This note GEN 23, was originally published in November 1998, and was reviewed by John Gelder in November 2003. This summary page includes recent updates to the topic since publication.
Buildings can do more than simply create the environment in which students learn – they can play a significant role in teaching students about the importance of their natural and built environments and how these interact. This note highlights this didactic nature of school buildings by exploring ways in which environmentally sustainable building design might be taught in primary and secondary schools. This note is immediately relevant to architects designing schools and to participants in the RAIA Built Environment Education program. It is of important longer-term interest to building design professionals concerned with the public perception of their profession or the promotion of environmentally sustainable design. This note addresses Principle 5 of the RAIA Environment Policy and is based on an article written by the author for the OECD journal, PEB Exchange, Issue 35 (October 1998).