REMF55: Sustainability and Real Estate

Module code: REMF55

Module provider: Real Estate and Planning; Henley Business School

Credits: 20

Level: Postgraduate Masters

When you'll be taught: Semester 2

Module convenor: Dr Jorn Van De Wetering, email: j.t.vandewetering@henley.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: Yes

Last updated: 28 May 2024

Overview

Module aims and purpose

This module focuses on developing a conceptual understanding of sustainable development principles and their applications in real estate markets. The focus is on the adoption of sustainability and ESG in the UK property industry throughout real estate life cycles, including how this is relevant to and manifests itself at various life cycle stages, i.e. development, design, construction, operation, refurbishment, retrofitting and regeneration. The module also focuses on drivers and barriers for the adoption of sustainable development principles for a range of stakeholders in the property industry, including the business case for sustainability and building resilience.

Specifically, students will develop a systematic understanding and critical awareness of sustainable development concepts, policy actions, building energy, environmental and social assessment methods, building construction methods and key property sustainability debates and their relevance to a range of stakeholders in the built environment.

Module learning outcomes

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

• demonstrate an academic and practical understanding of key sustainable development concepts, evidence and debates and how these relate to the built environment;
• demonstrate knowledge and critical understanding of a range of views from real estate market stakeholders on the significance of sustainable development objectives in real estate practices, particularly commercial property investors and occupiers;
• explain and critique different approaches for assessing sustainability performance of new and existing buildings in the built environment;
• demonstrate knowledge and critical understanding of significant drivers and challenges related to the adoption of sustainable development objectives in real estate markets and analyse their importance.

Module content

• Introduction to sustainable development
• (Inter)national sustainability goals, policy frameworks and regulation
• Building energy, environmental and social assessment methods
• Sustainability issues for new and existing buildings
• The circular economy and building lifecycles
• Sustainable construction methods and commonly used design principles and materials
• The concepts of Environmental Social Governance (ESG), Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Socially Responsible Property Investment (SRPI)
• The business case for sustainable buildings
• Building resilience and sustainability risk factors, including transition risks and physical risks
• Sustainability and property valuation
• Sustainability and cities

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

The module comprises academic and practitioner-led lectures and seminars. The overall objective of the assessment is to provide insights into sustainability practices in the real estate sector, how to benchmark sustainability performance and to capture appropriate examples of best practice. The coursework comprises an individual written report. 

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 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.

Reassessment

Additional costs