Unit information: Design for Sustainable Built Environment in 2027/28

Please note: Programme and unit information may change as the relevant academic field develops. We may also make changes to the structure of programmes and assessments to improve the student experience.

Unit name Design for Sustainable Built Environment
Unit code CADE30005
Credit points 20
Level of study H/6
Teaching block(s) Teaching Block 1 (weeks 1 - 12)
Unit director Dr. Terzano
Open unit status Not open
Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units)

None

Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units)

None

Units you may not take alongside this one

None

School/department School of Civil, Aerospace and Design Engineering
Faculty Faculty of Engineering

Unit Information

Why is this unit important?

Architecture shapes our physical environment, creates a sense of identity and place, improves our quality of life, and supports sustainable economic development. Through this unit, you will learn about designing buildings that minimise resource consumption and pollution, ultimately combatting the climate crisis. Sustainable design principles can lead to energy-efficient and cost-effective buildings with a reduced environmental impact. This unit will empower you to work effectively with architects and contribute to the design and construction of aesthetically pleasing, functional, and sustainable buildings. This unit is an optional unit within the Design Engineering programme. If you are interested in sustainable architecture and building services, you will find this unit useful and insightful; especially for working with Civil Engineers and Architects.

How does this unit fit into your programme of study

This unit will empower you to know the “language” of architecture design, develop your confidence and be able to apply holistic design principles to real problems.

Your learning on this unit

An overview of content

As design engineers we are regularly required to work in teams with Civil Engineers, architects and related professionals. This course will teach you about sustainable design and how design engineers work together with these other disciplines to realise our collective vision when designing buildings. It will teach you the “language” of architecture and design and build your confidence in applying design principles to real problems. This unit will introduce you to sustainable design, architectural design philosophy, the industrial design process including design team meetings and simple elastic design.

How will students, personally, be different as a result of the unit

This unit will empower you to know the “language” of architecture design, develop your confidence and be able to apply holistic design principles to real problems.

Learning Outcomes

(1) Undertake the initial stages of building design and identify the key roles within a design team.

(2) Be able to professionally communicate architectural and structural concepts and ideas, through words and visual communication;

(3) Approach design in a holistic way by embedding the SDGs in setting the project brief and assessing the proposed concept against the brief;

(4) Produce design calculations for simple elastic elements and initial building services concepts.

How you will learn

The unit will be taught through a mixture of lectures, online materials, workshops and drop in sessions.

In addition to the taught content students will be provided some self study resources to research into conceptual building services design.

How you will be assessed

Tasks which help you learn and prepare you for summative tasks (formative):

In-class practical work, including visual and verbal presentation of work, with ongoing feedback from instructors

Tasks which count towards your unit mark (summative):

Single piece of coursework that includes a group and an individual component (100%)

- The group component, addressing ILOs 1-3, is worth 60% - The individual component, addressing ILO 4, is worth 40%

When assessment does not go to plan:

Reassessment involving a single piece of individual coursework that addresses all the unit learning outcomes.

Resources

If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.

If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. CADE30005).

How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks, independent learning and assessment activity.

See the University Workload statement relating to this unit for more information.

Assessment
The assessment methods listed in this unit specification are designed to enable students to demonstrate the named learning outcomes (LOs). Where a disability prevents a student from undertaking a specific method of assessment, schools will make reasonable adjustments to support a student to demonstrate the LO by an alternative method or with additional resources.

The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit. The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. For appropriate assessments, if you have self-certificated your absence, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (for assessments at the end of TB1 and TB2 this is usually in the next re-assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any exceptional circumstances and operates within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.