Program Overview

Introduction to Sustainability in the Designed Environment

The definitions and macro contexts of sustainability, emphasising the roles, responsibilities and opportunities for professionals in the designed and built environment. The course covers climate and microclimate, resources, materials production, environmental impact and social equity.

Course Details

• Dates: 23 Feb 2026 to 21 Jun 2026
• Starts: Trimester 1
• Fees:
  • NZ$1,205.55 for domestic students
  • NZ$5,558.70 for international students
• Lecture start times: Thursday 9.00am
• Campus: Kelburn
• Estimated workload: Approximately 150 hours or 8.8 hours per week for 17 weeks
• Points: 15
• Special course features: Includes sustainability material

Entry Restrictions

• Prerequisites: None
• Corequisites: None
• Restrictions: None

Taught by

School of Architecture — Faculty of Architecture and Design Innovation

About this Course

SARC131 is an on-campus only course and is not available for distance study. Sustainability within our designed environments is increasingly important. SARC 131 provides students with an introduction to core principles and issues of sustainability across disciplines within societies, and discusses some strategies for implementation within the designed environment. Topics covered include resource efficiency, life cycles, human environmental behaviours, transportation, carbon, pollution, water, rising population, food and materials.

Course Learning Objectives

1. Critically engage with the evolving interdisciplinary issues of sustainability in the designed environment.
2. Situate undertaken work in relation to the key contemporary interdisciplinary themes and approaches in sustainability at global and local scales.
3. Effectively communicate in a range of modes and formats appropriate for sustainability.

How this Course is Taught

• The SARC 131 course Nuku site will be used for course resources – announcements, project briefs, course information, project discussion boards, etc.
• Classes: SARC131 lectures (one two-hour lecture per week) and tutorials (one two-hour tutorial class per week) require in-person attendance. Lecture recordings will be made available in Nuku for subsequent revision.
• Tutorials take place in the WIG101 studio.

Assessment

• Project 1: Individual, 33.3%
• Project 2: Individual, 33.3%
• Project 3: Individual, 33.4%

Lecture Times and Rooms

• 23 February 2026 to 5 April 2026
• 20 April 2026 to 31 May 2026

What you'll need to get

You do not need to get any texts or equipment for this course.

Disclaimer

This course outline may be subject to change.