The environment as part of the architectural curricula in the University of Minho

Abstract

This paper tries to identify and characterize the places among the studies curricula of the Architecture graduation program at the University of Minho, where the environment appears as a major concern. Knowing that environmental aspects should always be considered as an integrated part of sustainability concerns in general, environmental issues in the University of Minho’s graduation are integrated in a Sustainability Module, composed by 3 Curricular Units: a “Studio – Sustainability”, a “Seminar - Sustainability” and a “Compulsory – Indoor Environmental Quality”. This Module happens in the first semester of the 4th year, integrated on the “Construction and Technology” scientific area, offered to approximately 1/3 of the students. The recent experience about the work in this module, that started just two years ago, is reported here.