Course Syllabus
LDA 142 Applying Sustainable Strategies - Spring 2019
Time: TT 1:40-4:30 * 168 Hunt Hall
6 Units - CRN 77932
Office Hours: Wed 10-12 165 Hunt
TA: Yasmina Choeiri * Office Hours Fri 9-12
Description
This capstone course for the Sustainable Environmental Design (SED) major helps students expand knowledge and skills from their previous coursework so as to develop sustainable solutions for real-world situations. We will examine sustainability problems at different scales through in-class and assigned exercises, and will prepare various types of professional documents: a stakeholder analysis, a staff memo identifying alternative strategies, site analyses, and site designs.
To consolidate our knowledge about sustainability, we will read and discuss chapters from Planning for Sustainability: Creating Livable, Equitable, and Ecological Communities (Second Edition 2013). We will also read draft chapters from the instructor’s forthcoming book Radical Questions about Sustainable Cities, and more specialized readings on particular topics. All readings will be on Canvas under Files. Please make sure you have done the reading by the date listed in this syllabus.
Learning Objectives
-- Deepen our understanding of “sustainability” and perspectives on it
-- Improve ability to think critically and holistically about issues & develop constructive solutions
-- Develop increased understanding of one individually chosen subject area
-- Improve ability to be productive leaders within a range of settings
-- Improve writing, research, graphic representation, oral presentation, and site design skills
Class Requirements
- Regular attendance (please let the instructor know in advance if you must miss a class)
- Complete assigned readings on-time (this material is important for class discussions)
- Complete class assignments
- Participate in class discussions and exercises
- Attend a City Council or commission meeting & post a 2-page reflection w/ selfie
Grading
10% - Assignment 1: Identifying stakeholders & their mindsets on a topic of interest to you
15% - Assignment 2: Developing a strategy proposal related to this topic
15% - Assignment 3: Individual proposal for enhancing Village Homes sustainability
10% - Assignment 4: Site analysis of a portion of Village Homes
15% - Assignment 5: Site design for a portion of Village Homes
20% - Final Exam
3% - City Council meeting reflection
12% - Participation and Effort
Professionalism
All work and communication in LDA 142 should be done in a professional manner. That means that you should do several drafts of every work product and edit carefully for spelling, grammar, and good writing. Reference your work as necessary, using standard reference styles. If working in teams, practice different leadership skills (to be discussed in class), treat your colleagues with respect, make sure to communicate clearly with them, and be on time for meetings. Also be on time for class and turn in all work by the stated deadline. Refrain from using electronic devices for other than course purposes during class time.
Academic Honesty
In line with U.C. Davis policy, students are expected to maintain high standards of academic honesty. This means that all work that you present as your own must in fact have been done by you, and that all sources must be properly cited. In particular, do not copy material from websites unless for short quotes with citations. Also, do not copy graphics without attribution. There are multiple ways to cite information; please refer to reference books such as the Chicago Manual of Style. A style sheet is available at https://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/tools_citationguide.html. If you have any questions about citation procedures or academic honesty, please ask the instructor. Academic dishonesty may lead to the student failing the course or other more serious measures.
A helpful list of resources for students is at https://ebeler.faculty.ucdavis.edu/resources/faq-student-resources/.
CLASS SCHEDULE
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Class 1 Tues Apr 2
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Class intro/class survey on learning objectives How can we identify sustainable strategies? (Exercise: Is desalination sustainable?) How can we understand stakeholders and their arguments? Introduce assignment 1: Stakeholder analysis Identifying your area of focus |
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Class 2 Thur Apr 4 Reading:
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What were the origins of the sustainability discourse? (Wheeler chapters) What does it mean to be a sustainability professional? (Wiek et al. article) Who are typical stakeholders within communities? (lecture/discussion) Create power maps of stakeholders for your focus issue Planning for Sustainability, Preface, Chapters 1-3 Wiek, Arnim, Lauren Withycombe, Charles L. Redman, and Sarah Banas Mills. 2011. Moving forward: on competence in sustainability research and problem solving. Environment. 53 (2). 3-12. |
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Class 3 Tues Apr 9
Reading: |
How can we identify sustainability strategies? Exercise: Applying sustainability competencies to the Davis Downtown Plan Assignment 1 due: Stakeholder analysis of your area of focus (2 page single-spaced memo to a decision-maker with a 1-page table; upload to Canvas by 10 PM) Planning for Sustainability, Chapters 4-6 |
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Class 4 Thur Apr 11
Reading: |
Introduce Assignment 2: Identifying strategy alternatives for your focus issue What are different ways to exercise leadership in groups? (class exercises) Talk through skills & roles for design charette week Proactively identify opportunities and constraints for the site LaGro, James A., Jr. 2013. Site Analysis: A Contextual Approach to Sustainable Land Planning and Site Design. Third Edition. Hoboken NJ: Wiley. |
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Class 5 Tue April 16
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Design Charette Week: University Mall Site Analysis Site Analysis Walking Tour By Thursday work in teams to develop a site analysis map, goals, and strategies (practice the same sustainability competency skills we used for downtown Davis) |
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Class 6 Thu April 18 |
Design Charette Week: University Mall Redesign Site Design and Presentation |
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Class 7 Tue April 2
Reading: |
Lecture (Yasmina): International Examples of Sustainability Planning How do we work constructively as professionals in local communities? Introduce Assignment 3 and Village Homes Assignment 2 due: Strategic alternatives in your area of focus (2 page single-spaced written analysis with 1 page tabular summary of alternatives; upload to Canvas by 10 AM) Wheeler, Stephen & Christina Rosan. 2020. Chapter 11 “How can we have more effective local democracy?” and Chapter 12 “How can planners, designers, and other professionals play a leading role?” from Radical Questions about Sustainable Cities |
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Class 8 Thur April 25 Reading: |
Guest Speakers from Village Homes Site Analysis (walking tour around VH) Corbett, Michael and Judy. Learning from Village Homes, Chapter 2 |
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Class 9 Tues April 30 |
Work Time; desk crits with instructor or TA Have initial concept ready for review |
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Class 10 Thur May 2 |
Work time/Group check-ins with Instructor and TA Present draft concepts on trace in groups |
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Class 11 Tues May 7
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Guest Lecture: Marc Roberts, City Manager, City of Livermore CA Work time/Group check-ins with Instructor and TA
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Class 12 Thur May 9 |
Work Time Assignment 3 designs due Friday May 10 5 PM in 142 Hunt & online to Canvas |
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Class 13 Tues May 14 |
Introduce Assignment 4: Analysis of Small-Scale Village Homes Site |
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Class 14 Thur May 16 |
Work Time 3:30: Visit to LEED Platinum Building, 4th and C Streets, downtown Davis |
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Class 15 Tues May 21 |
Work Time |
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Class 16 Thur May 23 |
Review of Site Analysis Work Time |
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Class 17 Tues May 28 |
Work Time |
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Class 18 Thur May 30 |
Pin-Up Review of Draft Designs in Class (have a full-sized 24”x36” design proposal on tracing paper ready to review, with title, labels, colors, legend, north arrow, etc.) |
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Class 19 Tues June 4 Wed June 5 |
Work Period Final Design Proposal due 5 PM in Studio and on Canvas**** |
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Class 20 Thurs Jun 6
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Sustainability Literacy Practice Test #2 + Exam Review
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Mon June 10 1PM
Tues June 11 |
FINAL EXAM
Attend Village Homes board meeting 6:30-8:30 PM at the Community Center & present final design proposals. |
Course Summary:
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