UC Berkeley College of Environmental Design

What UC Berkeley College of Environmental Design does

UC Berkeley's College of Environmental Design (CED) is a constituent college of the University of California, Berkeley, founded in the 1950s with roots in the 1913 Department of Landscape Architecture. It comprises four academic units — Architecture; Landscape Architecture & Environmental Planning; City & Regional Planning; and the Institute of Urban & Regional Development — and delivers five undergraduate majors, eight master's programs (including M.Arch, MLA, MCP, MUD, MRED+D, MS Architecture, MAAD, MDes), and PhD tracks in architecture, landscape architecture, and city planning. The college's physical plant includes the 3,600 sq ft Fabrication Shop (wood/metal shop with walk-in spray booth), a 1,500 sq ft Digital Fabrication Lab equipped with seven laser cutters, twenty 3D printers, a ShopSabre CNC and a Zund cutting system, a non-profit Materials Store, and the 10+ acre Blake Garden outdoor laboratory in Kensington used for landscape architecture pedagogy.

CED's customer base consists of prospective undergraduate students, prospective graduate students, pre-college students in summer programs (INARCH, INLAND, INCITY, DISC, embARC), and industry/research collaborators. Revenue is not generated through traditional commercial sales but is assembled from multiple funding streams: UC Berkeley tuition and college-specific fees, State of California appropriations via the UC system, external research grants (NSF, DOE, California Energy Commission, foundations), and charitable contributions/endowments routed through the UC Berkeley Foundation (including the Wurster Society donor program, Arcus Endowment, and endowed professorships such as the Lalanne Chair in Real Estate Development). Go-to-market is direct-to-student via UC Berkeley's centralized admissions system and CED's own Admissions Ambassadors program.

CED is ranked #1 public university in the U.S. for Architecture and the Built Environment (QS World University Rankings, 2026). Its research portfolio is organized around four thematic areas — Climate Solutions, Design Excellence, Equity + Social Justice, and Technology + Material Innovations — and includes affiliated centers such as the Terner Center for Housing Innovation, the Center for Resource Efficient Communities (CREC), the Environmental Design Archives, and the Center for Catastrophic Risk Management (CCRM). The college is currently in a dean transition, with Nicholas de Monchaux appointed May 29, 2026 and Daniel G. Chatman beginning as interim dean July 3, 2026 following Dean Renee Chow's retirement.

Name

UC Berkeley College of Environmental Design

Legal name

UC Berkeley's College of Environmental Design

Website

https://ced.berkeley.edu

Company type

Public

Founded year

1950

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

UC Berkeley's College of Environmental Design is a public academic college offering undergraduate and graduate degrees in architecture, landscape architecture, city planning, urban design, and real estate development, serving prospective students and research collaborators through faculty-led teaching and fabrication laboratories.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education

NAICS

Architectural Services (54131), Landscape Architectural Services (54132), Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services (5413)

SIC

Services-Engineering Services (8711)

akta.pro primary industry

Design Colleges (Graphic, Industrial, UX/UI, Interior) (EDAHAJAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Architecture Schools (within Arts & Design institutions) (EDAHAJAG), Makerspaces & Fab Labs (Open Build Studios) (EDAMADAC)

Keywords

• Environmental design education
• Architecture degree programs
• Urban planning studies
• Landscape architecture programs
• Higher education research

Headquarters

HQ city

Berkeley

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Fees: As a UC Berkeley college, revenue is primarily derived from student tuition and fees charged per semester for both undergraduate and graduate programs. Students pay UC Berkeley tuition plus college-specific fees.
2. State Funding: Public university receives state funding from the State of California as part of the University of California system budget.
3. Research Grants and Contracts: Faculty generate external funding through research grants from federal agencies (NSF, DOE, etc.), state agencies (California Energy Commission), foundations, and industry partnerships.
4. Private Donations and Endowments: The college receives charitable contributions through the UC Berkeley Foundation, including endowed professorships, scholarships (e.g., Arcus Social Justice Corps Fellowship), and the Wurster Society donor program.
5. Materials Store: Non-profit Materials Store provides affordable materials to students including recycled supplies, lumber, plywood, plastics, metals, paper products, and CED branded merchandise. Operates on PaperCut account or credit card payments.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

