Email: blehrman@csupomona.edu
Office: 7-101C
Office Hours: Monday 12pm-2pm, Tuesday 10am-12pm, & by appointment
We  shall  require  a  substantially  new  manner  of  thinking  if  mankind  is  to  survive.
–  Albert  Einstein
The  ruins  of  the  unsustainable  are  the  21st  century's  frontier.     –  Bruce  Sterling
The  global  effort  for  sustainability  will  be  won  or  lost  in  the  world’s  cities  where  urban   design  may  influence  over  70%  of  people’s  ecological  footprint.  –  Wackernagel  et  al,
2006
Ecosystem  Services   (ES)  (sometimes  called  environmental   services)   are  defined  as  the  direct  and  indirect  economics   benefits  humans’  gain  from  natural  processes.    The
Sustainable  Sites  Initiative’s  (2009)  landscape   performance  metrics  are  based  on  ecosystem  services,   while  Living  Building  Challenge  implicitly  uses  the  concept.
However,  there  are  limited  design  tools  for  modeling   ecosystem  services  to  predict  their  performance  to  enable   optimization  during  the  design  process.
This  seminar  will  explore  translating  the  science  and   theories  behind  ecosystem  services  valuation  into  tools   available  to  designers  to  model  landscape/urban
Millennium Ecosystem Assessment,
2005 performance.    Students  will  research  performance  metrics,  explore  modeling  procedures  to   further  predict  the  performance  of  a  design,  and  develop  details  and  assemblies  to  integrate   these  ecosystem  services  into  the  built  environment.
Integrating  ecosystem  services  into  the  built  environment  requires  a  holistic  understanding  of   natural  systems,  economics,  and  sustainability  science,  in  addition  to  traditional  architecture   and  landscape  architect  design  skills.    LA499  will  focus  on  the  practices  and  methods  of   combining  ecosystem  services  into  building  envelopes  and  urban  landscapes.    Current  practices   and  examples  of  this  integration  include:   green  (rainwater)  infrastructure,  green  roofs/walls,   and  urban  agriculture .    These  are  all  included  under  the  umbrella  of  integrated  ecosystem   services,  but  there  are  many  other  services  and  systems  that  haven’t  be  considered  yet,  that  you   may  uncover.
Version January 6, 12
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LA499 Integrated Ecosystem Services Winter 2012 Lehrman
Course Focus and Objectives
The  primary  goal  of  this  course  is  to  develop  methods   to  analyze  and  optimize  the  built  environments  in   order  to  move  toward  the  next  generation  of  net   zero-­‐energy,  net  zero-­‐emissions,  and  positive   regenerative  design.    There  are  limited  tools  that  can   assist  landscape  architects  and  urban  designers  in   realizing  these  goal  (architects  have  lots  of  tools  for   building  performance  modeling),  and  the  tools  that   specifically  focus  on  ecosystem  services  are  very   general  and  of  little  use  for  modeling  performance  at   the  site  scale.    Creating   designer-­‐friendly  tools  is  the   long-­‐term  research  goal  of  the  instructor;  this  course   is  aiding  this  agenda  and  providing  you  with  skills  to   further  your  own  pursuit  of  sustainable  design.
Image: soilcarboncoalition.org/manifesto
The  course  will  explore  these  fundamental  questions  related  to  modeling  landscapes  and   buildings  to  improve  performance  of  the  built  environment.    Fundamental  questions  for  this   endeavor  and  the  basis  for  organizing  the  course  are:   a)  What  are  the  performance  criteria  and  metrics  that  can  be  assessed  relating  to   environmental  and  ecological  performance?   b)  What  are  the  tools  and  methods  for  assessing  the  performance  of  ecosystem  services   and  how  can  we  best  use  them  to  inform  the  design  process  at  the  site  scale?   c)  What  are  the  assemblies,  materials,  and  strategies  to  best  integrate  ecosystem   services  into  the  built  environment?
Ecosystem services by habitat, Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, 2005
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LA499 Integrated Ecosystem Services Winter 2012 Lehrman
There  are  three  sections  to  the  class,  each  with  a  specific  project/lab:  Metrics,  Modeling,  and
Integration.    It  is  intended  that  you  build  on  your  personal  interests  and  other  concurrent   courses  to  guild  your  exploration  and  work  for  each  of  these  projects.    If  you  are  not  involved  in   any  design  projects  this  quarter,  then  the  Cal  Poly  campus  can  serve  as  your  site.
