The Ecological Design Education Network, EDEN, was created in January 1996 to establish an interactive transfer of ecological design knowledge between design schools and the design profession. Its mission is to promote ecological design in higher education, facilitate opportunities to test and apply this knowledge in a professional context, and support a network for exchanging knowledge of best practices between the academy and the profession.

EDEN is supported by its Advisors, a multi-faceted, multi-generational group of design faculty, students, and practitioners from across the country. EDEN is a project of the Ecological Design Institute, a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization carrying out innovative projects in sustainable design, education, and research.

EDEN's first program was an intern placement program, providing opportunities for students to explore and practice ecological design in a real world setting solving real world problems, returning with lessons to enrich and inform the knowledge base of the academy. After almost two year's operation and an overwhelming response from the student community, it is apparent that the work of EDEN has just begun. Over 1,880 students from schools nationwide have requested applications to the program. EDEN has a presence at 127 design schools and is in contact with 284 architecture firms, 63 design-build firms, 29 builders and 44 ecological design organizations across the country. EDEN's widespread appeal is testimony to the need and timeliness of this program.

Having established a high level of visibility at universities around the country a number of positive developments are underway designed to improve and expand EDEN's effectiveness. These changes will make ecological design opportunities available to a greater number of students, will better prepare students for the design profession, and will improve the transfer of ecological design knowledge between the professional and academic realms.

Current Developments

We are currently seeking support to develop and operate a web-based service called the EDEN's Intern Recruiter, a tool designed to assist design students and recent graduates find internships matching their interests and skills. This system will help candidates create a qualifications profile, something like an electronic resume. The Recruiter's logic system will then use this information to match candidates with employment openings received from member professional firms. Such internships will provide students and architecture interns critical real-world opportunities to test and develop their skills in professional offices working towards ecological design.

EDEN is pleased to be associated with this year's Leading Edge Design Competition. This international competition provides students with a real-world design experience focusing on principles and requirements of energy efficient and sustainable design. This rigorous design exercise offers students valuable experience and design skills directly transferable to a professional context. Students entering this competition will earn free membership in EDEN with the opportunity to submit their qualifications to the student intern network.

EDEN Intern Recruiter Update

Students/Recent Architecture graduates: Sign our guest book, and we'll notify you when the Recruiter is ready to subscribe to, making your qualification available the EDEN's professional members.

Firms/ Organizations: Sign our guest book and we'll contact you with information on how you can gain access to EDEN's design intern pool through the web-based Intern Recruiter.