Course Title: Low Carbon Developments

Part A: Course Overview

Course Title: Low Carbon Developments

Credit Points: 12.00

Terms

Course Code	Campus	Career	School	Learning Mode	Teaching Period(s)
BUIL1320	City Campus	Undergraduate	325H Property, Construction & Project Management	Face-to-Face	Spring2015

Flexible Terms

Course Code	Campus	Career	School	Learning Mode	Teaching Period(s)
BUIL1320	City Campus	Undergraduate	325H Property, Construction & Project Management	Face-to-Face	UGRDFlex18 (ZZZZ)
BUIL1320	City Campus	Undergraduate	325H Property, Construction & Project Management	Face-to-Face	UGRDFlex23 (All)

Course Coordinator: Associate Professor Usha Iyer-Raniga

Course Coordinator Phone: +61 3 9925 9066

Course Coordinator Email: Usha.Iyer-Raniga@rmit.edu.au

Pre-requisite Courses and Assumed Knowledge and Capabilities

NONE

Course Description

The rapid urbanization taking place in Asia over the next few decades will result in Asian cities becoming engines of pollution, leading to global warming and associated impacts. If cities of the future are to operate with low carbon emissions, they need to use different approaches for managing the built environment. In this course you will develop and apply your knowledge of planning, building, design and construction and its underpinning sustainability principles and analyse and theorise as to how these principles are implemented in building and construction practices in Asia.

The course has a two week study tour component where you will examine first-hand the realities of preparing for low carbon emission in communities and how these principles can be applied within the Asian building and construction sector in countries that may include Indonesia, India and China. You will critically engage with the approaches used to address sustainability issues in construction.

In collaboration with your peers from an Asian partner university you will engage in a project focused on real world problems to explore how best to rehabilitate predetermined precincts or create new ones from social, economic and environmental perspectives. You will reflect, negotiate and develop your understanding of carbon emissions from range of disciplines such as engineering, architecture, building, project management and planning.

All participants in the study tour must enrol in this course. The study tour is 14 days duration. Please note that course enrolment fees do not include tour costs. Refer to the Course Coordinator for details of your tour including itinerary; travel and accommodation costs; tour costs and deadlines.
Prior to the departure of each tour there will be a series of preparatory meetings and administrative tasks. Your full participation is expected in these activities.
The tour is usually conducted in November each year.

Objectives/Learning Outcomes/Capability Development

  

Upon successful completion of this course you will be able to:

1. Identify and describe the major economic, social and environmental challenges facing the selected project.
2. Formulate a range of possible responses to understand how the selected project is contextualized to meet low carbon responses from a practical perspective by drawing on appropriate literature.
3. Analyse and synthesise a carbon emissions solution by drawing on experiential learning and relevant theoretical frameworks.
4. Communicate the key elements of a research project to diverse stakeholders.

Overview of Learning Activities

The learning activities in this course are designed to enable you to apply your developing knowledge and skills and include workshops, practical study, site visits and online learning materials. You will work in classes and on field trips to understand application of theory and undertake site visits to evaluate how this theory is applied in practice.

The study tour is conducted as an intensive 14 day study period. You will be guided in your learning through readings, classes, site visits, workshops with industry representatives and academics and your own exploration of particular technical and economic aspects of the cities/regions you visit. You will work with peers in your own discipline and in allied disciplines in groups as well as undertake your own independent learning.

You will also engage in face to face classes and online material prior to the study tour. These will include discussion of readings as well as confirmation of the itinerary and suggested sites for group and individual investigation.

Overview of Learning Resources

RMIT will provide you with resources and tools for learning in this course through our online systems.

A list of recommended learning resources will be provided by your lecturer, including books, journal articles and web resources. You will also be expected to seek further resources relevant to the focus of your own learning.

While on tour you can expect to access lectures at industry sites, tours of construction sites and presentations from industry.There are services and resources available to support your learning through the University Library. The Library provides guides on academic referencing and subject specialist help as well as a range of study support services. For further information, please visit the Library page on the RMIT University website and the RMIT student website.  

The University Library has extensive resources for construction management students. The Library has produced a subject guide that includes quality online and print resources for your studies.

 

Overview of Assessment

You will be assessed on how well you meet the course’s learning outcomes and on your development against the program learning outcomes.

Assessments may include:
Task 1 Research report focused on Identifying and describing the major economic, social and environmental challenges facing the selected project, 1500 words, 40% weighting, due 3 weeks before the tour.

Task 2 Formulating a range of possible responses to understand how the selected project is contextualized to meet low carbon responses from a practical perspective by drawing on appropriate literature, presentation on day 10 of the study tour, 40% weighting.

Task 3 Final report on the feedback provided from Tasks 1 and 2, including practical limitations of ensuring low carbon built environment projects, 2000 word report, 20% weighting, due 3 weeks after tour.

Feedback will be given on all assessment tasks.

If you have a long term medical condition and/or disability it may be possible to negotiate to vary aspects of the learning or assessment methods. You can contact the program coordinator or Equitable Learning Services if you would like to find out more. 

Your course assessment conforms to RMIT assessment principles, regulations, policies, procedures and instructions.