A Course that Designs for Sustainable Communities
By Caroline Delaire
In 2007 , Civil and Environmental Engineering Professor Ashok Gadgil and Dr . Susan Amrose leveraged their expertise and passion for sustainable impact by establishing “ Design for Sustainable Communities ,” a graduatelevel course that trains students to develop technological solutions to address poverty in underprivileged communities .
A team focused solar power and integrated home nergy systems in India discusses potential designs for the project . ( Photo Credit : Ben Gould )
Technology alone cannot eradicate poverty . Inadequate institutions , corruption , violence , societal norms , and insufficient regulations are often at the root of persisting inequalities and unnecessary human suffering . But in a number of cases , technology has improved access to basic services such as water , healthcare , education , hygiene , and electricity . It has also facilitated income-generating activities and improved overall livelihoods . “ Design for Sustainable Communities ” is grounded in the belief that technology can curb suffering in underprivileged communities , and that new generations of students can contribute with their educational experiences .
Learning by doing The course is designed to give students hands-on learning experiences . Each year , teams of three to five students take on real-life projects proposed by nonprofits or social enterprises working in vulnerable communities . In Spring 2016 , six projects were selected :
>
A mobile-based application to facilitate the distribution of home solar energy systems in rural Côte d ’ Ivoire ( client : Sage ).
> A single-home solar energy system for Haitian households ( client : RE-VOLT ).
> A natural wastewater treatment system for a container-based sanitation enterprise in Kenya ( client : Sanivation ).
> An ultrasonic sealing machine for manufacturing low-cost sanitary pads in India ( client : Aakar Innovations ).
> A low-cost and energy-efficient warming solution for poultry sheds in rural India ( client : Kesla Poultry Cooperative ).
> A point-of-use water treatment device for rural Californian communities exposed to contaminated groundwater ( client : SimpleWater ).
This year ’ s teams include a diverse group of students : 14 come from engineering disciplines , seven from the Master ’ s in Development Practice program , one from landscape architecture , and one from economics . Student teams will propose solutions that are technically sound and tailored to local conditions and resources ( e . g . availability of materials , local norms and regulations ).
A team focusing on rainwater harvesting brainstorms a water catchment system for tea farmers in Assam , India ( Photo Credit : Rachel Dzombak / Laurent Arribe )
The role of lectures Lectures in the course are designed to guide student teams through problem-solving processes such as problem definition , stakeholder analysis , understanding the intended user , reviewing existing approaches , and defining appropriate cost metrics . Important concepts such as positive deviance , human-centered design , and impact evaluation are introduced . The lectures also introduce case studies from the emerging field of development engineering .
An ancillary goal of the course is to teach students non-technical skills critical to the success of real-life projects such as managing client relations , multidisciplinary team work , and effective project pitches . Although these skills are crucial for projects to succeed in reallife , students rarely have the opportunity to practice them in their graduate coursework .
A unique educational experience As an elective for the new Development Engineering PhD minor at UC Berkeley , “ Design for Sustainable Communities ” provides students with a rare opportunity to work in interdisciplinary teams and thus gain experience with problemsolving approaches that may differ from their own . In addition , this course pushes students out of their comfort zones : project goals can be shifting or vaguely defined , or simply fall outside students ’ areas of expertise . To fill their knowledge gaps , students must seek help from multiple experts .
While these challenges do not come without frustration and discouragement , training students to make progress despite difficult constraints trains them to confront real-life problems after graduate school . Furthermore , progress and achievement under challenging conditions are extremely rewarding . At the end of the semester , students will feel empowered to make lasting impacts in developing communities .
Caroline Delaire holds a PhD in Civil and Environmental Engineering from the University of California , Berkeley . In Spring 2016 , with support from DIL , Caroline served as a Graduate Student Researcher for “ Design for Sustainable Communities ”.
PAGE 13