The Bachelor of Science in Sustainable Built Environments is a 4-year, 121-credit, interdisciplinary undergraduate degree. View the curriculum sheet for the recommended sequence of courses.
MINIMUM ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS
- 2.7 Core GPA (on a 4.0 scale)
- 1110 SAT Math and Critical Reading composites score, and/or
- 24 ACT composite score
Students who have earned a GPA below 2.7 but are admissible to The University of Arizona may be evaluated on an individual basis for admission to the Sustainable Built Environments program.
Undergraduate admissions occur through The University of Arizona Undergraduate Admissions Office. Within the application, you will be able to select Sustainable Built Environments as a major from the drop-down menu.
EMPHASIS AREAS
Students declare an emphasis area in within the B.S. in Sustainable Built Environments their junior year. Each emphasis area is specifically designed to prepare students with both a theoretical understanding and practical skills in the chosen area of study.
Students who choose the Sustainable Communities emphasis area will gain insight on how local and regional planning influence community design. Students will learn planning theory, transportation planning, and urban development. Students will understand comprehensive city plans, how planning impacts and is influenced by the environment, and how to make cities more sustainable through smart planning.
Students who choose the Sustainable Buildings emphasis area will gain insight on the theories and techniques behind analyzing building efficiency. Students will study topics such as: net-zero energy design, energy conservation, passive solar and natural ventilation, and climate response. Students will be able to analyze existing and planned structures for energy efficiency and create plans to make them more efficient.
Students who choose the Sustainable Landscapes emphasis area will gain insight and skills on the importance of landscapes in the built environment. Students will study various topics such as: water harvesting, passive cooling, and heat island mitigation, climate adaptability, and how the built environment impacts health. Students will be able to understand how landscapes play a pivotal role in a community and ways to make them more sustainable and useful.
Students who choose the Sustainable Real Estate Development emphasis area will gain insight into sustainable and responsible real estate development. Topics students learn include sustainable practices, urban design, real estate finance, site development, and construction.
Students who choose the Heritage Conservation emphasis area will understand the importance behind saving our historic structures. Preserving historic structures allows us to understand the environmental, cultural, and economic impacts of the structure. Students will learn how the process behind conservation, issues in conservation, and resource management.
Apply today Check on your application
From the Studio
Faculty-led, student-powered research advances heat and health innovation
Third-year B.Arch student Brett Lewis earned first place in the poster competition at the 2026 Big Idea Challenge Research Showcase for his work on a climate-responsive cooling unit developed in CAPLA’s Human Factors and Wellness class. M.Arch student Nick Yang also received fully funded National Science Foundation Innovation Corps (I-Corps+) training, reflecting the growing impact of faculty-led, student-powered research at CAPLA.
CAPLA panel highlights green building, celebrates student sustainability leaders
CAPLA’s “Building Better is Building Green” panel highlighted how sustainability credentials and real-world experience are preparing students to lead the future of the built environment. The event also celebrated 21 students receiving support from the Green Ginsberg Fund to participate in a summer LEED Green Associate bootcamp and certification exam.
Beyond the Commute: Long-Term Impacts and Behavioral Roots of U.S. Car Dependence | Lecture by Huê-Tâm Jamme
Huê-Tâm Jamme presents research exploring the deep behavioral roots and long-term impacts of U.S. car dependence on individual well-being and social equity.
CAPLA faculty awarded grant to support planning in Idaho community
Associate Professors Philip Stoker and Shujuan Li have received a two-year grant to support community scenario planning and long-term water supply strategies in Blaine County, Idaho, a rapidly growing gateway region facing increasing development and water resource pressures. By combining urban growth modeling, water demand forecasting and spatial analysis, their work will help local leaders understand how different development patterns could impact future water availability.
Lecture Recap | The Cyborg Watershed of the American West | A Jones Studio Grand Challenges Lecture featuring Lauren Bon
An engineered network of waterways flowing west from the Rockies sustains life in one of the hottest regions on Earth, forming a “cyborg watershed” that blends natural systems with human-made infrastructure and regional mythologies. Bon explored this system through her large-scale artworks, examining buried waterways, the complexities of policy and politics, and the pursuit of a civic identity shaped by water rather than boundaries.
Seizing Opportunities: Linus Friedman ‘26 SBE
Linus Friedman ('26 SBE) is graduating with dual degrees in Sustainable Built Environments and German Studies and will join Kimley-Horn as a Transportation Planning Analyst.