Wentworth is Only MA School to Earn Prestigious Dept. Of Energy Designation

Wentworth's Architecture program has earned a coveted Zero Energy Design designation from the U.S. Department of Energy

The U.S. Department of Energy announced that 14 programs from nine collegiate institutions-including Wentworth Institute of Technology's Bachelor of Science in Architecture program-have been recognized as Zero Energy Design Designation (ZEDD)recipients in the 2024 cohort.

Wentworth earned the designation by going above and beyond basic building science education by preparing their students to design and construct sustainable, energy-efficient buildings with exemplary zero-energy design curricula, and hands-on experiences.

Wentworth is the only institution in Massachusetts and only the third in New England to earn this designation.

"We are incredibly proud. This designation validates our commitment to educating the next generation of architects and designers to create sustainable, energy-efficient buildings that are essential for addressing climate change," said Sedef Doganer, dean of Wentworth's College of Architecture and Design. "Our program's focus on incorporating zero-energy principles into every aspect of the design process equips our students with the knowledge and skills necessary to make a significant impact on the built environment."

The 2024 cohort joins 39 programs from 26 institutionsthat earned the three-year designation in 2022 or 2023. Recognized programs included architecture, real estate development, and construction science/management.

"Our climate conditions are worsening year by year-we need schools to prepare the next generation to design for future conditions, not the past," said Amy Royden-Bloom, Residential Buildings Integration program manager at the Building Technologies Office. "The programs recognized in this year's ZEDD cohort are doing just that and should be commended for being on the forefront of tackling climate change."

N Jonathan Unaka, assistant professor of Architecture at Wentworth, notes that buildings account for about 40% of greenhouse gases. This fact informs much of the thinking that he and students put toward sustainable building.

"Wentworth's Architecture program requires learners to rigorously explore various pathways to reducing those impacts," he said. "The Zero Energy designation recognizes that our students understand how to design a better, more carbon-free future, putting them at the leading edge of where the construction industry is headed."

Wentworth Director of Undergraduate Architecture Programs and Associate Professor Elizabeth Cooper stresses that zero energy buildings are the future, and zero energy design curriculum has become a large focus of the Architecture curriculum.

"There is strong evidence that zero energy buildings not only perform well to reduce carbon footprints but can also contribute to higher rates of occupant satisfaction," she said. "The DOE Zero Energy Design designation recognizes that Wentworth architecture students are being taught the skills needed to deliver high-performance buildings that benefit the health of the planet and the wellbeing of building users."

The full list of higher-education institutions earning the designation from the DOE are as follows:

• Al-Hussein Technical University (Amman, Jordan)

• College of the Canyons (Santa Clarita, California)

• Dartmouth College (Hanover, New Hampshire)

• Georgia Institute of Technology (Atlanta, Georgia)

• Illinois Institute of Technology (Chicago, Illinois)

• Pennsylvania College of Technology (Williamsport, Pennsylvania)

• University of Wyoming (Laramie, Wyoming)

• Washington State University (Pullman, Washington)

• Wentworth Institute of Technology (Boston, Massachusetts)

Applications for the next ZEDD cohort will open in spring 2025.