Unit information: Sustainable Systems in 2018/19

Unit name	Sustainable Systems
Unit code	CENGM0033
Credit points	10
Level of study	M/7
Teaching block(s)	Teaching Block 1 (weeks 1 - 12)
Unit director	Dr. Carhart
Open unit status	Not open
Pre-requisites	Desirable: CENG30004 - Prof Studies B or equivalent
Co-requisites	None
School/department	Department of Civil Engineering
Faculty	Faculty of Engineering

Description including Unit Aims

This multidisciplinary unit is designed to prepare students to be able to provide creative innovation which will really make a difference in the sustainability of engineered products and services. The rigour of systems thinking applied to the provision of sustainability helps to deliver tangible benefits. The need for this course is well made in "Educating Engineers for 21st Century", RAEng (June 2007). Topics covered include: What is sustainability and how engineers deal with it. The relevance of systems to sustainability, metrics and measures for sustainability: enabling evidence-based decision making. Systems Architectures, models and tools. Natural systems, environmental economics, and qualitative research techniques. A wide range of case examples are used to provide a practical context. The sustainability equivalent of a business game is used to develop skills and reinforce learning, as well helping to create an exciting and enjoyable learning environment.

Aims:

1. To develop a deep understanding of sustainability and sustainable development problems and an advanced ability to investigate and frame them using systems thinking techniques;
2. To deploy rigorous systems thinking processes to integrate the people and physical issues that are the essence of sustainable performance;
3. To engage with examples of the major changes in industrial and economic systems that are needed to meet the sustainability challenges;
4. To establish a performance regime that will measure improvement in sustainability and learning to be fed back;
5. To develop the creative thinking processes which, allied with a deep understanding of needs and performance measurement principles, are required to plan/design substantial improvements in performance of a system.

Intended Learning Outcomes

On completion of this course, successful students will be able to:

1. Demonstrate a thorough understanding of the key challenges inherent in changing complex systems to become more sustainable;
2. Select and establish a measurement regime for a specified complex sustainability problem which is new to them;
3. Select, develop and apply an appropriate systems architectural framework for the specified complex problem;
4. Establish an implementation process that will recognise unintended consequences and provide opportunities for significant improvement in systems performance through synergy;
5. Demonstrate creative and innovative thinking in their approach to systems design.

Teaching Information

Lectures

Seminars

Game

Assessment Information

Assignment Report 100%

Reading and References

1. Royal Academy of Engineering, (2007) 'Creating Systems that Work' http://www.raeng.org.uk/news/publications/list/reports/Creating_Systems_that_work.pdf
2. Benyus J, (2002) 'Biomimicry' HarperCollins Publishers ISBN: 9780060533229
3. Meadows D, (2004) 'Limits to growth – 30 year update' Routledge, ISBN: 9781844071449
4. Anderson R,(1998) 'Mid-Course Correction: Toward a Sustainable Enterprise: the Interface Model', The Peregrinzilla Press, ISBN: 9780964595354
5. Blockley D & Godfrey P, (2000) 'Doing it Differently, Systems for Rethinking Construction' Thomas Telford, ISBN:9780727727480
6. Senge P, 'The Fifth Discipline: The Art and Practice of the Learning Organization' (2006) Random House, ISBN:9781905211203