Marie Patterson

Research Interests:

• Sustainable Construction
• Energy conservation and efficiency
• Lean Construction
• Construction Workforce Development 

CURE-E Course: Sustainable Construction (CMGT 385), first introduced with CURE-E in Fall 2023

For the CMGT 385 Sustainable Construction class the students will research ways to improve sustainability in the built environment, specifically on Chico State’s campus to support our Strategic Priority of Resilient and Sustainable Systems and goal of becoming climate neutral by 2030. Their culminating project will be to create a poster and presenting their project to their classmates and campus stakeholders. The poster will be in the form of an A3, which is a Lean Construction/Six Sigma/Toyota Production System problem solving template. The A3 provides seven specific steps to follow to critically think, research and propose solutions to a sustainability issue on campus.

In small groups students will pick a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Operations and Maintenance (LEED O+M) credit to focus on throughout the semester. LEED credits range from alternative transportation, water efficiency, energy efficiency, waste management, indoor air quality and lighting quality. Every other week they will respond to the next problem-solving question in the A3 as an in-class activity and assignment, which will gradually complete the A3. At the end of the semester, they will present their A3 and findings to the class.