ARCH307-6 Sustainable Design
Syllabus | International University of Sarajevo - Last Update on Oct 10, 2025
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Architecture
Nerma Omićević
Course Lecturer
Course Objectives
This course will critically examine concepts, theories and practices of sustainable design across multiple scales. "Low tech" and "High tech" strategies will be examined, and exellence in architectural design will be explored through a critical analysis of case studies that employed "state of the art" technologies. The goal is to understand how passive and active sustainable design strategies have not only been integrated into the design process but also drive the architectural and urban form.
Learning Outcomes
After successful completion of the course, the student will be able to:
Course Materials
Required Textbook
Kim, J.-J. (1998). Sustainable architecture module: Introduction to sustainable design. University of Michigan.
Additional Literature
Williams, D. E. (2007). Sustainable design: Ecology, architecture, and planning. John Wiley & Sons Hyde, R. (Ed.). (2008). Bioclimatic housing: Innovative designs for warm climates. Earthscan Kibert, C. J. (2013). Sustainable construction: Green building design and delivery (3rd ed.). John Wiley & Sons Bauer, M., Mösle, P., & Schwarz, M. (2009). Green building: Guidebook for sustainable architecture. Springer Bergman, D. (2021). Sustainable design: A critical guide for architects and interior, lighting, and environmental designers (2nd ed.). New York: Wiley Schröpfer, T. (2016). Dense + green: Innovative building types for sustainable urban architecture. Birkhäuser Sayigh, A. (Ed.). (2014). Sustainability, energy and architecture: Case studies in realizing green buildings. ElsevierTeaching Methods
Face-to-face lectures
Project-based learning
Weekly Topics
| Week | Topic | Readings / References |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Introduction of the course. Syllabus overview. Presentation of project program | |
| 2 | Approaches to Sustainable Design Practice | |
| 3 | Strategies and Principles for Sustainable Design Practice: Low energy Techniques | |
| 4 | Renewable Technologies | |
| 5 | Sustainable lightning | |
| 6 | Wind and Rain Harvesting | |
| 7 | Passive Technologies for Sustainability Design Practice | |
| 8 | Active Technologies for Sustainability Design Practice | |
| 9 | Midterm exam | |
| 10 | Dense and Green technologies | |
| 11 | Building envelopes | |
| 12 | Traditional architecture and adaptive response to climate | |
| 13 | Materials in Sustainable design | |
| 14 | Eco-Cities and Zero Energy Development | |
| 15 | RIBA sustainable studies. Students’ project presentation |
Course Schedule (All Sections)
Office Hours & Room
Assessment Methods and Criteria
Assessment Components
Final Exam
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 1 3
Midterm exam
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 1 3
Group project
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 2 4 5 6
Activity/Progress
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 1 2 3 4 5 6
IUS Grading System
| Grading Scale | IUS Grading System | IUS Coeff. | Letter (B&H) | Numerical (B&H) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 - 44 | F | 0 | F | 5 |
| 45 - 54 | E | 1 | ||
| 55 - 64 | C | 2 | E | 6 |
| 65 - 69 | C+ | 2.3 | D | 7 |
| 70 -74 | B- | 2.7 | ||
| 75 - 79 | B | 3 | C | 8 |
| 80 - 84 | B+ | 3.3 | ||
| 85 - 94 | A- | 3.7 | B | 9 |
| 95 - 100 | A | 4 | A | 10 |
Late Work Policy
Information about late submission policies will be shared during class and posted in this section. Please check back for official guidelines.
ECTS Credit Calculation
📚 Student Workload
This 6 ECTS credit course corresponds to 150 hours of total student workload, distributed as follows:
Final exam
3 hours ⏳ (1 week × 3 h)
Midterm exam
3 hours ⏳ (1 week × 3 h)
Lectures
14 hours ⏳ (14 week × 1 h)
Tutorials
26 hours ⏳ (13 week × 2 h)
Students' presentations
2 hours ⏳ (1 week × 2 h)
Home study
98 hours ⏳ (14 week × 7 h)
Final exam study
4 hours ⏳ (1 week × 4 h)
150 Total Workload Hours
6 ECTS Credits
Course Policies
Academic Integrity
All work submitted must be your own. Plagiarism, cheating, or any form of academic dishonesty will result in disciplinary action according to university policies. When in doubt about citation practices, consult the instructor.
Attendance Policy
Students are expected to adhere to the attendance requirements as outlined in the International University of Sarajevo Study Rules and Regulations. Excessive absences, whether excused or unexcused, may impact academic performance and eligibility for assessment. Mandatory sessions (e.g., labs, workshops) require attendance unless formally exempted. For detailed policies on absences, documentation, and penalties, please refer to the official university regulations.
Technology & AI Policy
Laptops/tablets may be used for note-taking only during lectures. Phones should be silenced and put away during all class sessions. Audio/video recording requires prior permission from the instructor.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) Usage: The use of AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT, Copilot, Gemini) varies by assessment component. Please refer to the AI usage indicator next to each assessment item in the Assessment Methods and Criteria section above. Submitting AI-generated content as your own work, where AI is not explicitly allowed, constitutes an academic integrity violation.
