DIGITAL LIBRARY
INTEGRATING THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS INTO ARCHITECTURE BACHELOR’S FINAL DEGREE PROJECTS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF THE BASQUE COUNTRY
University of the Basque Country UPV-EHU, Department of Architecture (SPAIN)
About this paper:
Appears in: EDULEARN25 Proceedings
Publication year: 2025
Pages: 1282-1290
ISBN: 978-84-09-74218-9
ISSN: 2340-1117
doi: 10.21125/edulearn.2025.0416
Conference name: 17th International Conference on Education and New Learning Technologies
Dates: 30 June-2 July, 2025
Location: Palma, Spain
Abstract:
The University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU) has embraced the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as a roadmap to align the university’s work with the major global and human challenges. The EHU 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (2019–2025) outlines the institution’s contribution to 12 of the 17 SDGs, and includes a local commitment to linguistic and cultural diversity through an additional SDG 17+1. The strategy also includes sectoral plans (Campus Equality, Campus Inclusion, and Campus Planet) and a redefinition of its educational model as IKD i³ (Learning × Research × Sustainability). One of the first actions proposed was to promote the integration of the SDGs into Bachelor’s Degree projects, encouraging students to engage with the university’s research lines and conclude their work by presenting at the UPV/EHU Student Congress.

To implement this initiative more directly within the School of Architecture, the "Sustainability and Health in the Built Environment Classroom for Dissemination of SDGs" was created in January 2024. This hybrid space combines elements of a teaching classroom, research lab, and exhibition venue. Located in the basement of the School of Architecture, it hosts seminar-based teaching sessions that guide students in incorporating the SDGs into their thesis projects from the very beginning. The space was refurbished using leftover materials from the school and discarded furniture from other areas, requiring virtually no additional materials. It was built in the school's Digital Fabrication Workshop with the support of students and staff, making the construction process itself a practical embodiment of the SDGs.

Architecture theses at UPV/EHU typically involve the basic design of real building types—such as kindergartens, health centers, or similar public buildings. Although architectural design today inherently includes aspects related to the SDGs—such as energy efficiency and recycling—there was previously no structured methodology for addressing the SDGs from the outset. This pilot experience began with a small group of students who completed the entire process over the past three years. The methodology involved identifying relevant SDG targets, using them as the guiding concept for the project, and presenting the final outcomes at the UPV/EHU Student Congress. Since the creation of the SDG Classroom, workshops have been held for final year students, led by the previous participants in the program alongside faculty and construction sector professionals.

This paper presents the design and implementation process of this innovative classroom, the activities held within it, and the training methodology used to support Architecture students in integrating the SDGs into their Bachelor’s final degree projects or theses.
Keywords:
Education for Sustainable Development, Sustainable Architecture, Indoor Environment Quality (IEQ), Architectural Education.