CEM107: Sustainable Design and Management Principles and Practice

Module code: CEM107

Module provider: School of Construction Management and Engineering, School of Built Environment

Credits: 40

Level: Postgraduate Masters

When you'll be taught: Semester 1 / 2

Module convenor: Dr Emmanuel Essah, email: e.a.essah@reading.ac.uk

Pre-requisite module(s):

Co-requisite module(s):

Pre-requisite or Co-requisite module(s):

Module(s) excluded:

Placement information: NA

Academic year: 2024/5

Available to visiting students: No

Talis reading list: No

Last updated: 21 May 2024

Overview

Module aims and purpose

The aim of this module is to provide an understanding of the holistic approach required to design and build sustainable resilient buildings. The integrated process of design, operation and management will be the core of this module. Students will also be trained in hands-on computer simulation skills and experimental skills.

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module, it is expected that students will be able to:

1. Understand the principle of passive building/architectural design and assess building performance of passive designs.
2. Have knowledge of mechanical engineering systems, sustainable materials, and environmental impact.
3. Understand the performance of mechanical engineering systems, human health, safety and wellbeing in sustainable design and building services.
4. Perform simulations using computer software packages.

Module content

This module is structured to provide knowledge and understanding necessary for students to perform environmental design and assessment of the performance of passive and active systems of buildings in terms of their environmental impact. The module will introduce the role of building site impact, building façade design, building services engineering systems, construction materials, facilities management, and system controls in moderating the internal building environment and an understanding of the energy implications for each.

The module will also provide the following content:

• Human health, safety and well-being
• Application of health and safety issues in design and management of building services
• Thermal comfort and indoor environmental quality requirements, ergonomic approach
• Impact of building façade design and surround site conditions
• Building materials
• Evaluation and formulation of strategic plans
• Natural and artificial lighting
• Natural ventilation
• Climatic design and vernacular architecture
• Building occupants and People-orientated design
• Symbolic aspects of built space and social requirements
• Innovative heating, ventilating and air-conditioning systems
• Intelligent control and innovation
• Comparisons of simple buildings with high technology buildings
• Integration of sustainable and innovative technologies in building design
• Energy efficiency assessment methods
• Computer simulation
• Experimental practice and data analysis skills
• Monitoring and measurement procedures

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

This module is to be delivered through a series of lectures, seminars, and practical and experimental classes. Students will be offered an opportunity to consolidate their knowledge and understanding gained in this module by visiting the latest building sustainable technologies. Both in-person sessions and digital methods are used in this module to introduce the concepts and theories relevant to sustainable design and management concepts in buildings as well as to demonstrate their applications. Computer based modelling and simulation is integrated in this module where students will be provided with demonstration and hands-on step by step training of how the software is used and applied to aspects of building design.

Study hours

At least 30 hours of scheduled teaching and learning activities will be delivered in person, with the remaining hours for scheduled and self-scheduled teaching and learning activities delivered either in person or online. You will receive further details about how these hours will be delivered before the start of the module.

Please note the independent study hours above are notional numbers of hours; each student will approach studying in different ways. We would advise you to reflect on your learning and the number of hours you are allocating to these tasks.

Semester 1 The hours in this column may include hours during the Christmas holiday period.

Semester 2 The hours in this column may include hours during the Easter holiday period.

Summer The hours in this column will take place during the summer holidays and may be at the start and/or end of the module.

Assessment

Requirements for a pass

Students need to achieve an overall module mark of 50% to pass this module.

Summative assessment

Penalties for late submission of summative assessment

The below information applies toall full time and flexible modularstudents on taught PGT programmes in SBE

The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

Assessments with numerical marks

• where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each working day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of three working days;
• the mark awarded due to the imposition of the penalty shall not fall below the threshold pass mark, namely 40% in the case of modules at Levels 4-6 (i.e. undergraduate modules for Parts 1-3) and 50% in the case of Level 7 modules offered as part of an Integrated Masters or taught postgraduate degree programme;
• where the piece of work is awarded a mark below the threshold pass mark prior to any penalty being imposed, and is submitted up to three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline), no penalty shall be imposed;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

Assessments marked Pass/Fail

• where the piece of work is submitted within three working days of the deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): no penalty will be applied;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): a grade of Fail will be awarded.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: https://www.reading.ac.uk/cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/qap/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf

You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Formative assessment

Formative assessment is any task or activity which creates feedback (or feedforward) for you about your learning, but which does not contribute towards your overall module mark.

Practice questions will be provided in the tutorial sessions in order to provide students with an opportunity to test their understanding of the topics discussed in lectures and prepare students for summative assessments.

Reassessment

Additional costs