Teaching Building Decarbonization to the Next Generation

In order to prepare the next generation of sustainability building professionals, engineering education must adapt. The Stanford Building Decarbonization Learning Accelerator (BDLA) provides free teaching resources to professors so they can easily integrate information about building decarbonization into their architecture, engineering, or construction management courses. Building decarbonization is also a critical environmental justice issue for communities of color, particularly Black communities. Black people are 75% more likely than their white counterparts to live in “fence-line” communities, which exist next to industrial facilities that produce noise, odor, traffic, and emissions that directly affect the population. In its first year, the BDLA focused on collaboration with HBCUs to highlight the importance of positioning Black sustainability professionals in leadership positions in the building sector. Through this process, we have learned the best approaches to teaching building decarbonization. We found that visually appealing lectures relevant to today’s world have gotten the most positive feedback. The curated building decarbonization materials allow professors to focus on their specific discipline. With a mixture of lectures, videos, and case studies, professors can decide which style works best for them.

This workshop will share the valuable lessons learned from the founder and program manager of the BDLA throughout the first year of operation. Professor Nea Maloo will also share her experience using BDLA materials to teach building decarbonization to her students at Howard University. This engaging session will provide professionals with a thorough understanding of the BDLA’s instructional materials and give them the tools to be able to teach these topics to their students.