CHNG2805: Semester 2, 2021

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Units CHNG2805 Semester 2 2021 [Normal day]

Unit outline_

CHNG2805: Engineering for a Sustainable Society

Semester 2, 2021 [Normal day] - Remote

Overview

This course involves the study of the fundamental concepts which underpin sustainable development, including technical and economic efficiency, environmental stewardship and social responsibility. The course examines both the material and non-material economies from an engineering perspective. Tools such as life-cycle assessment, input-output analysis and multi-criteria decision analysis are examined and implications for resource and energy consumption, pollution and waste generation are analysed. A number of governing sustainability frameworks are discussed to determine their suitability within the context of chemical and biomolecular engineering. A range of approaches and tools for determining the environmental impact of human activities on small and large scale are introduced as part of a sustainability framework. Energy production and use, and product design are investigated from a sustainability perspective.

Unit details and rules

Academic unit	Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
Credit points	6
Prerequisites ?	CHNG1103
Corequisites ?	None
Prohibitions ?	None
Assumed knowledge ?	Mass and energy balances, physical chemistry, physics.
Available to study abroad and exchange students	Yes

Teaching staff

Coordinator	Jun Huang, jun.huang@sydney.edu.au

Type	Description	Weight	Due	Length
Final exam (Record+)	Final Exam Close book final exam	60%	Formal exam period	2 hours
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Tutorial continuous feedback	10%	Multiple weeks	about 1-3 pages
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Project Written report	30%	Week 07 Due date: 24 Sep 2021 at 23:59	15-20 pages
Outcomes assessed:
= group assignment ? = Type B final exam ?

Assessment summary

Students will do the report and tutorials. Detailed information can be found on Canvas.

Assessment criteria

The University awards common result grades, set out in the Coursework Policy 2014 (Schedule 1).

As a general guide, a high distinction indicates work of an exceptional standard, a distinction a very high standard, a credit a good standard, and a pass an acceptable standard.

Result name	Mark range	Description
High distinction	85 - 100
Distinction	75 - 84
Credit	65 - 74
Pass	50 - 64
Fail	0 - 49	When you don’t meet the learning outcomes of the unit to a satisfactory standard.

For more information see guide to grades.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

Academic integrity

The Current Student website provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. The University expects students and staff to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.

We use similarity detection software to detect potential instances of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breach. If such matches indicate evidence of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breaches, your teacher is required to report your work for further investigation.

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) and automated writing tools

You may only use generative AI and automated writing tools in assessment tasks if you are permitted to by your unit coordinator. If you do use these tools, you must acknowledge this in your work, either in a footnote or an acknowledgement section. The assessment instructions or unit outline will give guidance of the types of tools that are permitted and how the tools should be used.

Your final submitted work must be your own, original work. You must acknowledge any use of generative AI tools that have been used in the assessment, and any material that forms part of your submission must be appropriately referenced. For guidance on how to acknowledge the use of AI, please refer to the AI in Education Canvas site.

The unapproved use of these tools or unacknowledged use will be considered a breach of the Academic Integrity Policy and penalties may apply.

Studiosity is permitted unless otherwise indicated by the unit coordinator. The use of this service must be acknowledged in your submission as detailed on the Learning Hub’s Canvas page.

Outside assessment tasks, generative AI tools may be used to support your learning. The AI in Education Canvas site contains a number of productive ways that students are using AI to improve their learning.

Learning support

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

Weekly schedule

WK	Topic	Learning activity
Week 01	Introduction to sustainability, circular economy and systems thinking	Lecture and tutorial (4 hr)
Week 02	Greenhouse effect	Lecture and tutorial (4 hr)
Week 03	Frameworks: the natural step, precautionary principle, industrial ecology and dematerialisation, what are they and what do they mean?	Lecture and tutorial (4 hr)
Week 04	Structuring engineering sustainability problem solving when faced with huge amounts of data/information/opinions	Lecture and tutorial (4 hr)
Week 05	Waste minimisation and cleaner production	Lecture and tutorial (4 hr)
Week 06	Water and sustainability, revision	Lecture and tutorial (4 hr)
Week 07	Project report	Project (4 hr)
Week 08	Pollutants and emission reporting	Lecture and tutorial (4 hr)
Week 09	Risk and risk management, environmental impacts assessments and statements	Lecture and tutorial (4 hr)
Week 10	Business perspectives	Lecture and tutorial (4 hr)
Week 11	A remediation case study - botany industrial park	Lecture and tutorial (4 hr)
Week 12	Sustainability in the cement Industry	Lecture and tutorial (4 hr)
Week 13	Course review and revision	Lecture and tutorial (4 hr)

Attendance and class requirements

Encourge to come Zoom lectures and tutorials, when the Uni is lockdown.

Teaching team will monitor and support your participation.

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 hours of student effort in total.

Required readings

Jackson, T , Material Concerns. Routledge, England., 1997.

Hawken, P., Lovins, A. and Lovins, H.L., Natural capitalism: creating the next industrial revolution. Boston, Little Brown and Co., 1999.

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

Outcomes
Graduate qualities

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

LO1. quantify the environmental performance of industry (with specific reference to the resource and processing sectors) using appropriate tools
LO2. understand corporate responsibilities with respect to sustainability
LO3. effectively communicate sustainability arguments to all stakeholders, and interpreters of social and environmental concerns in ways which can help shape industry practice
LO4. interrogate governing frameworks for sustainability to support actions within industry
LO5. understand the trade-offs in decisions which impact on sustainability
LO6. understand the role of technology in promoting sustainability
LO7. understand the philosophical, social and political bases for sustainability, in addition to the technical, economic and environmental ones
LO8. understand the thermodynamic basis of the material economy in terms of resource consumption and waste generation

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1	Depth of disciplinary expertise Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.
GQ2	Critical thinking and problem solving Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.
GQ3	Oral and written communication Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.
GQ4	Information and digital literacy Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.
GQ5	Inventiveness Generating novel ideas and solutions.
GQ6	Cultural competence Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.
GQ7	Interdisciplinary effectiveness Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.
GQ8	Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.
GQ9	Influence Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes	Graduate qualities
Learning outcomes

Responding to student feedback

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

content and delivery plan adapted to 13 weeks semester

Disclaimer

The University reserves the right to amend units of study or no longer offer certain units, including where there are low enrolment numbers.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.

Current students

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Disclaimer

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