Syracuse University’s School of Architecture will launch a new postgraduate program called “Design – Energy – Futures” next fall.

Students working toward a master’s degree will have the option to take part in the 30-credit program and earn a certificate to complement their degree, according to an SU News release.

Faculty from several schools on campus, including the Martin J. Whitman School of Management and the College of Engineering and Computer Science, will design and co-teach classes to give students a diverse perspective on all the aspects that go into designing a building, said Todd Moss, an assistant professor of entrepreneurship and sustainability at Whitman.

“This program is all about cross-disciplinary education,” Moss said. “Students will learn to communicate and problem solve with people from other backgrounds. When you have a group with an ESF, architecture and business student, everyone is able to contribute their strengths and ideas.”

Single classes will be taught by multiple professors from separate disciplines to ensure students learn everything about what it takes to design an efficient building, both environmentally and economically, Moss said.

Sherburne Abbott, SU’s vice president for sustainability initiatives and a professor of sustainability science and policy, said it’s important to connect with other fields in order to spur innovation in the field of sustainability architecture.

Abbott said a sustainable future hinges on the decisions of students, like the ones who will enroll in the new postgraduate program.

She added that she is unsure of whether there is a similar one-year program that “provides the intellectual bridge between architecture and energy.”

Moss said sustainability is quickly becoming a must-have when it comes to building design.

“Green buildings are a trend — not a fad,” Moss said.

At least half of today’s newly designed buildings are green-certified, which is an advantage when it comes to selling and leasing buildings, Moss added.

School of Architecture Dean Michael Speaks said in the release that the program will allow students and professionals alike to “engage with crucial issues that impact contemporary architectural practice.”

Published on November 4, 2015 at 8:50 pm

Contact Caroline: cbarthol@syr.edu