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: |
|
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. |
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. |
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. |
Element: |
Identify incorporated energy consumption in a range of applicants. |
Performance Criteria: |
Energy appliances for buildings and their consumption are established and documented. |
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. |
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. |
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. |
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
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
- Australian Conservation Foundation
- Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
- World Wildlife Fund
- Australian Government Greenhouse Office
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>
Course Overview: Access Course Overview