New Degree Blends Green Construction Practices and Design

The International Academy of Design & Technology in Detroit has announced a new bachelor's degree program in Construction Management & Design (CMD). A Reuters wire story reports that the school has tapped three academic departments to assemble this course of study that is designed to produce professionals with skills that match the trends in the construction and design industries.

The foundation of the program is built on that of a project management degree, an academic discipline that is based on incorporating assorted parts into an integrated whole - delivered on time and on budget. The notion of incorporating sustainability principles or "green" construction methods comes from the architectural and design functions. The program administrator noted that finally it makes good sense financially to build an environmentally responsible structure.

"The economy and the environment are dual factors in the rapid growth of green
construction," says Barbara Marini, CMD Program Chair. "The new CMD degree
takes a holistic approach to bridging the gap between architecture, construction and design with the goal of preparing students to take on challenging roles."

Included in the curriculum are courses on interior construction, community planning and the concepts behind "green" building systems. There is also a field work component to the academic program that will put students into contact with professionals that are working in the field today. The CMD draws from the academic core courses found in interior design degree programs and from the basics that underlie architectural design.

There is also an important technological component to the CMD that is similar to the skills related to a drafting degree. Ms. Marini commented that, "Construction is so much more than a shell??It's aesthetic and it's functional. With the help of technology and 3D modeling, students will see their ideas and work come to life just as they would outside the classroom."

Also according to Academy staff, the green construction market is expected to double in size by 2013, to an industry worth $96 - $140 billion per year. The CMD degree is targeted at that rapidly growing market, designed to produce professionals that can manage these projects with a sense of the integrated goals currently redefining design-and-build projects. The CMD is a three year degree that will require full time attendance at fifteen consecutive terms.