Cities are facing complex sustainability challenges shaped by the interactions between environmental, social, and economic systems. This course introduces key concepts of urban sustainability, discusses major urban challenges and potential responses, and considers trade-offs associated with different interventions. Topics include health and wellbeing in urban settings, energy consumption, climate change and the urban heat island effect, green infrastructure, and issues of access and equity. Through these themes, the course aims to develop an understanding of urban sustainability challenges and the ability to critically evaluate possible responses from multiple perspectives. For the final project, students will choose an urban sustainability topic of interest and connect course concepts with real-world issues that matter to them.
By the end of this course, students will be able to:
•Explain major sustainability challenges facing urban areas and their connections to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
•Understand relationships between urban form, climate, resilience, and society.
•Identify potential benefits, limitations, and unintended consequences of sustainability interventions.
•Communicate sustainability issues across disciplinary boundaries