Office of Sustainability

In the College of Architecture, Design and Construction, the Environmental Design Program in Copenhagen, Denmark is a summer immersion program open to Environmental Design majors. The program has notable emphasis on themes of sustainability, urban livability, transportation systems, design, and environmental design. A global leader in design innovation, Copenhagen is known for being one of the most livable cities in the world and is highly regarded for its bicycle urbanism. Students study interconnected systems in order to apply resiliency within design. Copenhagen allows students to witness contemporary sustainable projects that will be useful and valuable for the entirety of their careers.

Community Planning is concerned with the use of land, protection of the environment, public welfare, the design of public spaces and infrastructure, and the economy. Auburn University’s Master of Community Planning is a professionally oriented master’s degree program in which students work with clients on real-world planning projects in almost every class. Through working on these projects, students learn to help diverse and complex communities create and implement plans that improve and protect their quality-of-life, culture, resource base, built environment, natural environment, and economic vitality. AU’s Master of Community Planning is offered through the College of Liberal Arts.

In 2021, Auburn University introduced a fleet of hybrid-electric buses to the central campus area. The buses are designed with geofencing technology, allowing the buses to run on a battery charge when they detect the proximity of central campus. When not running an a battery, buses utilize a fuel-efficient, low-emissions diesel, fitted with a new exhaust design that reduces noise pollution. The Tiger Transit buses also feature increased capacity and an accessibility ramp for the elderly and physically disabled. To encourage more use of alternative transportation, the buses come equipped with bike racks. The Office of Sustainability also features a Sustainability Transportation Guide to highlight the most sustainable transportation options available.

Rural Studio is an off-campus design-build program in the College of Architecture, Design, and Construction. Rural Studio emphasizes place, beauty, economy, and purpose, from education to research to outreach. The Rural Studio philosophy suggests that everyone, both rich and poor, deserves the benefit of good design. The studio is known for its ethos of recycling, reusing, and remaking. To date, Rural Studio has built more than 200 projects. “We encourage aspiring young architects to address the ethical responsibility for the social, political, and environmental consequences of what they design and build,” says Andrew Freear, Rural Studio director.

Professor Gorham Bird of the College of Architecture, Design and Construction, researches architectural conservation, viewing architecture as an artifact of culture, linking political, socioeconomic, and historical connections. Through his research as a Visiting Assistant Professor of Architecture, Professor Bird confronts obstacles in architectural preservation and renovation, as well as adaptive reuse projects, especially within historical settings. Particularly, Professor Bird focuses on the historical Julius Rosenwald Schools and the intersections of historic preservation, architectural conservation, adaptive reuse, and reimagining viable, sustainable futures for cities afflicted by economic neglect.

Drs. Jeffrey LaMondia of the College of Engineering, Sweta Byahut of the College of Liberal Arts, and Professor Charlene LeBleu of the College of Architecture, Design, and Construction have embarked on a multi-year research project that aims to determine the impact of landscape patterns on stormwater runoff. In order to minimize ecosystem degradation and flood exacerbation, some local governments have adopted “green infrastructure” plans and strategies to conserve and protect their natural resources. This research identifies communities that have engaged in green infrastructure planning in the Mississippi-Alabama coastal region, identifies best practices among those communities, and pinpoints landscape patterns that should be protected.