Construction Industry and Environment

This subject is not offered in 2013.

120 hours

For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Student Support and Engagement Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Overview, Learning Outcomes, Assessment and Generic Skills sections of this entry.

It is University policy to take all reasonable steps to minimise the impact of disability upon academic study, and reasonable adjustments will be made to enhance a student's participation in the University's programs. Students who feel their disability may impact on meeting the requirements of this subject are encouraged to discuss this matter with a Faculty Student Adviser and Student Equity and Disability Support: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/disability

This subject aims to develop an understanding and awareness of the life cycle environmental effects of building design and construction, including the approaches that can be used to assess and minimise them, with a particular emphasise on life cycle assessment.

Through an introduction to environmental assessment, including ‘input-output analysis’, this subject articulates the many linkages connecting construction to the rest of the national economy, the production underlying it, and the resources consumed in the process.

Organised as an advanced seminar, the subject will expose students to the latest developments in environmental assessment techniques and their application within the built environment.

• To develop an awareness of the current techniques for quantifying and assessing environmental effects.
• To teach students how to use environmental assessment techniques to improve the environmental performance of the construction industry.
• To provide a theoretical framework for macro-scale examinations of the construction industry.
• To build an appreciation for the position of construction within natural and economic environments.
• To supply analytical and critical tools for the evaluation of construction strategies at industry and project level.

• Class participation (10%)
• Professional report (20%) of 1,200 words, due mid-semester
• Peer review (10%) of 600 words, due in the second half of semester
• Professional report (30%) of 3,000 words, due at the end of semester
• Class presentation (30%) of 20 minutes, due at the end of semester

R. Crawford, Life Cycle Assessment in the Built Environment, London, 2011.

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

At the completion of the subject students should have developed the following skills and capabilities:

• Ability to capture and analyse data to make informed decisions;
• Ability to map or imagine construction-related connections within the economy;
• Ability to present environmental performance information in a range of formats;
• Ability to appreciate the indirect consequences of construction activity;
• Ability to critically evaluate the work of others and provide constructive feedback.