Course Title: Design Sustainable Buildings

Part B: Course Detail

Teaching Period: Term1 2025

Course Code: ARCH5302

Course Title: Design Sustainable Buildings

Important Information:

Please note that this course has compulsory engagement attendance requirements for teaching activities.

Please check your Canvas course shell closer to when the course starts to see when this course requires mandatory attendance.

School: 530T Built Environment and Sustainability

Campus: City Campus

Program: C6188 - Advanced Diploma of Building Design (Architectural)

Course Contact: Catherine Ciavarella

Course Contact Phone: +61 3 9925 9819

Course Contact Email: catherine.ciavarella@rmit.edu.au

Name and Contact Details of All Other Relevant Staff

Nominal Hours: 90

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

None

Course Description

This unit describes the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge required to apply the principles of sustainability to building designs.
It includes the ability to apply sustainable practices to minimise negative impacts of the construction process and land use on the environment, incorporate passive design, sustainable water use and energy efficiency into a building design and select suitable materials for the construction of the building that comply with relevant legislation, the National Construction Code (NCC) and Australian Standards.
This unit applies to building designers who design sustainable buildings within the context of relevant legislation and within the legal responsibilities of building designers.
No occupational licensing or legislative requirements apply to this unit at the time of publication. However, this unit forms part of a minimum qualification requirement for the registration class of Draftsperson, Building Design (Architectural) category, with the Victorian Building Authority.

National Codes, Titles, Elements and Performance Criteria

National Element Code & Title:

VU23447 Design Sustainable Buildings

Element:

1. Determine the impacts of building development on the natural environment

Performance Criteria:

1.1	Research impacts of building development on surrounding ecosystems.
1.2	Identify policies and legislation and representative organisations supporting environmentally sustainable design principles.

Element:

2. Incorporate sustainable criteria into building design

Performance Criteria:

2.1

Identify and research the impact and characteristics of the location and specific climates to inform building design approaches.

2.2

Determine sustainable design principles for the building design.

2.3

Consider site influences and sun path to maximise opportunities for passive heating and cooling in the design.

2.4

Incorporate passive design principles into the design project.

2.5	Select and document the appropriate form of construction according to the energy performance provisions of the NCC.

Element:

3. Select sustainable materials

Performance Criteria:

3.1	Identify and analyse characteristics of sustainable materials to inform material selection.
3.2	Compare sustainability of a range of building materials and select suitable materials for the building design according to legislation, the NCC and Australian Standards.

Element:

4. Incorporate systems for sustainable water use

Performance Criteria:

4.1	Incorporate systems for water collection, storage, use and re-use for the building design according to relevant legislation and local restrictions.
4.2	Investigate alternative systems for reticulated water and effluent disposal.
4.3	Investigate and incorporate strategies to manage stormwater run-off in the design.

Element:

5. Incorporate energy efficiency into building design

Performance Criteria:

5.1	Identify energy efficient design principles according to legislation and the NCC.
5.2	Research renewable energy sources for the building design and recommend best practice options for energy conservation.
5.3	Determine the selection and use of energy efficient fittings, appliances and services for inclusion in design.

Learning Outcomes

This course supports the attainment of the skills and knowledge required for building designers to design sustainable buildings within the context of relevant legislation, the Building Code of Australia (BCA) and Australian Standards.

Details of Learning Activities

In this course you will develop the skills and knowledge required to apply the principles of sustainability to building designs.
It includes the ability to apply sustainable practices to minimise negative impacts of the construction process and land use on the environment, incorporate passive design, sustainable water use and energy efficiency into a building design and select suitable materials for the construction of the building that comply with relevant legislation, the National Construction Code (NCC) and Australian Standards.
This unit applies to building designers who design sustainable buildings within the context of relevant legislation and within the legal responsibilities of building designers.

Teaching Schedule

Week	Task
01-01	AT01 - Issued
01-02	AT02 - Issued
01-06	AT01 - Submitted
01-09	AT02 - Submitted AT03 - Issued
01-16	AT03 - Submitted
02-01	AT04 - Issued
02-16	AT04 - Submitted

