CE3CS1-Sustainability

Module Provider: School of Construction Management and Engineering, School of Built Environment
Number of credits: 10 [5 ECTS credits]
Level:6
Terms in which taught: Autumn term module
Pre-requisites:
Non-modular pre-requisites:
Co-requisites:
Modules excluded:
Current from: 2022/3

Module Convenor: Dr Eugene Mohareb
Email: e.mohareb@reading.ac.uk

Type of module:

Summary module description:

The Sustainability Module describes the interdependency between the built environment and the natural environment and explores solutions towards improving urban resource efficiency.

Aims:

1. To explain the role, practice and application of sustainability within construction and the built environment, applying debate and research-based learning to better evaluate technical options; 


2. To demonstrate the role of natural systems & processes in cities and how they affect the sustainability of urban areas;


3. To enable students to apply critical thinking and problem solving to their knowledge and understanding of sustainability; including application to current solutions being proposed for our sustainability challenge.

Assessable learning outcomes:

1. Evaluate the ways in which CME built-environment practitioners are reliant upon natural systems;


2. Evaluate the sustainability of resource consumption in the built environment;


3. Describe the resource cycles and material flows that influence the built environment;


4. Evaluate an urban metabolism or life cycle assessment case study;


5. Compare and contrast carbon footprints of different cities;


6. Discuss ways in which cities can be modelled after natural ecosystems to improve resource efficiency;


7. Demonstrate the limitations imposed on urban areas through thermodynamic principles


8. Developing a deep understanding of the environment-economy relationship and imaginative approaches to reducing resource throughputs in the built environment

Additional outcomes:

1. An assignment in which students examine social, economic, and environmental impacts of advancements in urban systems


2. Development of teamwork skills.


3. Students should be able to present the outcome of their work to course staff and other members of the class.


4. Assignment in which students examine an urban metabolism or LCA case study and propose context-specific improvements to the resource flows


5. Students will be given ~5 hours of tutorial related to project supervision, where they will have the opportunity to receive one-to-one and group guidance about their projects

Outline content:

1. Introduction to the Sustainability Module; aims, objectives, learning outcomes;


2. Energy requirements and the role of resource efficiency in buildings, including domestic buildings;


3. Urban resource consumption and its mitigation;


4. Water conservation, efficiency and technologies for water systems in buildings;


5. Greenhouse gases from cities and how they can be mitigated

Brief description of teaching and learning methods:

Lectures, Seminars, Group Work, Tutorials, Site Work and associated Problem-Based Learning (where relevant), and Private Study.

Summative assessment- Examinations:

Summative assessment- Coursework and in-class tests:

2 group presentations, 2 teammate evaluations, 1 individual report, and a series of oral in-class or online assessments to determine engagement on the module material

Formative assessment methods:

Students will submit a proposal in week 4-6 describing their chosen case study, why they have selected it, some of the issues the case study has with resource consumption, and a list of relevant literature.

Penalties for late submission:

Assessment requirements for a pass:
40% Overall

Reassessment arrangements:

One two-hour re-examination for failing the examination and/or one assignment for failing the coursework.

Additional Costs (specified where applicable):

1) Required text books: 

2) Specialist equipment or materials:  

3) Specialist clothing, footwear or headgear:  

4) Printing and binding:  

5) Computers and devices with a particular specification:  

6) Travel, accommodation and subsistence:  

Last updated: 26 September 2022