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Sustainability and environmental illiteracy is still common in architectural curricula. This may lead to further generations of architects who are unequipped for global sustainability goals. This paper discusses a living lab teaching experience which investigates the roles of learning by doing and hands-on building experimentation to root an understanding of sustainability in architectural education. The design studio focused on passive, low-cost and energy-efficient approaches suitable for a hot arid climate. The students were asked to design a refugee shelter prototype that is cost- and time-efficient with the least impact on the environment after demolition. The course teaching process also included invited guest speakers, field trips and a practical hands-on workshop for low-tech building techniques – all that can serve as a foundation for designing and building a full-scale physical model of their refugee shelter proposal. Thermal comfort and energy consumption for the design proposal was evaluated by simulation, and the physical implementation was evaluated by field monitoring. This paper outlines the design studio pedagogical experimental process and the resulting students’ projects. It will also show the various skills the students had acquired and present how this type of pedagogy could be viewed as a pilot model for green architecture education.

Various natural and man-made disasters force the affected population to flee from their homes to other safe places. Providing these affected people with quick and cost-efficient shelters is always a challenge. Recently, issues regarding the supply of energy to refugee camps have been a main concern given the crises of displaced populations and the problem of how to supply energy to the camps. This study has the purpose of discussing the design of an eco-cycle refugee emergency shelter with the aim to reach a six ‘Z’ target (i.e. ‘6Zs’), meaning zero emissions, zero energy, zero waste, zero cost, zero indoor air pollutants and zero impact on the environment after the shelter demolition. The key idea of this eco-cycle shelter is to reach a net 6Zs during all stages: material extraction, building construction, operation and maintenance until the shelter’s end of life, which depends on plant-based raw materials are brought in from the surrounding area to the building site. The study will discuss the design concepts involved and draw conclusions on the feasibility of achieving the 6Zs target through the modelling and simulation of the shelter’s energy consumption, thermal performance and net carbon emissions. The beneficiaries of this project include not only refugees but also the majority of the world’s urban poor. The shelter is designed for the cold Swedish climate, but the method can be adjusted to other climates or geographical contexts.

Sustainability and environmental illiteracy is still common in architectural curricula. This may lead to further generations of architects who are unequipped for global sustainability goals. This paper discusses a living lab teaching experience which investigates the roles of learning by doing and hands-on building experimentation to root an understanding of sustainability in architectural education. The design studio focused on passive, low-cost and energy-efficient approaches suitable for a hot arid climate. The students were asked to design a refugee shelter prototype that is cost- and time-efficient with the least impact on the environment after demolition. The course teaching process also included invited guest speakers, field trips and a practical hands-on workshop for low-tech building techniques – all that can serve as a foundation for designing and building a full-scale physical model of their refugee shelter proposal. Thermal comfort and energy consumption for the design proposal was evaluated by simulation, and the physical implementation was evaluated by field monitoring. This paper outlines the design studio pedagogical experimental process and the resulting students’ projects. It will also show the various skills the students had acquired and present how this type of pedagogy could be viewed as a pilot model for green architecture education.

Various natural and man-made disasters force the affected population to flee from their homes to other safe places. Providing these affected people with quick and cost-efficient shelters is always a challenge. Recently, issues regarding the supply of energy to refugee camps have been a main concern given the crises of displaced populations and the problem of how to supply energy to the camps. This study has the purpose of discussing the design of an eco-cycle refugee emergency shelter with the aim to reach a six ‘Z’ target (i.e. ‘6Zs’), meaning zero emissions, zero energy, zero waste, zero cost, zero indoor air pollutants and zero impact on the environment after the shelter demolition. The key idea of this eco-cycle shelter is to reach a net 6Zs during all stages: material extraction, building construction, operation and maintenance until the shelter’s end of life, which depends on plant-based raw materials are brought in from the surrounding area to the building site. The study will discuss the design concepts involved and draw conclusions on the feasibility of achieving the 6Zs target through the modelling and simulation of the shelter’s energy consumption, thermal performance and net carbon emissions. The beneficiaries of this project include not only refugees but also the majority of the world’s urban poor. The shelter is designed for the cold Swedish climate, but the method can be adjusted to other climates or geographical contexts.