The Death of Passive Building
GreenCE’s mission is to support the necessary transition to a sustainable built environment by empowering design professionals to address the environmental, economic, and social impacts of buildings. GreenCE’s course catalog includes LEED exam preparation, continuing education to maintain your AIA or LEED credential, as well as specialty education focused on topics such as ADA/Barrier-Free requirements. We are committed to designing the highest quality continuing education programs in the construction industry.
Discover a radical new lens on design in this course on material vitalism—an approach that redefines materials not as passive stuff, but as active participants in shaping architecture. We'll explore how matter itself can tell stories, shape experiences, and even guide design choices, from the weathered warmth of timber to the self-organizing intelligence of natural systems. Blending philosophy, material science, and real-world examples, this course offers not just theory, but a practical, sustainable framework for thinking with materials. Walk away with fresh tools, deeper insight, and a new language for designing buildings that feel alive.
- Gain an understanding of the historical roots and philosophical foundations of material vitalism, from early concepts to contemporary design theory.
- Learn how recognizing material agency leads to more sustainable, climate-responsive design through smarter, longer-lasting material choices.
- Discover how materials influence comfort, acoustics, air quality, and emotional wellbeing to create healthier, more responsive environments.
- Understand how to work with material aging and weathering to extend building life and enhance beauty over time.
