Description
Today, more than 50% of the world population lives in cities on less than 2% of the planetary
surface. This urbanization is expected to remain a megatrend for the next decades. The resulting
concentration of infrastructure and activities has created human ecosystems distinct from natural
ecosystems, and their future depends not only on their internal sustainability but also on
symbiotic interactions with the natural ecosystems on which they ultimately depend. This
engineering course addresses the technological aspects of urban sustainability, including energy
procurement, energy consumption and green energy, air quality, water supply, use and treatment,
building infrastructure, transportation, resource conservation, decarbonization, city planning and
the role of automation and information technology in modern sustainable cities. In the context of
the triple bottom line (the framework that considers financial, social and environmental impacts),
the course further addresses, but to a lesser extent, the aspects of sustainable economics and
urban social wellbeing and cities as a hub for innovation.
Berlin - as a rapidly growing dynamic urban space - has experimented with several solutions and
has made significant progress toward sustainability. In Berlin, sustainability is a lived practice
where green living deeply permeates everyday life. As such, Berlin presents a unique and
unparalleled opportunity to study and understand the green system that is given by this
environmentally friendly city. Berlin will be used extensively as an example and site for field work
throughout the course. Institutions and political decisions which facilitated advancement of urban
sustainability in Berlin will be addressed and their impact will be made visible during the field
trips.
The course is geared toward engineering majors who have previously taken the course ENGS 37,
an introduction to environmental engineering, and develops the students’ proficiency, solution
design and quantification abilities across a wide range of issues regarding sustainable cities.
Prerequisites
MATH 3 or MATH 8; PHYS 13; and ENGS 37 (ENGS 37 may be taken concurrently)
