The Sustainable Building Design and Construction program at Fleming College is a 20-week, intensive, hands-on program that puts students at the centre of the construction of a full-sized (1200-2000 square foot) and cutting edge sustainable building.
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The program began in 2005, and is offered once a year. The location of the program changes depending on the location of the building project.
The curriculum of the SBDC program is unique in the world. Rather than focusing on specialization within the sustainable building field, we hope to graduate people who are strong generalists. The movement toward more sustainable buildings recognizes that team-based design and construction are key elements of making buildings more sustainable, and SBDC gives its students direct experience with the design and complete construction of a project. We interact with project consultants, inspectors, tradespeople and are involved in all aspects of the work of putting together a sustainable building.
The curriculum sees each student taking on direct responsibility for one structural, one mechanical and one administrative role within the project. From design considerations to pricing and sourcing materials to installation in the building, the students are fully responsible for their roles. This involves working cooperatively with all other student team leaders and outside consultants and tradespeople, and gives a broad skill set and understanding of the building process.
A large design assignment accompanies the curriculum. Each student works with a real-life design client from initial interview, through setting sustainable goals, creating preliminary designs, presenting story boards to completing a final set of construction documents. This helps to reinforce and expand upon the hands-on elements of the program.
The cooperative nature of the build also helps to establish a work site atmosphere that is unique in construction. Camaraderie, conversation and participation help to integrate those with plenty of building experience and newcomers alike.
The community-oriented projects that we build allow us to involve the public in our projects as well, through regular, weekly site tours and presentations within the community. The projects also give our students an opportunity to be responsible for a long-lasting contribution to the community, one they can visit and re-visit over the years.
You can see an overview of each year’s projects on the SBDC Projects page of this site.