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Unit of study_
CIVL2010: Environmental Engineering
2025 unit information
This unit introduces students to the role of civil engineers and the historical development of the profession, and relates this to the Code of Ethics - Engineers Australia; impact of engineering on the human and natural environment; energy consumption, resourcing and renewal, dealing with variability in climate; definitions and practice of sustainability; environmental assessment tools and life-cycle analyses. As graduates, students may expect to find themselves in a position which touches upon a wide variety of Engineering fields (including legal, institutional, and environmental considerations). In both small and large firms they could be acting as agents and managers of technology-driven change which has social and environmental impact. Engineering decision-making and problem-solving are made more complex by technical, economic, environmental, social and ethical constraints. The goals of this unit are to introduce students to major problems of environmental deterioration and engage students in active reflection on the role of civil engineers in addressing these issues; to develop the students skills at quantifying the impact of engineering decisions within the broader economic, environmental and socio-cultural contexts; to develop communication skills through participation in group discussions, video production and written report writing. Lectures, group discussions, case problems and projects are all used in teaching and learning in this unit of study.
Unit details and rules
Managing faculty or University school:
Engineering
| Study level | Undergraduate |
|---|---|
| Academic unit | Civil Engineering |
| Credit points | 6 |
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Prerequisites:
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None |
|---|---|
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Corequisites:
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None |
| Prohibitions:
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CIVL3010 |
| Assumed knowledge:
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(MATH1023 or MATH1062) and (ENGG1801 or ENGG1810). Strong calculus knowledge from 1000 level MATH, as well as the ability to program. |
At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:
- LO1. analyse the role civil engineers play in addressing global environmental problems such as climate change
- LO2. interpret scholarly literature in the context of engineering practice
- LO3. communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing, on technical topics
- LO4. apply the 1st and 2nd laws of thermodynamics to environmental problems
- LO5. calculate the spread of airborne pollution
- LO6. examine anthropogenic climate change including its causes, impacts and implications.
- LO7. critically appraise environmental sustainability through the prism of system dynamics
Unit availability
This section lists the session, attendance modes and locations the unit is available in. There is a unit outline for each of the unit availabilities, which gives you information about the unit including assessment details and a schedule of weekly activities.
The outline is published 2 weeks before the first day of teaching. You can look at previous outlines for a guide to the details of a unit.
| Session | MoA ? | Location | Outline ? |
|---|---|---|---|
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Semester 2 2025
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Normal day | Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney |
Outline unavailable
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Modes of attendance (MoA)
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