The Master of Science in Environmental Architecture—An appropriate response to reducing greenhouse gasses

Baverstock, G and Parker, I. (2007) The Master of Science in Environmental Architecture—An appropriate response to reducing greenhouse gasses. In: Renewable Energy for Sustainable Development in the Asia Pacific Region Conference, 4-8 February 2007, Fremantle, Western Australia pp. 20-24.

Abstract

For the past decade, politicians have applied different shades of “green‐wash” to global environmental issues in order to help juggle their positions in the political spectrum. This has created the illusion that effective measures are being pursued in the public interest for both this and future generation(s). The reality is, however, that nearly of all these initiatives are “input focused” and the various States of the Environment reports confirm that, despite decades of endeavour and large financial investment, there is little return on investment and that the rate of environmental degradation, particularly of the global atmosphere, continues to increase. Despite fierce posturing from the global warming sceptics, it seems that finally, the long‐term data indices of global warming are being accepted seriously and politicians around the world are responding by investing public funds in the quest for options. This paper contends that with global warming the major trends will be inexorable but the manifestations complex so humans will need to embrace uncertainty and manage change. Innovation and cooperation across all disciplines and the cooperation of the entire political and social spectrum will be required to solve the ecological disasters that have already begun to unfold and accelerate in frequency. It looks from a strategic viewpoint at how specialist education can catalyse change and play an important role in managing the change. The case study used in this analysis is the RISE Master of Science Course in Environmental Architecture. It explores the implications of linking to converging interests from other emerging course streams for Engineering and other Built Environment disciplines such as Planning, Project Management and Interior design as well as socio‐economic disciplines and the integrative discipline of Systems Dynamics.

Item Type:	Conference Paper
Murdoch Affiliation(s):	School of Environmental Science
Publisher:	American Institute of Physics
Copyright:	© 2007 American Institute of Physics
Notes:	Appears in AIP Conference Proceedings Volume 941, 2007, pp 20 - 24
URI:	http://researchrepository.murdoch.edu.au/id/eprint/10132

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