The University of Oregon’s architecture program is No. 1 in the nation for sustainable design education, says America’s Best Architecture and Design Schools 2015.  The top-ranked UO program has been recognized multiple times as leading sustainable design education among the 154 accredited architecture programs in the U.S.

Sustainability and climate change are seen as the most important issues for design professionals, according to the survey results.

“As populations increase and the world urbanizes, demands for a more environmentally responsive built environment grow,” says Brook Muller, acting dean of the UO School of Architecture and Allied Arts.  “The UO’s programs have been committed to teaching and research on energy-efficient design, reuse and adaptive design, ecological design, and green products and practices for decades,” he adds.

The accredited undergraduate architecture degree program is ranked overall at No. 16, and in the top five of programs at public universities. The Interior Architecture Program’s undergraduate and graduate programs are ranked No. 1 in schools in the western United States; and the graduate program is ranked in the top 10 in the nation. The UO’s accredited degree in landscape architecture is in the top five programs in the western U.S.

Additionally, Associate Professor Kiersten Muenchinger, director of the Product Design Program, was voted as one of the nation’s Top 30 most admired design educators. She is the fifth UO faculty member chosen for the honor since 2007.

“These rankings reflects our deep commitment to rigorous and thoughtful design and the capacities of our incredible students,” continues Muller.

America’s Best Architecture and Design Schools 2015 ranks both undergraduate and graduate programs from the perspective of leading practitioners who complete surveys coupled with reviews from deans and heads of programs. A total of 1,426 professional practice organizations participated in the research this year.

The University of Oregon has more than 840 students studying architecture, interior architecture, landscape architecture and product design in its Eugene and Portland locations.