Starting from the concept of ‘building cultures of sustainability’, this section covers the ‘big picture’ as well as looking at the philosophical foundations and principles of ecological design.

We look at the whole system in which we live our lives and how we can affect the world through the specific design decisions we make and implement.

Module 1 explores the following questions:

• What are the historical roots of ecological design thinking and how do permaculture, ecological economics and engineering, industrial ecology and cradle-to-cradle,  environmental restoration and regenerative design contribute to this approach?
• What is the context of crisis and opportunity as we embark on a fundamental redesign of humanity’s impact on Earth? What do we need to know about climate change and tipping points, ecological and carbon footprinting, Earth Overshoot Day and the Happy Planet Index to design with a whole systems perspective in mind?
• How can we co-create decentralised and re-regionalised ecological settlements and cities that are adapted to the unique conditions of their bioregions in ways that help us to move beyond adaptation and mitigation towards regenerative development, to stay below 1.5 degrees of warming?

The link between fossil fuel reserves and war has been a clear pattern for decades, yet equally many violent conflicts and wars have already been fought over the access to water.

Water is a very scarce resource and yet is wasted and contaminated on a gigantic scale.

A seventh of the world’s population is still without access to a safe water supply.

Learning to create more efficient systems to care for the world’s water is critical.

Module 2 asks:

Can we take a whole systems approach to water by mapping our water supply within the context of bioregional watershed management and restoring the hydrological cycles upon which healthy ecosystems functions and thriving communities depend?
What do you need to know about ecological engineering, rainwater harvesting, compost toilets, constructed wetlands and the fundamental processes of biological wastewater treatment – such as anaerobic and aerobic digestion, nitrification and denitrification – in order to make informed design decisions?
Which of the following treatment options are the most appropriate for the specific conditions of a particular project: constructed wetlands, septic tanks, biogas digesters, lagoon or tank-based systems, horizontal or vertical flow reedbeds or community-scale treatment systems?

Healthy local food is one of the best entry points into building sustainable community, whether in a newly built ecovillage or in the transformation of a village or town.

Food invites us to think about our health, our local economy and our relationship with the land.

Since food is a basic need, we need to make sure to design resilient, productive and regenerative food systems as the foundations of thriving communities and regions.

Module 3 addresses the following questions:

What are the essential lessons from permaculture regarding ethics, principles, zoning and learning from nature, that we can combine with regenerative agriculture techniques like holistic land management, keyline ploughing, organic fertilisers, agroecology, analogue forestry and biodynamic farming to drive the redesign or our food systems in a regenerative way?
How can we use fungal mycelia, activated bio-char, Terra Preta and other carbon farming techniques to build healthier soils and respond to the threats of climate change?
What are the tools and techniques needed to create integrative whole system designs for regenerative food systems? These are needed to drive the regeneration of healthy ecosystems functions, soil, waterways and forests while integrating aquaponics, community-supported agriculture and large scale Earth restoration into win-win-win solutions for people and planet.

This module deals with the appropriate technology for the generation and use of energy.

The module also looks at sustainable design of carbon neutral energy systems and explores these technologies as part of a resilience strategy for sustainable communities and ecovillages.

Scaling and scale are important aspects to consider in order to appropriately cater for various types of developments, locations and bioregions.

In Module 4 we address the following questions:

How can we use tools like ecological and carbon footprinting of energy sources and concepts like ‘embodied energy’ or ‘Energy Return on Energy Investment’ (EROEI) to make better choices when it comes to designing or retrofitting regenerable energy systems?
What should we consider when we have to choose between wind power, solar photovoltaics, solar thermal, renewable biomass, hydroelectric, marine wave or current and geothermal energy systems, as well as, efficiency measures to design with local conditions and ecosystems in mind?
How can we ensure that appropriately generated biofuels and/or alternative energy carriers can help us re-design our current transport systems in ways that improve sustainability and reduce their impact?

This module explores the challenges inherent in modern building and construction techniques and explores alternatives that are more energy efficient and less environmentally damaging.

You will learn to discriminate between different building methods, material choices and architectural styles and how to adapt them depending on local and regional conditions.

We also explore how best to retrofit poorly designed structures and improve the patterns of suburban sprawl.

Module 5 invites you to consider the following questions:

How can we create ecologically designed buildings that function like an ecosystem to help regenerate health and wellbeing for their residents and the ecosystems within which they are located?
What is the role of different heating and cooling technologies, bioclimatic building, airtightness and ventilation, green roofs, green walls and choosing local materials in creating a new approach to architecture that helps to heal the planet?
To what extent can whole systems thinking, smart buildings and smart grids, and keeping an eye on the ecological footprints of buildings and utilities, help us to create healthier carbon neutral settlements for one-planet living?