Communication Policy
All course-related communication should occur through official university channels (institutional email or SIS). Emails should include [ARCH307-6] in the subject line.
Academic Quality Assurance Policy
Course Academic Quality Assurance is achieved through Semester Student Survey. At the end of each academic year, the institution of higher education is obliged to evaluate work of the academic staff, or the success of realization of the curricula.
Learning Tips
Be prepared to contribute thoughtfully during class discussions, labs, or collaborative work. Active participation deepens understanding and encourages critical thinking.
Complete assigned readings or prep materials before class. Take notes, highlight key ideas, and jot down questions. Aim to grasp core concepts and their applications—not just facts.
Use course frameworks or methodologies to analyze problems, case studies, or projects. Begin early to allow time for reflection and refinement. Seek feedback to improve your work.
Don’t hesitate to reach out when something is unclear. Use office hours, discussion boards, or peer networks to clarify concepts and stay on track.
Syllabus Last Updated on Oct 10, 2025 | International University of Sarajevo
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Referencing Curricula Print this page
| Course Code | Course Title | Weekly Hours* | ECTS | Weekly Class Schedule | ||||||
| T | P | |||||||||
| ARCH307-6 | Sustainable Design | 1 | 2 | 6 | TBA | |||||
| Prerequisite | ARCH202-8 | It is a prerequisite to | - | |||||||
| Lecturer | Nerma Omićević | Office Hours / Room / Phone | Wednesday: 9:30-12:00 Thursday: 9:30-12:00 |
|||||||
| nomicevic@ius.edu.ba | ||||||||||
| Assistant | TBA | Assistant E-mail | ||||||||
| Course Objectives | This course will critically examine concepts, theories and practices of sustainable design across multiple scales. "Low tech" and "High tech" strategies will be examined, and exellence in architectural design will be explored through a critical analysis of case studies that employed "state of the art" technologies. The goal is to understand how passive and active sustainable design strategies have not only been integrated into the design process but also drive the architectural and urban form. | |||||||||
| Textbook | Kim, J.-J. (1998). Sustainable architecture module: Introduction to sustainable design. University of Michigan. | |||||||||
| Additional Literature |
|
|||||||||
| Learning Outcomes | After successful completion of the course, the student will be able to: | |||||||||
|
||||||||||
| Teaching Methods | Face-to-face lectures, project-based learning | |||||||||
| Teaching Method Delivery | Face-to-face | Teaching Method Delivery Notes | ||||||||
| WEEK | TOPIC | REFERENCE | ||||||||
| Week 1 | Introduction of the course. Syllabus overview. Presentation of project program | |||||||||
| Week 2 | Approaches to Sustainable Design Practice | |||||||||
| Week 3 | Strategies and Principles for Sustainable Design Practice: Low energy Techniques | |||||||||
| Week 4 | Renewable Technologies | |||||||||
| Week 5 | Sustainable lightning | |||||||||
| Week 6 | Wind and Rain Harvesting | |||||||||
| Week 7 | Passive Technologies for Sustainability Design Practice | |||||||||
| Week 8 | Active Technologies for Sustainability Design Practice | |||||||||
| Week 9 | Midterm exam | |||||||||
| Week 10 | Dense and Green technologies | |||||||||
| Week 11 | Building envelopes | |||||||||
| Week 12 | Traditional architecture and adaptive response to climate | |||||||||
| Week 13 | Materials in Sustainable design | |||||||||
| Week 14 | Eco-Cities and Zero Energy Development | |||||||||
| Week 15 | RIBA sustainable studies. Students’ project presentation | |||||||||
| Assessment Methods and Criteria | Evaluation Tool | Quantity | Weight | Alignment with LOs | AI Usage |
| Final Exam | 1 | 25 | 1,3 | Not Allowed | |
| Semester Evaluation Components | |||||
| Midterm exam | 1 | 20 | 1,3 | Not Allowed | |
| Group project | 1 | 40 | 2,4,5,6 | Not Allowed | |
| Activity/Progress | 1 | 15 | 1,2,3,4,5,6 | Not Allowed | |
| *** ECTS Credit Calculation *** | |||||
| Activity | Hours | Weeks | Student Workload Hours | Activity | Hours | Weeks | Student Workload Hours | |||
| Final exam | 3 | 1 | 3 | Midterm exam | 3 | 1 | 3 | |||
| Lectures | 1 | 14 | 14 | Tutorials | 2 | 13 | 26 | |||
| Students' presentations | 2 | 1 | 2 | Home study | 7 | 14 | 98 | |||
| Final exam study | 4 | 1 | 4 | |||||||
| Total Workload Hours = | 150 | |||||||||
| *T= Teaching, P= Practice | ECTS Credit = | 6 | ||||||||
| Course Academic Quality Assurance: Semester Student Survey | Last Update Date: 27/10/2025 | |||||||||