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This website features work from the completion of Phase 1 of the SCALES Project.

We are currently seeking partnerships for Phase 2.

Undergraduate

  • Disaster Mitigation Plans, Planners & Policies

    Students will explore and analyze a mitigation plan in a U.S. city or town.

    What is your town’s Mitigation Plan?

    Decide on a town to research. We prefer that you use your hometown, if possible. As someone from the town, you will better understand town dynamics, town threats, town government, and maybe even town politics.

    Find a copy of your town’s mitigation plan, if there is one, and analyze the plan.

    Read more: Disaster Mitigation Plans, Planners & Policies

  • Online Blog – Research and Reflective Practice

    Students will be expected to keep a blog where reflection assignments will be completed weekly. These assignments are geared to explore issues faced by planners during the planning process as well as document student professional growth and experiences working in multi-disciplinary teams. 

    Read more: Online Blog – Research and Reflective Practice

  • Partnerships/Enterprises

    Third Reflection
    Subject: Waste Management Partnership / Enterprise / Actor

    The third paper is a chance to select either a:

    • Specific actor (for example: Waste Management, Save that Stuff, Wecyclers, Sanergy, Enevo, etc.)
    • Specific partnership (for example: Casella and the City of Cambridge)
    Read more: Partnerships/Enterprises

  • Material Stream

    Second Reflection
    Subject: Difficult Waste Streams

    The goal of this paper is to explore a difficult waste stream by either looking at it through: A specific waste stream and the types of processes / disposal that can be used or evaluating a case study on how a difficult waste stream is disposed in an area.

    Difficult wastes are those which can be harmful to human health or the environment, or where the physical properties of the wastes can create serious handling problems.

    Read more: Material Stream

  • Waste Technology

    First Reflection
    Subject: Waste Management Technology

    Use this reflection to explore a waste management technology with one of three lenses:

    1. Technologies for a specific material stream – Choose one material and examine the technologies used to process / treat that material
    2. Technology Case Study – Choose three areas (cities, communities, government jurisdiction) and compare the technologies used in the three areas
    3. Specific Technology – Explore a technology in depth, its application, scale of use and considerations for purchase and implementation (like cost, size, etc.)
    Read more: Waste Technology

  • Course Project

    As announced in the course syllabus, the final course deliverable is the presentation of an environmental design concept for the 3500m2 innovation/startup space that you have been working on since assignment 5. The final presentation should last for 12 minutes plus 3 minutes for Q&A and draw from the material that you have generated during previous assignments. You may want to add some additional work to create a coherent project narrative.

    Read more: Course Project

  • Simulation Game Analysis (Assignment 8)

    The objective of the game is to redesign your class project, with the lowest possible operational Source Energy Use Intensity (Source EUI, kWh/m2) as simulated in DIVA/Archsim/EnergyPlus. Starting off with an approximate thermal model of your latest design from Assignment 6, your task is to create a version of your building with the lowest Source EUI and a purchasing budget at or under $50 MIT dollars. The team with the largest proportional EUI reduction vis-à-vis their baseline design wins. Follow all rules below. When time is up (after 80 minutes), your team must save all of your files and submit them along with a detailed description of your final designs and how you arrived at your best performing iteration.

    Read more: Simulation Game Analysis (Assignment 8)

  • Energy Explorations (Assignment 7)

    Now that you have a well daylit, visually comfortable building with an electric lighting design in place, we are turning our attention towards evaluating and improving the energy performance of your design. In this assignment you will first create a baseline energy model of your building and then explore various energy updates.

    Read more: Energy Explorations (Assignment 7)

  • Visual Comfort and Electric Lighting (Assignment 6)

    The goal of this assignment is check your final daylighting design from Assignment 5 for potential areas of glare and remedy them as well as to design an electric lighting concept for your design. As a target level, the electric lighting should provide around 300lux on all key working surfaces and around 150lux in all circulation areas.

    Read more: Visual Comfort and Electric Lighting (Assignment 6)

  • Daylight Availability Study (Assignment 5)

    In this assignment you will start working in groups on your final course project which is the development of an environmental design concept for an about 3500m2 innovation/startup space located in either Chicago, Houston or Seattle, depending on which city you previously signed up for. Your building should accommodate work spaces for around 250 workers, a reception area, lavatory, two seminar rooms and a cafe (optional). It is up to you to define the final program. You may pick any available site within your city and should also consider external factors such as a site’s walkscore etc. Remember to include neighboring buildings in your shading and daylighting analysis. The goal of this first assignment is to develop and evaluate a series of massing options and façade designs that you will then further refine in future assignments.

    Read more: Daylight Availability Study (Assignment 5)

Notice something that doesn’t seem right? Want to make a suggestion or provide feedback about how something is classified? 
Please reach out to esi [at] mit.edu and include SCALES Website in the subject of your email.
Feedback and any actions taken with regards to the feedback, will be shared as they are addressed.