Building a healthy home course

Australian College of Environmental Studies Courses

Building a Healthy Home | Course

As the fossil fuel crisis continues, there is a demand to create energy efficient and sustainable buildings. However sealing a building and making it more air tight should not come at the cost of one's health. This course will teach you how to assess building materials according to their life cycle analysis and embodied energy from the 'cradle to the grave'. Using the building biology rating scale, you will be able to assess a building materials impact on health. You will also examine the building biology principles that underpin sustainable building design with a focus on suitable designs for temperate, hot humid and arid climates commonly found in Australia. Site selection, evaluation of microclimate and the importance of establishing a relationship between the building and local environment is highlighted. The various ways in which passive solar design and enery efficiency can be incorporated into the design will be evaluated. Alternative building designs including mud brick and strawbale will be introduced. This course is ideal for those who are looking to build their own home or for builders and architects who want to learn the principles that underpin a healthy home. Please note this course does not teach you how to draw architectural plans. Upon successful completion of this course, students will receive a certificate.

There are two subjects in the course: Building Materials and Building Design. Each subject is 14 weeks in duration and can be done at the Melbourne campus OR via correspondence. Expect around 1 day per week over 14 weeks of homework time. Total cost is $1300 which includes comprehensive manuals, DVDs of the lectures and access to a tutor for the 14 weeks duration.

Click HERE for the latest timetable. Click HERE for venues for classes.

Subjects	Subject Costs	Pre-requisites	Correspondence Available
Building Materials	$650	No	Yes
Building Design	$650	Yes	(August 2009)
Fee Structure
On-campus students (Melbourne) need to send a $100 non-refundable deposit along with a completed enrolment form in order to guarantee your place in a subject. Enrolments close 1 week before the subject begins or when the class is full (whichever comes first). The remaining payment of $550 is required before the subject begins. Students who pay for a subject in full, may receive the manual and DVDs prior to the start of the subject. Click HERE for the latest timetable. Click HERE for venue. Correspondence students need to send $650 per subject they wish to enrol in along with the completed enrolment form in order to receive the course information pack containing the manual, DVDs of the lectures, contact details of your lecturer, student learning guide, student handbook. Whilst you may enrol in a correspondence subject at any time during the year, it must be completed within 14 weeks from the date of enrolment.