Workshops for professionals as basis for students' workshops for sustainable design

The growing complexity due to the increased demand for more sustainability in (Dutch) building practice necessitates developments in other aspects, besides specialized and professional skills. Therefore a new integral approach in building design education has been developed in close cooperation with building design practice. In 2005, the Faculty of Architecture, Building and Planning of the TU/e commenced a multidisciplinary master project ‘Integral Design’ focused on a sustainable building design. In these projects students of architecture, building technology, structural engineering and building services participate. The students begin with a two days learning-by-practice workshop which was developed and tested in practice with collaboration of Royal Institute of Dutch Architects (BNA) and the Dutch Association of Consulting Engineers (ONRI). This is one of the few educational projects in which the experience from practice is transferred directly into the educational academic program; normally this is done the other way around. The theoretical basis of the combined education of students and professionals is discussed and results of comparing students and professionals are presented. Quite remarkable is that these workshops by themselves became part of the permanent professional educational program of the BNA.