About IDBE
Study Themes
The residential weeks focus on issues of contemporary and emerging concern in the built environment. Current themes include:
Interdisciplinary understanding
Whose project is it anyway? The development of the separate professions and sibling rivalry. The rise of new specialisms and integration of IT. Integrated project working. Multi-disciplinary teams and professional services.
The client, the user and the design team
Who is the user? Who is the client? Eliciting user needs and requirements. Flexibility and adaptability. Strategic briefing. The value agenda.
Interdisciplinary teamwork
What is a team? How can the collective energy of its members be harnessed? Team dynamics. Leadership, communication and collaboration. Role of Information Technologies. Trust and professional ethics. Developing a shared vision. Dealing with conflicting criteria.
Sustainable construction
Sustainable materials, construction, communities and development. Resource efficiency. Renewable energy. Climate change, biodiversity, and waste management. Ecological footprinting. Environmental assessment.
Infrastructure and landscape
Engineering and the natural environment. Aesthetics of infrastructure. Strategies of impact avoidance and mitigation.
The structure of the industry
The funding of capital projects. Procurement methods. Economics and risk. The relationship between design and construction. New forms of contract. Integration of the supply team.
Urban design and sustainable communities
Land use for greenfield and brownfield sites. Density, open space, public and private transport. Local and regional policies. Urban quality and planning.