We present an intermediate-level course on sustainable physics, which combines lectures and student projects. Sustainable physics concepts are progressively introduced through both a global and a specialized perspective: climate change and building design. The lectures and hands-on activities on both topics show how they share common concepts and provide complementary points of view. Climate change mitigation and adaptation are touched on via student group projects, where they are asked to tackle a specific question of their choosing via reviews of the literature, modeling, or experiments.
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During the projects, students often like to tackle a subject that is relevant in their life. They are sometimes inspired by building techniques or sustainable solutions that are used in their home countries or regions. Explaining this to their classmates favors intercultural exchanges.
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Student projects that the authors agreed to publicize will be accessible through the course's webpage: <http://lptms.u-psud.fr/wiki-cours/index.php/Physics_of_sustainable_development>.
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2023
Author(s)
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