Water is a limited, shared resource and a connected design system. Decisions about buildings and sites influence how water is sourced, used, moved, treated, stored, reused, discharged, and returned to the environment—and these decisions also affect infrastructure, energy use, ecosystems, public health, communities, and long-term resilience. 

This two-course series helps architects and design professionals recognize these connections and put water at the center of project decisions, from early planning through design, implementation, and operations. 

You’ll examine water availability, reliability, and quality; operational and lifecycle water use; rainfall, stormwater, wastewater, and reuse; the water-energy connection; infrastructure and watershed relationships; climate and resilience; and issues of access, affordability, health, and equity. The series delivers a practical process for turning these considerations into project goals, strategies, responsibilities, and follow-through.