Outline

Overview

Students are exposed to advanced design methodologies that underpin integrated building engineering. The Unit of Study is articulated in the following four components. Selected cased studies are presented in the initial part of the Unit of Study to introduce some of the key design challenges in dealing with structural projects with complex geometries and joints, for which efficient structural arrangements and details can support cost-effective solutions and have a positive effect on other building functionalities. In the second part of the Unit of Study, students will be introduced to available design methodologies and technologies that enable the embedment of a wide range of functionalities within the structural building components, therefore supporting a holistic approach to the building design. Particular attention will be given to the influence of different structural typologies and construction materials on the expected performance of the buildings and how this is perceived by occupants. Current technology available to constantly monitor the building structural performance will also be covered. These considerations will be covered focusing on the different design stages, from conceptual to final design, and the associated documentation. Students will be exposed in the third part of the Unit of Study to current technology available to mitigate urban overheating when considering the design of buildings. Particular attention will be devoted to available engineering solutions that could be installed in buildings and that could find wider applicability in future developments for urban overheating mitigation strategies. In the last part of the Unit of Study, optimisation techniques will be outlined and utilised to investigate the influence of key design parameters on complex structural systems. Sensitivity analyses will be performed to explore the impact of design parameters on the final design, with particular attention devoted to the detailing and arrangement of structural joints. Students will also be exposed to latest trends in building engineering design that support integrated approaches from conceptual to final design stages.

Unit details and rules

Academic unit	Civil Engineering
Credit points	6
Prerequisites ?	None
Corequisites ?	None
Prohibitions ?	None
Assumed knowledge ?	CIVL1900 Introduction to Civil Engineering and CIVL2110 Materials and CIVL2201 Structural Mechanics and MATH2061 Linear Mathematics and Vector Calculus and (CIVL3511 Introduction to Integrated Building Engineering or CIVL9511 Introduction to Integrated Building Engineering)
Available to study abroad and exchange students	Yes

Teaching staff

Coordinator	Gianluca Ranzi, gianluca.ranzi@sydney.edu.au
Lecturer(s)	Gianluca Ranzi, gianluca.ranzi@sydney.edu.au

Assessment

The census date for this unit availability is 2 April 2024

Details
Criteria

Type	Description	Weight	Due	Length
Supervised exam ?	Final exam Questions and answers (see Assessment Summary).	30%	Formal exam period	1.5 hours
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Assignment 1 Questions and answers (see Assessment Summary).	20%	Week 07 Due date: 11 Apr 2024 at 23:59	8-16 pages / 14 hours
Outcomes assessed:
Supervised test ?	In-semester test Questions and answers (see Assessment Summary).	25%	Week 08 Due date: 16 Apr 2024 at 15:10 Closing date: 16 Apr 2024	1 hour
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Assignment 2 Questions and answers (see Assessment Summary). Recorded presentation.	25%	Week 12 Due date: 16 May 2024 at 23:59	10-20 pages / 18 hours
Outcomes assessed:

Assessment summary

- In-person mid-semester test.

- Submission of assignments 1 and 2 in Canvas.

- In-person final exam managed by the Exam Office.

Assessment criteria

Result name	Mark range	Description
High distinction	85-100	Have a thorough understanding of the concepts in this Unit of Study and are able to apply these concepts to new problems
Distinction	75-84	Increasing understanding and abstractions
Credit	65-74	Increasing understanding and abstractions
Pass	50-64	Are able to apply the analysis and design approaches covered in this Unit of Study to basic problems
Fail	0-49	Have no understanding of the concepts covered in this Unit of Study and are not able to solve basic problems

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.

This unit has an exception to the standard University policy or supplementary information has been provided by the unit coordinator. This information is displayed below:

Late penalties: (i) 10% per day of full mark of assignment; and (ii) penalties for mid-semester and final exams to be managed in accordance with University policies.

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.

Support for students

The Support for Students Policy 2023 reflects the University’s commitment to supporting students in their academic journey and making the University safe for students. It is important that you read and understand this policy so that you are familiar with the range of support services available to you and understand how to engage with them.

The University uses email as its primary source of communication with students who need support under the Support for Students Policy 2023. Make sure you check your University email regularly and respond to any communications received from the University.

Learning resources and detailed information about weekly assessment and learning activities can be accessed via Canvas. It is essential that you visit your unit of study Canvas site to ensure you are up to date with all of your tasks.

If you are having difficulties completing your studies, or are feeling unsure about your progress, we are here to help. You can access the support services offered by the University at any time:

Support and Services (including health and wellbeing services, financial support and learning support)
Course planning and administration
Meet with an Academic Adviser

Weekly schedule

WK	Topic	Learning activity
Week 01	Introduction to the integrated engineering design and key challenges for complex building systems. Outline of case studies.	Lecture and tutorial (4 hr)
Week 02	Introduction to the different functionalities performed by selected building components and how these can be considered in modelling and design. Outline of example case studies. Discussion on the verification of calculated results.	Lecture and tutorial (4 hr)
Week 03	Introduction to the different functionalities performed by selected building components and how these can be considered in modelling and design (continued). Examples presented by means of case studies.	Lecture and tutorial (4 hr)
Week 04	Introduction to indoor comfort requirements. Introduction to urban overheating and available mitigation and adaptation techniques related to building applications.	Lecture and tutorial (4 hr)
Week 05	Introduction to urban overheating and available mitigation and adaptation techniques related to building applications (continued).	Lecture and tutorial (4 hr)
Week 06	Considerations on the design methodology applicable to new buildings and to existing buildings. Possible role of health monitoring strategies. Introduction to the preparation of digital documentation.	Lecture and tutorial (4 hr)
Week 07	Introduction to digital documentation and its importance when dealing with integrated building engineering projects.	Lecture and tutorial (4 hr)
Week 08	In-person mid-semester exam and review of material.	Lecture and tutorial (4 hr)
Week 09	Introduction to digital documentation and its importance when dealing with integrated building engineering projects (continued). Sensitivity studies and optimisation techniques applied to complex building systems.	Lecture and tutorial (4 hr)
Week 10	Sensitivity studies and optimisation techniques applied to complex building systems (continued).	Lecture and tutorial (4 hr)
Week 11	Evaluation of the impact of design parameters on a building component design scenario and how this can be performed in an optimisation environment.	Lecture and tutorial (4 hr)
Week 12	From conceptual design to final design. Opportunities of digital information flow. Overview of selected case studies.	Lecture and tutorial (4 hr)
Week 13	Revision for final exam.	Lecture and tutorial (4 hr)

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.

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. Demonstrate written, oral and graphical communication skills at professional engineering standard including capacity to justify an engineering position
LO2. Develop team skills through the completion of a project-based assignment
LO3. Evaluate & synthesise a wide range of resources demonstrating research skills & ability to work across disciplines
LO4. Design of building components based on integrated design approach
LO5. Perform optimisation analysis to identify better performing designs among available options
LO6. Evaluate and compare the results obtained from different approaches
LO7. Address complex problems requiring interdisciplinary approaches
LO8. Apply the fundamental methods of analysis and design
LO9. Derive analytical solutions for simple scenarios related to building components

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.

Student feedback of last year was very positive and no changes were suggested. Despite this, the UoS content has been revised and updated.

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

Support for students

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Study commitment

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links

Media

Student links

About us

Connect

Current students

CIVL5531: Advanced Integrated Building Engineering

Semester 1, 2024 [Normal day] - Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

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

Support for students

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Study commitment

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links

Media

Student links

About us

Connect