Lecture  topics  and  in-­‐class  activities  may  be  updated  during  the  semester.    All  readings  will  be   listed  on  BlackBoard.
Week  Date     In-­‐Class  Activity
1.
Jan  6   Intro  <>  ES  Intro  Lecture  <>  Research  Methods   assignments  due
2.
Jan  13   Baseline  Lecture  <>  Concept  Mapping  Exercise
3.
Jan  20   Urban  Systems  Lecture     Lit  Review
4.
Jan  27   Lab  II  Modeling  Lecture  <>  Task  1
5.
Feb  3   Optimization  Tools  Lecture  <>  Task  2
6.
Feb  10   Optimization  Workshop  <>  Task  4
7.
Feb  17   Interoperability  Workshop  <>  Task  5
Lab  I  Report
8.
Feb  24   Lab  III  Synthesis  Workshop
9.
Mar  2   ES  Construction  Workshop
10.
Mar  9   Final  Presentations  (Grads)
11.
Mar  16   [finals  week]
Lab  II  Report
Lab  III  Report  &  Final  report  (grads)
The  following  may  be  adjusted  to  reflect  changes  in  the  course  content  and  schedule  (note:     ug  =  undergrad  points,  g  =  graduate  points).
In-­‐class  writing  activities  (pass/fail)   10  points
Lab  I
Lab  II
Lab  III
ES  Metrics
Tool  Assessment
Integration  Workshop
Final  IES  report  (grad  student  only)
30  points
30  points
20  points
10  points
TOTAL   100  points  undergrads
110  points  graduates
In-class writing activities (pass/fail)
Through  out  the  quarter,  there  will  be  6  in-­‐class  writing  exercises  that  provide  the  opportunity   to  reflect  about  the  assigned  readings,  the  projects,  or  lectures.    You  will  get  credit  for   completing  and  turning  each  one  in.    In-­‐class  assignments  will  be  turned  in  that  day,  on-­‐line
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LA499 Integrated Ecosystem Services Winter 2012 Lehrman activities  need  to  be  completed  by  the  last  day  of  the  quarter.    Five  out  of  the  six  activities  must   be  completed  to  receive  the  10  points;  each  activity  is  worth  2  points,  graded  pass/fail.
Labs
Ecosystem  Services  can’t  be  viewed  in  isolation.    Through  a  series  of  three  lab  exercises  and   written  reports,  we  will  identify  linkages,  synergies,  feedback  loops,  and  tipping  points  in  the   landscape  and  urban  systems;  then  find  ways  to  simulate  the  specific  aspects  of  site   performance;  and  develop  details/assemblies  to  enhance  the  ecosystem  services  for  the  site.
The  labs  will  be  a  mix  of  individual  and  group  work.    Team  assignments  will  be  graded  Pass/Fail
There  is  a  possibility  that  your  team  cannot  ‘solve’  the  problem  adequately  within  the  time   allowed  –  this  does  not  equal  failure  if  you  fully  document  the  unknown  quantities/qualities,   and  identify  the  gaps  in  knowledge  required  to  successfully  solve  the  work.    A  lab  report  will  be   written  up  for  each  exercise  –  see  the  specific  instructions  accompanying  each  lab.
Readings
There  are  no  textbooks  to  purchase  for  this  course.    All  readings  will  be  journal  articles  and   reports  accessible  through  the  Internet  or  provided  by  the  instructor.    Weekly  readings   assignments  will  be  listed  on  Blackboard.    These  reading  must  be  completed  prior  to  class  that   week.    These  readings  will  be  the  basis  for  the  group  discussion,  in-­‐class  activities,  and  can  be   used  as  references  for  your  lab  reports.    All  readings  will  be  listed  on  Blackboard.
This  course  is  experimental  and  a  pilot  effort  –  so  there  is  a  risk  of  not  finding  adequate  methods   and  research  to  back-­‐up  your  intended  metrics.    This  is  not  considered  failure  if  you  have   rigorously  exhaust  research  methods  and  sources  –  if  this  happens  to  you,  congratulations  for   identifying  a  knowledge  gap  and  area  in  need  of  research!    Your  grade  will  reflect  the  effort  and   quality  of  your  work  regardless  of  research  outcomes.
