Course Title: Greening, Build and Works in Local Government

Part A: Course Overview

Course Title: Greening, Build and Works in Local Government

Credit Points: 12.00

Course Coordinator: Ralph Horne

Course Coordinator Phone: +61 3 9925 3485

Course Coordinator Email: ralph.horne@rmit.edu.au

Pre-requisite Courses and Assumed Knowledge and Capabilities

None

Course Description

This course examines current best practice in environmentally sustainable design (ESD) in policy and practice with an emphasis on Victorian built work and legislation. The theme for 2006 is ‘Green Building and Design – Making it happen’ with a focus on the skills and approaches that have differentiated recent successful sustainable design projects.

The course will examine a range of commercial, inner and outer residential and institutional projects and policy initiatives, hearing from key stakeholders and practitioners in the design and construction process including designers, builders, clients and planners.

Objectives/Learning Outcomes/Capability Development

At the conclusion of the course you will be able to: identify the characteristics of best-practice ‘green’ building and planning initiatives; assess effective strategies for achieving green building and sustainable design outcomes in a variety of contexts; evaluate critically policy and project initiatives currently underway in the Australian and Victorian contexts, interpret to what extent current initiatives are operating in an effective sustainability framework and whether these targets are being achieved, and contextualise Victorian sustainable design initiatives in light of interstate and international initiatives in the area.

Learning outcomes will include an understanding of what constitutes best practice in ESD in Australia, an insight into generic and project specific pressures that inform or dilute ESD, an understanding of key emerging legislative innovations, and an enhanced understanding of the fundamentals of designing for sustainment.

Overview of Learning Activities

You will learn principally through a combination of lectures, a two-day classroom intensive including site visits, in-class exercises and discussion, and assignments.

Overview of Learning Resources

You will be able to use a prescribed text and supporting information on a supplied CD.

Overview of Assessment

You will be able to prepare assessment tasks with a total word length or equivalent of 4,000 words.