Unit name | Sustainability, Technology and Business |
---|---|
Unit code | COMSM0006 |
Credit points | 10 |
Level of study | M/7 |
Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 1 (weeks 1 - 12) |
Unit director | Professor. Chris Preist |
Open unit status | Not open |
Pre-requisites |
None |
Co-requisites |
None |
School/department | Department of Computer Science |
Faculty | Faculty of Engineering |
Unit Aims: To provide students with: (i)A conceptual understanding of sustainability and the role of technology in it. (ii) Quantitative assessment techniques currently used in technology R&D and product development. (iii) A critical awareness of problems and insights at the forefront of academic research in the area of sustainability assessment and analysis.
Unit Description: This unit will explore, from both a conceptual and technical perspective, the relationship between technology, business and the sustainability agenda. It will make particular reference to the design and development of technology products and services in the electronics and IT industries, such as tablet computers, music streaming and flat-screen TVs. It will consider different perspectives on the concept of sustainability and the attitudes to technology associated with them. It will present and critically evaluate a number of tools used during technology product R&D, design and manufacture for assessing the sustainability of products. These will include ecological footprinting, lifecycle assessment, social supply chain audit and eco-labelling. It will explore academic perspectives on these, and key research issues facing the field currently. It will also consider the strategic impact of sustainability factors on industry, and the longer-term implications of this on both the public and private sector.
At the end of this unit, it is expected that you will be able to;
Lectures
Life Cycle Analysis Project (20%) (ILO 2 and 3) 2 hour written exam (80%) (ILO 1 and 4)
Hitch Hikers Guide to Life Cycle Analysis – Baumann and Tillman
Organizational Change for Corporate Sustainability – Dunphy et.al.