In the Virtual Design Studio course, students attended lectures and worked in teams to design green building systems and evaluate their performance through computer simulations. They gained an understanding of how heat, air, moisture and pollutants flow in building energy and environmental systems; analyzed the combined effects of local climate and site, building’s form, massing and orientation, internal configuration and environmental control system on the predicted building performance; and explored integrative design approaches, creative design concepts and innovative green building technologies. In conjunction with the course, Syracuse University and Nanjing University collaborated to offer Green Building Week of Nanjing in which over 10 invited speakers gave lectures on green buildings and sustainability. All the while, students were immersed in Chinese culture, learning inside and outside of the classroom.