Institute for Ecological Design

The goal of the Institute for Ecological Design is to advance the cause of sustainable, resilient and regenerative architectural and urban design. This research has three broad areas of focus.

Energy: Design for the decarbonization of the operational energy demands of the urban environment at both the building and district scale.
Matter: Design for the decarbonization of building materials and their sustainable and regenerative sourcing and innovative use in design.
Water: Design for climate responsive green/blue urban waterscapes and the rewilding of the city through the vehicle of water.

James Wasley, Director

Learn more about James Wasley

Key Objectives

Engaging faculty and students from the School of Architecture & Urban Planning, the School of Freshwater Sciences, and UWM broadly, the Institute serves as an umbrella for coordinating environmentally focused research and curriculum development initiatives.

Core objectives include:

Promoting ecological design research through grant seeking
Promoting ecological design research and public education through design consulting, often engaging architecture students in the research through the sponsorship of design studios and seminars
Promoting ecological design awareness broadly through the construction of demonstration projects
Promoting ecological design through the hosting of symposia, workshops, lecture series, and other events
Supporting the Concentration in Ecological Design within the Master of Architecture (MArch) degree

Selected Projects

Studio-based pre-design services provided to the office of the campus architect at UW-Madison. Funded design studios explore projects in the earliest stages of consideration on the Madison campus, including proposed building projects for the Gaylord Nelson Institute, the School of Human Ecology, the Water Sciences and Engineering Laboratory, the Art and Academic Building and the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Horse Barn.

The creation of a masterplan and demonstration projects advancing the on-site management of UWM’s stormwater run-off. The Zero Discharge Zone Masterplan led to the inclusion of this goal into the official masterplan for the UWM campus. Demonstration projects include the Sandburg Commons Green Roof, the Golda Meir Library Green Roof and PV power system, the Spiral Garden and the Power Plant Cistern Project.

The Society of Building Science Educators’ Carbon Neutral Design Project is an international research and curriculum development project bringing professionals and academics together to promote net-zero energy building design. This initiative was funded by the Board of the American Institute of Architects as an initial response to the Architecture 2030 Challenge.

A philanthropically funded, three-year, multi-institutional focus on the future of the brownfields surrounding Milwaukee’s Inner Harbor. Undertaken in support of the UWM School of Freshwater Sciences’ Harbor Campus. Funded studio topics included architecture, landscape architecture and urban design.

Initiated by a NSF symposium in 2019, the Design Network is an initiative to bring together various academic disciplines, design professionals, government leaders and other interested parties to promote innovation in the ecological design of urban water systems around the Great Lakes basin.

As an outgrowth of Professor Wasley’s research and teaching in Germany, the Institute runs a summer exchange program with Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences through the Hessen / Wisconsin Exchange.

Students and faculty from UWM travel to Frankfurt every other year, with students from Frankfurt visiting UWM in the alternate years. Jointly held design charrettes focus on the adaptive reuse of existing buildings.

More about study abroad opportunities.

The Ascent Life-cycle Cost Analysis Project is an analysis of the embodied carbon savings produced by the use of mass-timber construction for the Ascent Building in Milwaukee, to date the tallest mass-timber structure in the world.

The Wells Studio is a multi-year design studio funding partnership with precast concrete manufacturer Wells (previously Spancrete). The studio engages students and faculty in advancing the field of architectural precast in ecological directions. The student work resulting from this partnership has resulted in numerous national awards.

More about sponsored studios at SARUP.

The Design + Construction Initiative (DCI) is a dynamic platform dedicated to fostering professional growth and advancing research in ecological, environmental, and economical architecture and construction. DCI resides within the Institute for Ecological Design as a special focus group geared toward material and construction issues related to the IED’s broader mission.

More about the Design + Construction Initiative.

A fountain in the middle of a pool of water surrounded by an urban environment.

Fountain at Freshwater Plaza

A stormwater demonstration project and urban gateway to the UWM School of Freshwater Sciences. The result is 4 times the volume of stormwater captured for the same cost as a green roof.

A sample of work from the Global Ecology Center project depicts a structure with ecological interventions.

Carbon Neutral Case Study

The Global Ecology Research Center, Stanford; EHDD, Architects | This cooling systems study highlights the separation of the naturally ventilated offices from the mechanically ventilated labs.

Students pose in a group in front of a historic building.

Green Building in Germany

The Institute runs a summer exchange program with Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences. Students participate in joint design charrettes focusing on the adaptive reuse of existing buildings. They also tour sites, such as Bochenheimer Depot, a tram depot converted to an energy efficient performance venue.

Interested in collaborating?

For Students

Students interested in research opportunities can contact Professor Timmer.

For Industry Partners

Industry partners seeking collaboration are encouraged to contact Professor Wasley.

Contact Professor James Wasley: jwasley@uwm.edu