Course Title: Apply Principles of Enviromental Sustainability to Building Design

Part B: Course Detail

Teaching Period: Term1 2007

Course Code: ARCH5134

Course ID: 033941

Course Title: Apply Principles of Enviromental Sustainability to Building Design

School: 320T Design (TAFE)

Program Code: C5143 - Diploma of Building Design and Technology

Course Contact : Michael Goss

Course Contact Phone: +61 3 9925 4819

Course Contact Email: michael.goss@rmit.edu.au


Name and Contact Details of All Other Relevant Staff

Andrew Rodda
andrew.rodda@rmit.edu.au
t: 9925 4819

Nominal Hours: 40

Regardless of the mode of delivery, represent a guide to the relative teaching time and student effort required to successfully achieve a particular competency/module. This may include not only scheduled classes or workplace visits but also the amount of effort required to undertake, evaluate and complete all assessment requirements, including any non-classroom activities.

Pre-requisites and Co-requisites

Where related units form an integral part of workplace responsibilities and roles, these units should be co-assessed.

Course Description

This unit relates to the application of environmental sustainability to building design principles and material selection.


National Codes, Titles, Elements and Performance Criteria

National Element Code & Title:

LCTS Apply Principles of Enviromental Sustainability to Building Design

Element:

Describe and sketch the basic principles of passive solar design.

Performance Criteria:


Characteristics and location specific requirements to establish design are identified and listed.

The most suitable form of construction for a region is examined and analysed to establish optimum solution.

Prevailing hot and cool wind directions are identified.

The sun path for the location is determined.

The basic principles and integration for building orientation, thermal mass, appropriate insulation, glass and ventilation, for a given residence, are described and/or sketched.

The ways buildings can use renewable energy sources are described.

Element:

Describe means by which buildings can be designed for durability and adaptability.

Performance Criteria:

The reason why some existing buildings have become models of long life and loose fit are described.

Ways that buildings or building components can be reused or recycled are stated.

Element:

Describe ways that buildings contribute to greenhouse gas emissions and poor air quality through their construction, operation and eventual demolition.

Performance Criteria:

Common life-style factors which contribute towards greenhouse gas emissions are listed and discussed.

The impact of National Greenhouse Strategy and Kyoto Protocol on construction are established and recorded.

The effect of fossil fuels on the atmosphere is established and documented.

Air quality issues in construction operation and demolition are described.

Ways in which building design can minimise detrimental consequences of greenhouse emission are described.

Element:

Discuss the principle “Think Globally, Act Locally” with respect to environmentally sustainable building.

Performance Criteria:

Project work is used to illustrate an understanding of sustainable building principles and ways of mitigating environmental impacts.

Element:

Explain the consequences of building construction on the natural environment.

Performance Criteria:

The term “ecosystem” is established and sustainability is defined.

Influences on atmosphere from geographical, topographical and climatic factors are identified and listed.

The human consequences of failure to heed the need for sustainability are described.

The current status of Australia’s environmental policy is researched and reported.

Government and industry responses to the challenge of Ecologically Sustainable Development (ESD) are outlined.

Element:

Identify incorporated energy consumption in a range of applicants.

Performance Criteria:

Energy appliances for buildings and their consumption are established and documented.

Recommended best practice to conserve energy is identified and documented.

The selection and use of energy efficient fittings and services are determined.

Element:

Investigate and explain the relative environmental friendliness of a range of common building materials and practices that can be used in dwellings.

Performance Criteria:

The range of environmental impacts considered in the “cradle-to-grave” analysis of materials is outlined.

The development of resource efficient materials is investigated and recorded.

The most sustainable building timbers for a particular application are listed and discussed.

The relative environmental friendliness of two (dissimilar) houses with respect to the Ecological Rating of materials is investigated and reported.

Element:

Investigate, appraise and describe sustainable practices for land and building site usage.

Performance Criteria:

The impact of building development practices on natural ecosystems are researched and reported.

Pressures exerted by building development practices on surrounding ecosystem and consequences of sound environmental policy are identified.

The salient features of a building site are recorded and appraised.

A range of measures to minimise the building impact on natural features are described.

Element:

Investigate, describe and sketch more sustainable means of water usage for housing.

Performance Criteria:

Sustainable practices for disposal of all types of residential water usage, waste water disposal and the problems created by building practices are analysed and recorded.

The means for reducing water consumption are analysed.

The principles pertaining to water conservation for a house and garden (nature-scaping) are listed and discussed.

Alternative systems to reticulated water and effluent disposal are investigated and described.


Learning Outcomes


Explain the consequences of building construction on the natural environment.