UC Berkeley College of Environmental Design is a higher education institution offering undergraduate and graduate degree programs across four academic departments: Architecture, Landscape Architecture & Environmental Planning, City & Regional Planning, and the Institute of Urban & Regional Development. The college provides design studio education, research opportunities, and access to specialized fabrication facilities including a 3,600 sq ft Fabrication Shop, 1,500 sq ft Digital Fabrication Lab, and the 10+ acre Blake Garden outdoor laboratory.

Product overview

The College of Environmental Design is an academic college at UC Berkeley comprising four academic departments (Architecture; Landscape Architecture & Environmental Planning; City & Regional Planning; Institute of Urban & Regional Development), multiple research centers (including the Terner Center for Housing Innovation), and specialized facilities. It offers undergraduate and graduate degree programs in architecture, landscape architecture, urban planning, real estate development, and urban design. The college provides extensive facilities including a Fabrication Shop, Digital Fabrication Lab, Materials Store, and Blake Garden outdoor laboratory. Research areas span Climate Solutions, Design Excellence, Equity + Social Justice, and Technology + Material Innovations. The college ranks as the #1 public university in the U.S. for Architecture and the Built Environment.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Architecture Department Academic department offering BA Architecture, Master of Architecture, Master of Science, Master of Advanced Architectural Design, and PhD programs in Building Science, Technology, and Sustainability and History, Theory, and Society.
• Landscape Architecture & Environmental Planning Department Academic department offering Master of Landscape Architecture, PhD, and BA Landscape Architecture degrees, focused on landscape design, environmental planning, and the Blake Garden outdoor laboratory.
• City & Regional Planning Department Academic department offering Master of City Planning, PhD in City and Regional Planning, BA Urban Studies, and Minor in City Planning.
• Institute of Urban & Regional Development Institute offering Master of Real Estate Development + Design, Master of Urban Design, and BA Sustainable Environmental Design degrees, focused on urban development and regional planning.
• Master of Architecture Program Graduate professional degree program in architecture offered through the Architecture Department.
• Master of Landscape Architecture Program Graduate professional degree program in landscape architecture offered through the Landscape Architecture & Environmental Planning Department.
• Master of City Planning Program Graduate professional degree program in city and regional planning offered through the City & Regional Planning Department.
• Master of Real Estate Development + Design Program Graduate degree program combining real estate development with architecture and urban design, offered through the Institute of Urban & Regional Development.
• Master of Urban Design Program Graduate degree program in urban design offered through the Institute of Urban & Regional Development.
• Master of Advanced Architectural Design Program Post-professional graduate degree program in advanced architectural design offered through the Architecture Department.
• Master of Science in Architecture Program Graduate degree program in architecture with concentrations in Building Science, Technology, and Sustainability, and History, Theory, and Society.
• BA Architecture Program Undergraduate degree program in architecture.
• BA Landscape Architecture Program Undergraduate degree program in landscape architecture.
• BA Urban Studies Program Undergraduate degree program in urban studies.
• BA Sustainable Environmental Design Program Undergraduate degree program in sustainable environmental design.
• Summer Programs Summer educational programs including INARCH, INLAND, INCITY, DISC: Design + Innovation for Sustainable Cities, and embARC Summer Design Academy targeting high school and college students.
• Fabrication Shop A 3,600 square foot open-plan industrial wood and metal shop with walk-in spray booth and outdoor shop yard, providing hands-on making capabilities for students.
• Digital Fabrication Lab A 1,500 square foot lab housing seven laser cutters, twenty 3D printers, ShopSabre CNC, and Zund cutting system for student digital fabrication projects.
• Blake Garden A 10+ acre landscape laboratory in Kensington, California serving as an outdoor teaching and research facility for the Department of Landscape Architecture & Environmental Planning, featuring diverse ecosystems including a formal garden, redwood canyon, and native wetland zone.
• Terner Center for Housing Innovation Research center focused on housing affordability, policy innovation, and addressing housing challenges in California and beyond.
• Environmental Design Archives Archives containing historical collections documenting the history of environmental design, including Blake Estate materials, historic images, maps, and student design projects.
• CED Admissions Ambassadors Student ambassadors providing presentations, webinars, tours, and one-on-one conversations with prospective students about the college experience.
• Arcus Social Justice Corps Fellowship Fellowship program supporting student and faculty engagement in equity and social justice in design education.

