Revised 05/2026
BLD 200 - Sustainable Construction (2 CR.)
Course Description
Teaches students the specialized construction management best practices that must be utilized when managing a sustainable project. Course will include industry standards for green construction as identified by popular building rating systems. Lecture 2 hours per week.
General Course Purpose
To prepare students for the special role those construction professionals must play in constructing ecologically sustainable projects.
Course Objectives
Upon completing the course, the student will be able to:
- Recognize and articulate the importance of the role of the construction management professional in the construction of a sustainable project.
- Appreciate and communicate the importance of a collaborative team effort between owner, developers, architects, engineers, constructors, and consultants and identify the role that each member of the team performs.
- Compare and contrast green building technologies and innovations.
- Identify the techniques available for minimizing the environmental impacts caused by construction activity. Contrast with the current more commonly practiced techniques. Identify field best practices.
- Identify key construction management related components of building rating systems (LEED, Green Globes and other international systems).
- Ascertain and demonstrate the best way to meet the construction related requirements of the building rating systems.
- Utilize green building resources and references.
- Identify building products which are produced, delivered and installed while producing the smallest carbon footprint.
- Identify recyclable building products and the importance of their embodied energy.
- Forecast and analyze typical cost and schedule impacts encountered while managing sustainable projects
- Demonstrate ethical decision making with regard to sustainable construction practices.
- Develop and present a comprehensive construction management plan for implementation on a project utilizing a building rating system.
Major Topics to Be Included
- Sustainable project roles and responsibilities
- Review of sustainable principles
- Construction activity impact on the environment
- Building Rating Systems: What are they? Why are they implemented?
- Building Rating Systems: Their relation to the construction management professional
- Building Rating Systems: Field decisions and their impact to the owner
- Potential for cost and schedule impacts
- Case studies of existing facilities
Optional Topics
- A field trip to a local site