroundings. Ecological design will enable us to realize that environmental problems are largely problems of design.
Prerequisite(s): ENV 142 and ENV 200.