Two sets of studies were conducted; the first focused on the campus design in response to the environmental characteristics of the project's region and site; the second focused on minimizing the project's impact on its environment and context.

The first set of studies consisted of analysis of the macro climatic aspects of the new campus region and resulted in a set of urban design strategies such as the relationship between buildings and outdoor spaces, building volume and orientation and landscape strategies and features.

The second set of studies were much more focused on the micro climate of indoor and outdoor urban spaces. Such studies resulted in passive architectural designs for cooling and heating such as window sizes and placement, shading devices, natural ventilation controls, wall sections and composition for control of heat flow and architectural elements such as wind catchers and solar chimneys for environmental control of outdoor and semi-outdoor spaces.

Outdoor spaces were particularly important for hosting functions and promoting interactive learning, key to AUC's mission. Accordingly the environmental optimization studies guided the outdoor space configuration, shading strategies ground cover and hardscape features as well as selection of plant species indigenous to the environment and climate.

The environmental optimization studies also affected all engineering design activities to minimize depletion of resources and energy requirements. Recycling and cogeneration are only two examples of the applied techniques within the engineering systems.

The same approach guided the selection of building material and finishes among other criteria.