The case for Centres of Excellence in sustainable building design
The case for Centres of Excellence in sustainable building design
The case for Centres of Excellence in sustainable building design
Create successful ePaper yourself
Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.
Appendix 1<br />
Over time, the <strong>Centres</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Excellence</strong> must support other universities <strong>in</strong> enhanc<strong>in</strong>g<br />
their own low-carbon education, so that the proportion <strong>of</strong> fully carbon-aware<br />
graduates steadily <strong>in</strong>creases to over 50% over a 10 to 15 year period. However,<br />
after only five years, every <strong>of</strong>fice that is actively recruit<strong>in</strong>g graduate eng<strong>in</strong>eers<br />
could have one graduate from a Centre <strong>of</strong> <strong>Excellence</strong>. This is an achievable goal.<br />
Staff<strong>in</strong>g<br />
To deliver the educational aims, centres will need academic and research staff<br />
<strong>in</strong>volved <strong>in</strong> push<strong>in</strong>g the pr<strong>of</strong>ession <strong>for</strong>ward. <strong>The</strong>y must be able to communicate<br />
their knowledge, skills and enthusiasm to the undergraduates, and they must be<br />
<strong>in</strong>volved with those engaged <strong>in</strong> the <strong>design</strong> <strong>of</strong> build<strong>in</strong>gs. <strong>The</strong>y must also be able<br />
to communicate with policymakers, the media, and the general public, call<strong>in</strong>g<br />
<strong>for</strong> expertise <strong>in</strong> public relations, market<strong>in</strong>g and communications. <strong>The</strong> <strong>Centres</strong><br />
must there<strong>for</strong>e be staffed by a range <strong>of</strong> pr<strong>of</strong>essionals <strong>in</strong> addition to the expected<br />
academic and research staff.<br />
<strong>The</strong> academics might have narrow specialist expertise, but it is most important<br />
that they have the broad view too, and an understand<strong>in</strong>g <strong>of</strong> <strong>in</strong>tegration <strong>in</strong>to<br />
<strong>design</strong>. This is most likely to have been obta<strong>in</strong>ed dur<strong>in</strong>g a period <strong>in</strong> eng<strong>in</strong>eer<strong>in</strong>g<br />
<strong>design</strong> practice. <strong>The</strong> aim <strong>of</strong> the <strong>Centres</strong> is to replace trial and error with a systemic<br />
<strong>design</strong> approach that is scientifically sound and based upon real understand<strong>in</strong>g <strong>of</strong><br />
eng<strong>in</strong>eer<strong>in</strong>g. All the academic staff must be able to deliver this approach.<br />
<strong>The</strong> range <strong>of</strong> expertise <strong>in</strong>volved <strong>in</strong> the centre needs to go beyond what is<br />
seen <strong>in</strong> most civil build<strong>in</strong>g services or build<strong>in</strong>g eng<strong>in</strong>eer<strong>in</strong>g departments. At<br />
present, these may have no build<strong>in</strong>g physics staff at all, or only a very small<br />
number and they are likely to be focused on a specific field <strong>of</strong> research <strong>in</strong> a<br />
traditional academic research centre, rather than hav<strong>in</strong>g a broad, <strong>in</strong>terdiscipl<strong>in</strong>ary<br />
perspective on teach<strong>in</strong>g and research needs. It would nevertheless be expected<br />
that any <strong>in</strong>stitution with the undergraduate <strong>in</strong>takes to support a Centre <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>Excellence</strong> will already have some <strong>of</strong> the academic staff required, and will have<br />
l<strong>in</strong>ks with <strong>in</strong>dustry which support their teach<strong>in</strong>g.<br />
A particular requirement <strong>of</strong> a Centre <strong>of</strong> <strong>Excellence</strong> which differs from conventional<br />
eng<strong>in</strong>eer<strong>in</strong>g departments is <strong>for</strong> staff that can direct and support <strong>in</strong>terdiscipl<strong>in</strong>ary<br />
<strong>design</strong> project work. <strong>The</strong>re is a relationship between these needs and those <strong>of</strong><br />
the traditional architectural <strong>design</strong> studio, which requires eng<strong>in</strong>eer<strong>in</strong>g academics<br />
and tutors to help students synthesise the many skills <strong>of</strong> architectural <strong>design</strong>.<br />
<strong>The</strong> academics or tutors who lead the <strong>design</strong> work need to be able to make a<br />
substantial time commitment to ensure that the students derive the <strong>in</strong>tended<br />
educational benefit from these <strong>in</strong>tense activities. This will require academic<br />
staff committed to <strong>design</strong> tutor<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> addition to tutor<strong>in</strong>g support provided by<br />
pr<strong>of</strong>essionals engaged <strong>in</strong> <strong>design</strong> practice.<br />
<strong>Centres</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Excellence</strong> will need to have expertise <strong>in</strong> the follow<strong>in</strong>g areas:<br />
• Build<strong>in</strong>g construction & materials<br />
• Build<strong>in</strong>g services systems <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g public health<br />
• Human com<strong>for</strong>t and climate psychology<br />
• Acoustics<br />
• Ventilation and air condition<strong>in</strong>g<br />
• Controls and automation<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>case</strong> <strong>for</strong> <strong>Centres</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Excellence</strong> <strong>in</strong> susta<strong>in</strong>able build<strong>in</strong>g <strong>design</strong> 45