Abstract This article proposes a model for integrating environmental sustainability into architectural education that derives from the analysis of sustainable architectural design in practice. The research methodology is based on nine case studies of architectural practices that are pioneers in environmentally sustainable design. The design process of a building from each practice was mapped using information gathered by interviews with the members of the design team, plans, diagrams and sketches. The case studies highlight the skills and knowledge that the architect needs to acquire to integrate sustainability into the design process. This reveals that architectural education might focus on developing attitudes, explicit knowledge, tacit knowledge and skills that interweave intuitive, analytical and social dimensions in a holistic manner.