The  instructor  will  apply  the  following  criteria  in  determining  the  final  course  grade  (with   pluses/minuses),  and  might  be  rounded  up  (but  not  down):
A:     90-­‐100     Outstanding  achievement  that  greatly  exceeds  all  course  requirements,  and   demonstrates  leadership  and  altruism.
B:     80-­‐89.9     Exceeds  course  requirements  on  most  course  requirements.
C:     70-­‐79.9     Meets,  but  does  not  exceed,  all  course  requirements.
D:     60-­‐69.9     Failure  to  meet  all  course  requirements  but  still  worthy  of  credit.
F:     <59.9     Failure  to  earn  credit  for  the  course  because  of  excessive  absences/incomplete   assignments  without  an  agreement  with  the  instructor  to  be  awarded  an  Incomplete,  or  poor   academic  performance,  or  academic  misconduct.
All  projects  MUST  be  completed  in  full  and  documentation  consisting  of  PDFs  must  be  submitted   by  the  specific  deadlines  receive  a  passing  grade.
•
Late  assignments  and/or  missing  a  presentation  will  cause  you  to  loose  a  complete   letter  grade  per  week  late  except  when  you  have  a  pre-­‐approved  excused  absence.
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LA499 Integrated Ecosystem Services Winter 2012 Lehrman
•
Citations  are  required  ANYTIME  you  utilize  content  created  by  somebody  else.    If  you   don’t  provide  this  information,  you  may  FAIL  the  project  or  course  on  the  grounds  of   academic  misconduct.
Additionally,  your  participation  and  engagement  in  the  group  discussions,  altruism  to   classmates,  contribution  to  other  blackboard  discussion  threads  (beyond  the  mandatory  reading   forum),  wikis,  and  other  activities,  will  be  factored  into  your  final  grades.
www.wri.org/publication/ecosystem-­‐services-­‐review-­‐for-­‐impact-­‐assessment#download
The  LA499  BlackBoard  website  is  an  extension  of  our  classroom.    A  range  of  materials  will  be   available  via  BlackBoard  to  enrich  and  support  the  learning  experience.    These  resources  include   the  readings,  tools,  the  class  wiki,  and  more.    You  can  access  Blackboard  by  going  to  the  CSU   homepage,  clicking  on  the  blackboard  link  (top  right)  and  the  ‘courses’  tab  to  find  the  link  to  the   class.    BlackBoard  is  an  extension  of  the  classroom,  proper  etiquette  and  academic  decorum  on   is  required  -­‐  violations  of  this  rule  may  result  in  severe  academic  consequences.
•
I  will  plan  and  communicate  the  framework  of  the  course  to  achieve  the  stated  learning   outcomes  in  this  syllabus.    However  throughout  the  semester,  I  may  alter  the  specifics   of  the  course  as  needed  to  meet  the  learning  objectives/and  individual  needs  of  the   students.    I  will  be  flexible  and  open  to  your  ideas  on  the  course  content  and  structure.
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LA499 Integrated Ecosystem Services Winter 2012 Lehrman
•
I  will  bring  my  expertise  into  the  classroom.    I  will  also  invite  guest  speakers  and   students  to  share  their  expertise  on  course  related  topics.
•
I  will  be  available  to  discuss  the  course  material  with  you  via  email,  or  in  person.    I  am   committed  to  helping  you  learn  the  course  material.
•
I  will  treat  you  with  respect.
Note:    your  research  and  projects  from  this  course  are  likely  to  be  used  by  the  instructor  in  future   research  and  publications.    Whenever  you  work  is  used  in  part  or  as  the  basis  of  future  work,  you   will  be  fully  attributed.    If  possible,  you  may  be  invited  to  be  a  co-­‐author,  but  this  depends  on  the   nature  of  the  publication  and  quantity/quality  of  your  contribution.    Please  provide  the  instructor   in  writing  if:  1)  you  don’t  want  your  work  to  be  published  in  any  manner,  2)  you  don’t  want  your   name  associated  with  your  work,  or  3)  you  are  interested  in  pursuing  publications  in   collaboration  with  the  instructor  once  the  class  is  completed.
