It is now recognised that buildings, through the materials they consume, the waste they generate and the energy they use, are having a major impact upon the environment. Climate change is one manifestation of this impact, and at national and international levels targets are being set for reducing the CO2 emission associated with the built environment. New regulations to meet these targets will influence the ways in which buildings are designed and engineered both today and in the future. This module aims to address these issues by developing an understanding of the principles underpinning environmentally sustainable design and develop skills for more sustainable design practices in areas such as passive design, sustainable construction and low impact building materials.