Learning Resources

Prescribed Texts

References

Other Resources

Building Your Own Home - G Wilkie

yourhome.gov.au

Owen Hopkins, Architectural Styles: a visual guide, Laurence King Publishing, 2014.
Francis D. K. Ching, A Visual Dictionary of Architecture, Wiley, 2011.
Francis D.K. Ching, Architecture Form Space & Order, Wiley, 2014.
Lorraine Farrelly, The Fundamentals of Architecture, AVA Publishing, 2012.
Lorraine Farrelly, Basics Architecture: Representational Techniques, Fairchild Books, 2015.
Lorraine Farrelly, Basics Architecture 02: Construction and Materiality, AVA Publishing, 2009.
Kari Jormakka, Basics Design Methods, Birkhauser Architecture, 2007.
Bert Bielefeld & Sebastian El Khouli, Basics Design Ideas, Birkhauser Architecture, 2007.
Gavin Ambrose & Paul Harris, Basics, Design Layout, AVA Publishing, 2005.
Jan Krebs, Basics Design and Living, Birkhauser Architecture, 2018.
Anthony di Mari, Operative Design, (A Catalogue of Spatial Verbs), BisPublishers, 2012.
Charles Doidge, Rosie Parnell & Rachel Sara, The Crit, an Architecture Student’s Handbook, Routledge, 2016.
NCC Volume 2, https://ncc.abcb.gov.au/login
AS2890 Off Street Carparking, Standards Australia, (access via RMIT Library).
AS1428 Disabled Access, Standards Australia, (access via RMIT Library).
Understanding Rescode.pdf (Weblink)
Planning Schedules 54 & 55.

Overview of Assessment

Assessment for this course is ongoing throughout the semester. Your knowledge and understanding of course content is assessed through participation in class exercises, oral/written presentations and through the application of learned skills and insights. Full assessment briefs will be provided and can be found on CANVAS

Assessment Tasks

AT-01 - Residential Design Project 01

AT-02 - Residential Design Project 02

AT-03 - Residential Design Project 03

AT-04 - Residential Design Project 04

Refer to the Canvas Task page for project brief & submission requirements.

Assessment Matrix

An assessment matrix demonstrating alignment of assessment taskswith the relevant Unt of Comptenecy is available on Canvas.

Other Information

Assessment Task

Assessment Task 1 - Product

Assessment Task 2 - Product

Assessment Task 3 - Product

Assessment Quizzes - Knowledge

Assessment

This course is delivered in accordance with competency-based assessment.

CA: Competency achieved
NYC: Not Yet Competent
DNS: Did Not Submit for Assessment

All work for assessments is required to be submitted on the due date and time as outlined in the Assessment Tasks. Exception to this is where an approved Equitable Learning Services plan after discussion with teacher, an application for Special Consideration or an approved Extension of Time is in place, submitted before the task’s due date with appropriate documentation. Any extensions will be in relation to the original submission date only. There are no extensions to resubmissions.

Special consideration Policy (Late Submission)

All assessment tasks are required to be completed to a satisfactory level.
If you are unable to complete any piece of assessment by the due date, you will need to apply for an extension of time for your assessable work.

Please see following access for the details on applying for extension of time to assessments;

Special consideration;
https://www.rmit.edu.au/students/student-essentials/assessment-and-exams/assessment/special-consideration

Application for extension of time;
https://www.rmit.edu.au/students/student-essentials/assessment-and-results/extensions-of-time-for-submission-of-assessable-work

Equitable assessment arrangements (EAA);

https://www.rmit.edu.au/students/support-services/equitable-learning

If your work is incomplete, you are strongly encouraged to submit your work on the due date, in order to meet the submission requirements. Should it be below competency you may be asked to resubmit within 5 working days.

Assessment matrix

An assessment matrix demonstrating alignment of assessment tasks with the relevant Unit of Competency is available from the course contact person (stated above

Other information

Attendance

The major learning experience involves studio-based exercises, demonstration and production.

It is strongly advised that you attend all sessions in order to engage in the required learning activities, ensuring the maximum opportunity to be successful in this course.

Canvas

Use Canvas to access your course content and announcements, submit assignments, and receive your grades and feedback;

All course communication to and from students is to be through Canvas only.

https://www.rmit.edu.au/students/support-and-facilities/it-services-for-students/canvas

Student feedback at RMIT:

You will receive verbal and written feedback by teacher on your work. This feedback also includes suggestions on how you can proceed to the next stage of developing your projects.

The following link is an outline and ways that you will receive your feedback at RMIT;

https://www.rmit.edu.au/students/student-essentials/assessment-and-exams/assessment/feedback-mechanisms

Student Progress Monitoring

Academic progress is an important enabling and proactive strategy to assist you to achieve your learning potential.

Please see following access to the Student progress policy webpage; https://www.rmit.edu.au/students/student-essentials/assessment-and-exams/academic-progress

Submitting Assessments onto Canvas

Here is a guide to submitting assessments on Canvas; https://www.rmit.edu.au/students/student-essentials/assessment-and-exams/assessment/submitting-assessments-in-canvas

Academic Integrity and Plagiarism

RMIT University has a strict policy on plagiarism and academic integrity.

Please see following access for more information on Academic Integrity at RMIT; https://www.rmit.edu.au/students/student-essentials/assessment-and-exams/academic-integrity

Orientation

It's time to get ready; https://www.rmit.edu.au/students/new-student-guide