Quantifiable outcome

• Ranked #1 public university in the U.S. for Architecture and the Built Environment (QS World University Rankings)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Terner Center for Housing InnovationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAn affiliated research center within CED focused on housing affordability research and innovation, led by faculty including Ben Metcalf. The center produces policy research and engages in public education on housing issues.
• Environmental Design ArchivescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerA research repository within CED containing extensive historical collections documenting environmental design history, including the Blake Estate Virtual Collection and various landscape architecture project archives.
• Harvard Business School Institute for Business in Global Society (BiGS)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration at COP30 climate conference in Belém, Brazil where CED-affiliated researchers participated in panels on decarbonization alongside corporate leaders like Arcos Dorados.
• California Energy CommissioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMultiple research grants supporting climate change impact studies on California infrastructure including transportation fuel sector and natural gas pipeline vulnerability assessments.
• Center for Catastrophic Risk Management (CCRM)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUC Berkeley interdisciplinary research group addressing catastrophic risk management, with Professor John Radke as founding member.
• World Economic ForumminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCED researchers participated in WEF Davos 2026 discussions on value-based care and brain health initiatives, though this appeared to reference Catalight rather than directly CED.
• Center for Resource Efficient Communities (CREC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInterdisciplinary research center at CED dedicated to supporting resource efficiency goals through environmental planning and urban design, founded by Louise Mozingo in 2009.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Harvard Graduate School of Design: Harvard GSD offers architecture, landscape architecture, and urban planning degrees at the graduate level and is the leading private comparator for CED's programs, competing for the same top applicants and faculty in environmental design.
• Columbia GSAPP: Columbia's Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation offers parallel architecture, urban planning, and historic preservation degrees and competes for the same design talent pool as CED.
• University of Pennsylvania Weitzman School of Design: Penn Weitzman offers architecture, landscape architecture, city planning, and historic preservation degrees and is one of CED's closest curricular peers across environmental design disciplines.
• USC School of Architecture: USC Architecture offers architecture and historic preservation programs and competes with CED for Los Angeles-based and California applicants in design education.
• Princeton School of Architecture: Princeton's School of Architecture offers the M.Arch with a strong studio-based pedagogy and competes for graduate architecture applicants alongside CED's architecture department.
• MIT School of Architecture and Planning: MIT SA+P houses architecture, urban studies and planning, and real estate development programs with a strong fabrication and computation focus, closely mirroring CED's interdisciplinary research and fabrication capabilities.
• Cornell College of Architecture, Art, and Planning: Cornell AAP offers architecture, art, planning, and real estate degrees and is a direct comparator to CED's interdisciplinary environmental design model.
• Yale School of Architecture: Yale's architecture school offers M.Arch and post-professional degrees and competes head-to-head with CED for top graduate applicants in architectural design and pedagogy.
• UCLA Architecture and Urban Design: UCLA AUD offers architecture and urban design graduate degrees within the UC system and competes with CED for in-state California applicants and faculty.
• University of Michigan Taubman College: Taubman College offers architecture, urban planning, and urban design degrees at a public university, making it the most direct public-school peer to CED in scale and mission.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cedberkeley
• Instagraminstagram.com/ucberkeleyblakegarden

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Subsidiaries6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about UC Berkeley College of Environmental Design