Econ & Ethics of Sust Design

PUDM 2101 | Fall 2011 | Faculty: David Bergman, Denise Ramzy, Melinda Wax

There is no issue more central to design today than how to create products, services, environments and businesses that are sustainable. This course introduces students to the multiple meanings of sustainability for those in design and in business, including but not limited to environmental stewardship, organizational, economical, and technological sustainability. Students will consider the pressure that globalization exerts on these multiple sustainabilities, and understand what kinds of structures, standards and (self-) regulations designers and industries use to monitor and define them. Students read texts on the cultural, technological, and business issues involved in sustaining growth and innovation, and will also explore the economic and ecological implications of environmentally responsible design.