The Built Environment Innovation Challenge

A Project Based Learning Challenge Curriculum For Innovative Built Environment Venture Development.

This free, open source challenge curriculum content (hosted in a GitHub repository to enable continuous, collaborative use and improvement) is intended to foster:

• Project based learning activity in the subject matter area of built environment innovation and entrepreneurship.
• The community of students and professionals learning and working in this subject matter area.

The built environment subject matter area refers to the wide range of human made facility and infrastructure systems and their interface and integration with the original system (i.e. the natural environment or creation).

The organization of this challenge curricula is inspired by the practical 7 phase model described by Amber Graeber on edutopia.org. Buck Institute for Education is another source of information on quality project based learning experiences.

• Validation, planning, and development of sustainable, viable, built environments is a primary focus.
• Mentored students attempt to solve engaging, real world problems that consider innovative built environment solutions.
• Authentic roles that students may take on during this project based learning experience include:
• Owners: Posessors or managers of property or their designated representatives.
• Designers: Professional planner, architect, engineer, or professional members of other related disciplines that primarily work to translate owner requirements into built environment information model content.
• Constructors: General contractors, builder, makers, construction managers, and skilled trades technicians that primarily work to translate built environment information model content into material property that meets or exceeds the owners requirements.
• Mentored students may work collaboratively doing Building Information Modelling (BIM) to envision solutions and prepare integrated collaborative execution agreements to deliver them.

The phases of a Built Environment Innovation Challenge are:

• Phase One: A Driving Question Question About The Built Environment
• Phase Two: A Built Environment Requirement & Opportunity for Innovation
• Phase Three: Developing Subject Matter Expertise to Meet the Requirement
• Phase Four: Design and Development of a Built Environment Project Proposal
• Phase Five: Debriefing the Built Environment Project Proposal
• Phase Six: Responding to the Driving Question About The Built Environment
• Phase Seven: Summative Assessment

The content of this challenge curriculum draws inspiration from open source architecture projects, the National Institute of Building Sciences' Science Technology Engineering and Math (STEM) program for Sustainable Facilities and Infrastructure in Constrained Environments (SuFICE), and Integrating Project Delivery a primary text of resources and guidance from built environment industry professionals.

See Contribute.md for information about contributing to this project repository.

Content in the BEIC Project Based Learning Challenge repository is licensed as described in License.md.

Disclaimer: All content in this curriculum is for educational purposes only and is solely intended to be used as project based learning experience. This project based learning experience may or may not lead to an actual built environment or infrastructure project or related venture. Any and all projects or project ventures that may result from this project based learning experience should follow all applicable laws, codes, and regulations and are the sole responsibility of those signers party to their respective integrated project venture agreement. The Built Environment Innovation Cooperative is not party to, nor assumes responsibility for any integrated project venture agreement that may or may not result from following this curriculum or any portion thereof.