The  instructor  has  other  teaching  and  professional  obligations  that  may  result  in  changes  to  the   course  schedule  –  any  changes  will  be  shared  at  the  earliest  possible  moment  on  Blackboard.
Here  is  what  we  expect  from  you:
•
You  will  actively  participate  in  the  class,  which  means  attending  every  class,  listening,   and  participating  in  class  discussions  and  activities.
•
You  will  take  this  class  seriously  and  devote  sufficient  effort  into  learning  the  course   materials.
•
You  will  treat  your  fellow  students,  the  instructor,  and  our  guests  with  respect.
•
You  will  let  the  instructors  know  about  any  difficulties  or  concerns  you  are  having  with   the  course  as  soon  as  they  are  apparent.  If  you  wait  until  the  last  day  to  voice  any  issues,   we  will  not  be  able  to  address  them.
•
You  will  maintain  backups  of  all  digital  files  and  assignments  in  progress.  Losing  all  your   work  because  of  a  hardware  crash  is  easily  avoidable  and  will  not  result  in  extensions  of   deadlines.    The  instructor  can  advise  on  methods  and  means  for  backing  up  your  work.
All  University  regulations  and  rules  will  be  followed  in  how  this  course  is  taught  and  in  the   manner  in  which  students  take  it.
Academic Misconduct
All  University  standards  on  unethical  behavior  apply.    Please  refer  to  the  University  catalog   statement  on  plagiarism  and  acceptable  student  behavior  for  clarification.    Misconduct  of  any   kind  will  not  be  tolerated.    Do  not  cut  and  paste  files  or  any  portion  of  a  drawing  that  you  did   not  personally  draft,  draw,  solve  or  otherwise  produce  and  claim  authorship.    If  in  doubt,  cite   your  source  material.    Penalties  may  range  from  a  zero  on  the  assignment,  to  academic  sanction   and  debarment.    Do  your  own  work.  Your  education  is  your  responsibility  so  take  initiative.
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LA499 Integrated Ecosystem Services Winter 2012 Lehrman
E-Mail is the Official Method of Communication
The  university  has  established  E-­‐Mail  as  an  official  method  of  communication  to  students.
Students  will  be  notified  of  important  dates,  deadlines,  requirements,  processes,  services  and   programs  via  e-­‐  mail  to  their  Cal  Poly  Pomona  e-­‐mail  account.    Students  are  responsible  for  all   communications  sent  to  their  e-­‐mail  account  and  to  stay  current  and  informed  with  the  up-­‐to-­‐ date  information  provided.    Because  some  of  the  information  is  time-­‐sensitive,  the  university   strongly  recommends  that  students  check  their  e-­‐mail  accounts  daily.
NOTE:  do  no  use  the  Blackboard  messaging  tool  to  contact  the  instructor  (this  will  only  be   checked  occasionally  during  the  quarter)  –  instead  use  regular  email  if  you  need  a  rapid   response.
Missed Class(es)
As  a  general  rule,  a  student  missing  a  class  or  laboratory  assignment  because  of  observance  of  a   religious  holiday  shall  have  the  opportunity  to  make  up  missed  work.    Students  must  notify  the   instructor  of  anticipated  absences  by  the  last  day  of  late  registration  to  be  assured  of  this   opportunity.    Faculty  may  give  students  an  additional  week,  but  are  encouraged  to  set  a  clear   deadline.
NOTE:  Students  who  represent  the  university  at  any  official  extracurricular  activity  shall  also   have  the  opportunity  to  make  up  assignments,  but  the  student  must  provide  official  written   notification  to  the  instructor  no  less  than  one  week  prior  to  the  missed  class(es).
This  policy  shall  not  apply  in  the  event  that  completing  the  assignment  or  administering  the   examination  at  an  alternate  time  would  impose  an  undue  hardship  on  the  instructor  or  the   university  that  could  reasonably  have  been  avoided.    There  should  be  good  faith  effort  by  both   faculty  and  student  to  come  to  a  reasonable  resolution.    When  disagreements  regarding  this   policy  do  arise,  they  can  be  appealed  to  the  department  chair/unit  director  or  college/school   dean.
For  purposes  of  definition,  extracurricular  activities  may  include,  but  are  not  limited  to;  band,   drama,  intercollegiate  athletics,  recruitment,  and  any  other  activity  sanctioned  by  a   college/school  dean,  and/or  the  Executive  Vice  President  and  Provost.
