E 100.1
Green Building: Materials & Construction
3 units
8 weeks
Instructor: Phil Hawes, Ph.D.
The basics and the latest advances in alternative design and construction with earth (earth sheltered, adobe, cob, tamped, etc.), green roofs, straw bale, bamboo, recycled materials, and the most eco-sensitive methods of building with conventional materials. The green building movement has grown from a handful of pioneers, to a few dozen enthusiasts, to hundreds, and now thousands of practicing designers and builders of green buildings. SFIA has been a part of this movement from the day it was founded in 1990.It’s the most radical and widespread transformation in the history of architecture and construction. It changes the world, and it changes every aspect of what it means to be a design or construction professional. Meanwhile, new ideas, inventions, and green improvements are coming into play at breakneck speed. These classes present the total picture — the history, the technology, the best applications — what works and what doesn’t work.
DE 111
Eco Village Planning & Design
6 units
8 weeks
Instructor: Phil Hawes, Ph.D.
From start to finish: the history and natural principles of successful eco villages. Gathering site, sun, and climate information, working with topography, the principles of land planning, landscaping, and creating and incorporating green buildings; green infrastructure — light and power, water supply, sewage and waste management (all waste is a resource); establishing design criteria, financing, and green community governance.
DE 122
Living Building Challenge Studio
6 units
8 weeks
Instructor: Dave Deppen, Architect
The new Living Building Challenge is the most advanced green building rating system in the world. Our focus will be to design a Living Building project at a Bay Area location. We will study the background and structure of the Living Building Challenge. We will compare and contrast with the more mainstream LEED rating system. Performance areas we will work with: Site, Water, Energy, Health, Materials, Equity and Beauty. The class will be part research, part seminar, part design studio. This studio will provide a supportive and invigorating atmosphere for all levels of experience. We will also have a component for those who participated in the Fall 2010 Eco Design Studio, to further develop parts of their work.
D 13
Freehand Drawing & Nature Drawing
3 units
6 weeks
Instructor: Ann Parenti, Artist
Anyone can learn to draw, and draw well. But there are tricks to it. This class follows the groundbreaking techniques of Betty Edwards and her books: The New Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain, and The New Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain Workbook.
E 180
Greywater Reuse, Rainwater Capture & Ecological Sanitation
3 units
6 weeks
Instructor: Laura Allen, Greywater Guerrillas
Drinkable water on our planet consists of less than a small percentage of 1% of all the water available. Water will have to be conserved and collected on a local scale and building by building in the years ahead, to avoid catastrophic consequences. Meanwhile, it’s a practical economic benefit for buildings to go “off the pipeline,” in terms of water supply, just as many are going “off the grid” to generate their own electricity. This class will cover the basics of ecological sanitation: rainwater harvesting, greywater reuse, recycling greywater for landscaping, and waterless composting toilets. It will cover the new greywater-friendly code for the state of California; the most common types of low-tech systems; and high-end and commercial-scale options. Also covers crucial health and safety issues and the do’s and don’ts you must know.
E 150
Solar Energy
3 units
6 weeks
Instructor: Jerry Caldwell, Senior Project Engineer at Recurrent Energy
Solar power gets cheaper and more efficient every year. As people switch to plug-in hybrids and all-electric cars, the economics get better and better. This class covers all you need to know to understand solar technology, how to choose systems, the best methods of installation and operation, and how to combine solar energy with other alternatives, such as wind power. Includes updates on new technology, the growing solar industry, and improved methods of solar calculation. Design methods, technology, installation, and case studies. Planning and installing solar systems in new and existing buildings, Best practices for keeping costs down without sacrificing performance, Tax credits, rebates, and other incentives, Drawings required for permits and construction.
E 225
Eco Residential Remodeling
3 units
8 weeks
Instructor: Dave Deppen, Architect
This course focuses on smart, practical, ecologically based remodeling in a world of climate change and peak oil and financial tumult. Our theme will be critical thinking as we explore home improvement issues and decision making. Includes: New ways to assess the big picture for remodeling projects, high-priority eco criteria that are often missed, how to sort through the endless and bewildering options, which health issues are the most significant, keys to lowering costs, essentials for smooth construction and day-to-day use, integrating inside and outside planning.
D 23
Design For Human Behavior
3 units
8 weeks
Instructor: Dave Deppen, Architect
Required textbook: A Pattern Language, by Christopher Alexander, et. al. This has been one of our highest-rated classes, a lifelong resource for students. Includes: how people use and respond to the space around them, exploring the field of environmental psychology, design approaches in sync with human feeling, personal space and social space, defensible space and healing space, daylighting and color, awareness and perception.
