Building Performance and Environmental Design

The Bachelor of Science in Building Performance and Environmental Design is designed to empower the next generation of professionals with the expertise needed to create environmentally and socially responsible built environments. This program fosters critical thinking, creativity, and a commitment to sustainable practices, preparing students for meaningful contributions to the future of our planet as sustainability specialists. Building off the standards set by the US Green Building Council and their LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification program, a sustainability specialist evaluates the building project's goals and challenges then advises on the sustainability path that makes sense for the client and the building itself. This specialist will consider the client's goals, cost savings, energy efficiency, and human health in the overall consideration of the building. This professional advises the architects, environmental engineers, interior designers, building officials, and general contractors to ensure the building's performance and design meet or exceed federal, state, and local guidelines. A sustainability specialist will perform building analytics and/or design, benchmarking, life-cycle cost analysis, construction detailing, maintenance and operation optimization, renovation and even through demolition. All projects will utilize building information modeling software (BIM). Due to the complex network of climate legislation affecting building codes this specialist needs an advanced degree, Bachelor of Science.  

At launch, a cohort of 24 will move through annually.

Once the team is established a baseline in staffing, curriculum, and administrative demands. This projection can double. 

The Building Performance and Environmental Design (B.P.E.D.) team did extensive outreach both regionally and nationally. Regionally, we have attached letters of support from the architecture, planning, and construction community. Our regional workforce is excited to have the opportunity to bring on a specialist. One that will assist them in achieving the climate action plan set forth by local, state, and federal leaders. We've also received letters of support from our leading industry organizations such as the American Institute of Architects, San Diego. (A.I.A.S.D). The team went one step further and reached out to our local municipality, the City of San Marcos, and they too have supported our academic endeavor. Nationally, we contacted organizations such as Project Drawdown and the Coalition of Community College Architectural Programs (C.C.C.A.P.). Both organizations have wholeheartedly supported our program.

Lastly, we reached out to our academic partners. We received support from our neighboring colleges, Mira Costa College and ELAC, that would like to build articulation agreements. Additionally, Our local universities, NewSchool of Architecture and the University of California San Diego, would like to continue the collaborative nature of our institutions. And again nationally. University of Florda, would like to build a bridge for our students to achieve advanced degrees at their institutions.

One letter of endorsement stands out above the rest. It’s the team from College of the Canyons. They have completed an application for a baccalaureate program and have been recently approved for a similar degree. Their building performance program we'll serve the Los Angeles County area. Their approval and support highlight the needs of these degrees, regionally. Once our program is approved, we can collaborate with their institution. Southern California could become a prime example of regional cooperation in higher education. The demands we'll be asking from our built environment will be numerous and play a key role in solving this climate emergency.

The Bachelor of Science in Sustainability in the Built Environment is designed to empower the next generation of professionals with the expertise needed to create environmentally and socially responsible built environments. This program fosters critical thinking, creativity, and a commitment to sustainable practices, preparing students for meaningful contributions to the future of our planet.   A sustainability specialist evaluates the building project's goals and challenges then advises on the sustainability path that makes sense for the client and the building itself. This specialist will consider the client's goals, cost savings, energy efficiency, and human health in the overall consideration of the building. This professional advises the architect, environmental engineers, interior designers, building officials, and general contractors to ensure the building's performance and design meet or exceed federal, state, and local guidelines. A sustainability specialist will perform building analytics and/or design, benchmarking, life-cycle cost analysis, construction detailing, maintenance and operation optimization, renovation and even through demolition. All projects will utilize building information modeling software, B.I.M.