Accumulating  2  or  more  unexcused  absence  will  drop  your  final  grade  by  10  points.    4  or  more   missed  classes  will  be  grounds  for  failing  the  course.
Disability Resources
Cal  Poly  complies  with  the  provisions  set  forth  in  Section  504  of  the  Rehabilitation  Act  of  1973   and  the  Americans  with  Disabilities  Act  of  1990,  offering  reasonable  accommodations  to   qualified  students  with  documented  disabilities.    If  you  have  a  documented  disability  that  may   require  accommodations,  you  will  need  to  arrange  the  coordination  of  services.
Accommodation  begins  when  the  instructor  receives  copies  of  your  paperwork.    Consideration   cannot  be  provided  prior  to  receipt  of  official  documentation.
Mental Health
The  instructor  takes  your  wellbeing  very  seriously.    There  is  a  range  of  mental  health  services   available  on  campus  and  in  the  community  –  the  instructor  can  help  you  get  appropriate   assistance  and  help.
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LA499 Integrated Ecosystem Services Winter 2012 Lehrman
Class Environment
The  overall  class  environment  is  the  responsibility  of  all  the  students.    The  classroom  must  be   kept  clean  and  it  is  the  responsibility  of  students  to  clean  up  their  individual  workspaces  and  any   group  or  shared  spaces  used  by  the  class.    In  the  event  of  malfunctioning  items,  such  as  burned-­‐ out  lights  or  broken  locks,  report  the  problem  to  the  studio  instructor  as  soon  as  possible  to   insure  prompt  repairs.
Documentation of Course Work for Accreditation
Students  must  provide  digital  copies  of  all  course  work  to  the  instructor  for  accreditation   purposes.      This  includes  copies  of  all  presented  designs  and  technical  work;  work  submitted  via
Blackboard  does  not  need  to  be  re-­‐submitted.    Please  provide  your  work  to  your  instructor  on  a   single  CD-­‐ROM  or  DVD  at  the  end  of  the  quarter.    Your  name,  the  class  name,  instructor,  and   date  should  be  clearly  displayed  on  the  selected  media.    Student  work  should  be  provided  in  a   jpg,  tiff  or  PDF  format  that  allows  the  reviewer  to  easily  access  individual  documents.    Please  do   not  submit  CAD  drawings  in  .dwg  or  similar  format.    Convert  these  files  to  PDF  format  with  all   the  necessary  layers  and  information  displayed.    Label  digital  files  with  your  name,  the  class  and   year,  and  the  assignment.    Do  not  provide  supplemental  information  such  as  random  images  or   preliminary  versions  of  a  final  project:    only  provide  the  final  papers/project  files/presentations,   etc.  for  a  given  class.    All  images  should  be  able  to  be  enlarged  without  becoming  pixilated  or   losing  quality  when  projected  onto  a  wall  screen.
Additionally,  the  instructor  may  request  hardcopies  of  work  that  were  presented  for   accreditation.  If  you  want  these  drawings/models  returned  after  the  next  accreditation  visit
(winter  2013),  please  clearly  label  your  work  with  permanent  contact  information  and  a  note   asking  for  their  return  –  a  reasonable  effort  will  be  made  to  return  your  work.
Conserving Resources
We  will  make  every  attempt  effort  to  conserve  resources  in  the  teaching  of  LA499.    This  is  a   class  about  sustainability,  so  walking-­‐the-­‐walk  is  important.
LA499  will  be  a  paperless  course  to  the  greatest  extent  possible.    Please  do  not  make   unnecessary  prints  of  assignments  or  readings.    There  will  be  no  printed  handouts  provided  in   class  –  all  materials  will  be  provided  digitally.
Ask Questions!
Please  feel  free  to  ask  questions  during  a  lecture  if  you  don’t  understand  anything  –  this  can   only  enhance  the  learning  of  everybody!
Emails  to  the  instructor  will  typically  be  responded  to   within  24  hours  during  the  school  week .
Reply  to  emails  over  weekends,  while  the  instructor  is  traveling  (to  be  announced),  or  holidays   will  usually  be  responded  to  on  the  next  school  day.
-­‐End  of  the  Syllabus-­‐
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