  • Investigate, appraise and describe sustainable practices for land and building site usage.
  • Describe and sketch the basic principles of passive solar design.
  • Describe means by which buildings can be designed for durability and adaptability.
  • Investigate and explain the relative environmental friendliness of a range of common building materials and practices that can be used in dwellings.
  • Investigate, describe and sketch more sustainable means of water usage for housing.
  • Describe ways that buildings contribute to greenhouse gas emissions and poor air quality through their construction. operation and eventual demolition.
  • Identify incorporated energy consumption in a range of appliances.
  • Discuss the principle “Think Globally, Act Locally” with respect to environmentally sustainable building.


Overview of Learning Activities


Details of Learning Activities

Primary course content is delivered in Lecture format.

Online forum threads/ discussions are used to further develop knowledge and understanding of weekly content.
Students are expected to actively contribute online, to enable a full understanding of issues raised.


Teaching Schedule

Environmental Sustainable Design covers a wide and dynamic array of topic and course areas. Over the duration of the course the following topics are addressed.

  • Passive Solar Design
    • Orientation
    • Sunlight
    • Shading Devices
  • History
    • Building
    • Legislative
  • Energy
    • Alternative Generation
    • Reduction strategies
  • Water
    • Reduction Strategies
    • Harvesting
  • Permaculture
    • Community needs
    • Design ethics
    • Global Issues
  • Building Strategies
    • Materials
    • Adaptability
    • Waste Minimisation
The sequencing and duration of topics may vary annually.
Refer here for the current course syllabus.

Overview of Learning Resources


Learning Resources

Prescribed Texts

Hollo, N., 1995. Warm House Cool House, Choice Books Melbourne.

0947277226

Mollison, Bill, 1997 Permaculture Designers Manual Tagari Publications

0908228015

Mobbs, Michael, 1998 Sustainable House: Living for Our Future University of Otago Press

1877133620


References

Alexander, Christopher, 1977 A Pattern Language: Towns, Buildings, Construction Oxford University Press, USA

0195019199


Other Resources

Websites

Additional links are contributed by participating students in online discussions.

In keeping with sound environmental principles, all course information and content is stored in a digital repository. Therefore access to a computer with internet connection is necessary for this course.


Overview of Assessment

Assessment Tasks are based on student selected options of the Minor and Major Projects, and an online review at the end of semester.


Assessment Tasks

Minor Project ( 25% of Final Result)
       Students select one project  from a range of assessment task options.
Major Project ( 60% of Final Result)
       Students select one project from a range of assessment task options.
Online Test (15% of Final Result)
       Online ’open book’ review of topics covered during course.
  
  

Other Information

<font size="2"><font style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold" size="2">Late Submission of Work
</font><font size="2">Special consideration</font><font size="2"> for extenuating circumstances will be evaluated on validation of the student’s claim and negotiation for a remedial strategy will be devised based on the individual’s circumstances and needs.
An extension of time request WILL NOT be considered within 48 hours of an assessment task submission date, regardless of circumstance.
Late Submissions: without signed approval for an extension of time by the course teacher, shall incur a 10% mark reduction per day penalty for 5 days. After such a period of time, the assessment task will not be accepted.</font></font>

<font size="2"><font size="2">Assessment Decisions:
Final assessment decisions can be reviewed/ appealed. The appeals process is identical across all courses and direction should be sought first from the course teacher to initiate the appeal.</font></font>

<font size="2"><font size="2">Student Responsibilities:
In undertaking this course students require to be responsible for.
</font></font>

  • The time management of the course work in order to complete all work requirements satisfactorily and on time.
  • To either be in attendance for classes or alternatively to ensure, establish and clarify what content has been missed to maintain a consistent academic progress.
  • To be proactive in mastering the academic material of the course by challenging, questioning and extending course outcomes.
  • To be responsible for the maintenance of a non-disruptive and scholastic attitude in the learning environment.

<font size="2"><font style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold" size="2">Plagiarism:</font>
Definition: The presentation of the work, idea or creation of another person as though it is your own. Plagiarised material can be drawn from, and presented in, written, graphic and visual form, including electronic data and oral presentation.</font>

<font size="2">Students are reminded that cheating, whether by fabrication, falsification of data, or plagiarism, is an offence subject to University disciplinary procedures. Plagiarism in oral, written or visual presentations is the presentation of the work, idea or creation of another person, without appropriate referencing, as though it is one’s own. Plagiarism is not acceptable. The use of another person’s work or ideas must be acknowledged. Failure to do so may result in charges of academic misconduct, which carry a range of penalties, including the cancellation of results and exclusion from your program.</font>

<font size="2">Students are responsible for ensuring that their work is kept in a secure place. It is also a disciplinary offence for students to allow their work to be plagiarised by another student. Students should be aware of their rights and responsibilities regarding the use of copyright material. Consider this carefully in completing all your work and assessments in this course and if you are unsure about whether you might have plagiarised, seek help from your teacher.</font>

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