Sustainable Urban Design

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Courses - September 2025

Level 1

Course details

Presentations and Graphic Communication
COMP8250

Description:

This course will begin with an overview of the field of environmental and sustainability communication. Students will differentiate the diverse environmental discourses including narratives in the news, social media, and advocacy campaigns. Students will have the opportunity to apply course content in an individual graphic communication project.

  • Hours: 42
  • Credits: 3
  • Pre-Requisites:
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Conestoga 101
CON0101

Description: This self-directed course focuses on introducing new students to the supports, services, and opportunities available at Conestoga College. By the end of this course, students will understand the academic expectations of the Conestoga learning environment, as well as the supports available to ensure their academic success. Students will also be able to identify on-campus services that support their health and wellness, and explore ways to get actively involved in the Conestoga community through co-curricular learning opportunities.
  • Hours: 1
  • Credits: 0
  • Pre-Requisites:
  • CoRequisites:

Designing Sustainable Cities
PLAN8060

Description:

This course will introduce students to the history and theory of urban design using illustrative case studies to understand the various infrastructural systems within the built environment.

  • Hours: 42
  • Credits: 3
  • Pre-Requisites:
  • CoRequisites:

Contemporary Urban Design
PLAN8070

Description:

This course will explore how sustainable urban design is related to public health and well-being and how global challenges can be addressed at the community level.

  • Hours: 42
  • Credits: 3
  • Pre-Requisites:
  • CoRequisites:

Cities and the Economies of Sustainable Design
PLAN8080

Description:

This course will critically explore pathways in urban sustainable design including green governance, consumption and waste, and the sharing economy.

  • Hours: 42
  • Credits: 3
  • Pre-Requisites:
  • CoRequisites:

Urban Design Studio I
PLAN8090

Description:

This course provides an analytical framework for students to expand their knowledge of urban design tools and practice.

  • Hours: 42
  • Credits: 3
  • Pre-Requisites:
  • CoRequisites:

Urban Ecologies and Building Green
PLAN8100

Description:

This course examines the impacts of urbanization on natural systems, environmental citizenship, and the role of cities in global climate change. Students explore the various ratings systems (LEED, Green Globes, BREEAM, Net Zero Energy, etc.).

  • Hours: 42
  • Credits: 3
  • Pre-Requisites:
  • CoRequisites:

Green Infrastructure and Land Use
PLAN8110

Description:

This course explores urban green infrastructure at various scales, from individual households (e.g. rain barrels), to neighbourhoods (e.g. rain gardens in public parks), to landscape and watershed scales (e.g. habitat preservation and restoration, stormwater ponds), and how green infrastructure can mitigate a changing climate.

  • Hours: 42
  • Credits: 3
  • Pre-Requisites:
  • CoRequisites:

Level 2

Course details

Urban Ecologies and Sustainable Urban Horticulture
ENVR8330

Description:

In this course students will learn the theories and principles of healthy urban environments, specifically through sustainable urban horticulture. Students will examine the impacts of urbanization on natural systems, environmental citizenship, and the role of cities in global climate change. Students will apply their learning through an individual landscape design project.

  • Hours: 42
  • Credits: 3
  • Pre-Requisites:
  • CoRequisites:

Project Management and Stakeholder Engagement
MGMT8285

Description:

This course will explore communications and how to overcome communication barriers within stakeholder groups and with individuals. The course also emphasizes building the skills and knowledge needed to create an effective communication and stakeholder engagement plan. Participants will also learn leadership principles and tools for successfully managing stakeholder relationships

  • Hours: 42
  • Credits: 3
  • Pre-Requisites:
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Placemaking and Shaping Cities
PLAN8120

Description:

Including community in the co-creation of inclusive urban spaces is an important element of sustainable urban design. In this course students will learn about developing public spaces and how to draw on community assets and expertise to encourage collaboration at all levels.

  • Hours: 42
  • Credits: 3
  • Pre-Requisites:
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Urban Design Studio II
PLAN8130

Description:

Building on Urban Design Studio I, this course will help students gain experience in graphic thinking and to clearly present and articulate their own design process spatially through an individual project.

  • Hours: 56
  • Credits: 4
  • Pre-Requisites: PLAN8090
  • CoRequisites:

Sustainability and Heritage Practices
PLAN8140

Description:

This course will explore how heritage practices are related to sustainable urban development. Topics will include heritage landmarks as well as intangible cultural heritage and how these are intrinsic to human well-being.

  • Hours: 42
  • Credits: 3
  • Pre-Requisites:
  • CoRequisites:

Social issues of Sustainable Design
PLAN8150

Description:

More than half of the global population lives in urban areas. This course examines the intersections of the social, political and environmental factors in sustainable urban design including the role of big data.

  • Hours: 42
  • Credits: 3
  • Pre-Requisites:
  • CoRequisites:

Smart Communities
TECH8050

Description:

This course will have students examine the evolving concept of Smart Cities and the role of technology and data in tackling some of our most pressing community challenges. A capstone project will have students apply and use information and communications technology (ICT) infrastructure to design a sustainable community development.

  • Hours: 42
  • Credits: 3
  • Pre-Requisites:
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Program outcomes

  1. Create sustainable urban design plans that contribute to the economic and social stability, and environmental sustainability for inclusive and safe communities.
  2. Communicate sustainable design intent to a variety of stakeholders using verbal, oral, and visual language to meet the needs of a diverse audience.
  3. Analyze qualitative and quantitative data to generate urban design solutions that enhance the current and future built environment.
  4. Design solutions that address various social, economic, environmental, and physical challenges to meet community needs.
  5. Develop sustainably compliant designs to improve the urban areas informed by local, regional, and federal legislation governing the built environment.
  6. Foster a sense of belonging and community within the built environment by integrating principles of cultural awareness, social engagement, and civic literacy in all projects.
  7. Manage urban design projects from initiation to implementation within established goals and timelines to satisfy client needs.