ENE1621 - Environmental engineering

Overview

Our environment is degrading rapidly and in complex ways. Environmental engineers aim to reduce society's impact on our environment by understanding how the aspects of the environment we interact with behave and how engineering solutions can help. In this unit, we will examine various perspectives on sustainability and their interactions … For more content click the Read More button below. A major difference between environmental engineering and most other fields of engineering is that we work at the intersection of a dynamic and complex natural environment and the complexities of society. Consequently, a broad range of quantitative numerical skills are required, but also strong independent critical thinking about the problems and the appropriateness of the methods and solutions. In this unit, these skills are developed through a range of mini-projects within each practical class and two on-campus field monitoring practical classes. Some practicals require analysis of environmental data and modelling of the environment while others focus on critically reflecting on and discussing conflicting views and solutions. What all of these practical classes have in common is that they tackle complex environmental problems with no straightforward answers. In working through these problems with the lecturers, you will have the opportunity to enhance your critical thinking and communication skills through hands-on quantitative and qualitative activities, which will provide long-term professional benefits.

A major difference between environmental engineering and most other fields of engineering is that we work at the intersection of a dynamic and complex natural environment and the complexities of society. Consequently, a broad range of quantitative numerical skills are required, but also strong independent critical thinking about the problems and the appropriateness of the methods and solutions. In this unit, these skills are developed through a range of mini-projects within each practical class and two on-campus field monitoring practical classes. Some practicals require analysis of environmental data and modelling of the environment while others focus on critically reflecting on and discussing conflicting views and solutions. What all of these practical classes have in common is that they tackle complex environmental problems with no straightforward answers. In working through these problems with the lecturers, you will have the opportunity to enhance your critical thinking and communication skills through hands-on quantitative and qualitative activities, which will provide long-term professional benefits.

Offerings

S1-01-CLAYTON-ON-CAMPUS

Contacts

Chief Examiner(s)

Dr Tim Peterson

Unit Coordinator(s)

Dr Tim Peterson

Learning outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, you should be able to:

Identify and discern the complexities of environmental issues related to water, waste, energy and climate change and their interaction with population factors and sustainability principles.

Conduct environmental monitoring to quantify environmental dynamics.

Analyse environmental observations (using Excel) to discern trends over time and the impacts of climate change.

Construct and apply simple environmental numerical models (in Excel) and use them to make predictions.

Discuss major environmental issues and solutions and communicate the findings orally and in professional reports.

Teaching approach

Enquiry-based learning

Active learning

Assessment summary

Continuous assessment: 50%

Final assessment: 50%

This unit contains threshold hurdle requirements that you must achieve to be able to pass the unit. You are required to achieve at least 45% in the total continuous assessment component and at least 45% in the final assessment component. The consequence of not achieving a hurdle requirement is a fail grade (NH) and a maximum mark of 45 for the unit.

Assessment

1 - Individual active learning tasks

2 - Individual assignment

3 - Major group project and presentation

4 - Final assessment

Scheduled and non-scheduled teaching activities

Laboratories

Practical activities

Workshops

Workload requirements

Workload

The minimum total expected workload to achieve the learning outcomes for this unit is 144 hours per semester typically comprising a mixture of 3-6 hours of scheduled learning activities and 6-9 hours of independent study per week. Scheduled activities may include a combination of teacher-directed learning, peer-directed learning and online engagement. Independent study may include associated readings, assessment and preparation for scheduled activities.

Other unit costs

The following item is mandatory for practical aspects of the unit and should be purchased at your own cost as you will be reusing them throughout your course.

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