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Unit outline_

DESC9147: Sustainable Building Design Principles

Semester 1, 2022 [Block mode] - Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

Many buildings claim to be sustainable, but what are the design principles that allow them to achieve this? This unit aims to develop a critical understanding in students of building design principles that reduce the impact of the built environment on energy and other resource flows. Students will gain an overview of technical strategies that reduce the environmental impact of buildings and develop an awareness of the benchmarks and metrics used to judge the implementation of environmental design principles. The unit pays particular attention to design principles that relate to the environmental performance of the building fabric and the thermal systems of buildings.

Unit details and rules

Academic unit Architectural and Design Science
Credit points 6
Prerequisites
? 
None
Corequisites
? 
None
Prohibitions
? 
None
Assumed knowledge
? 

Fundamental knowledge of building design

Available to study abroad and exchange students

Yes

Teaching staff

Coordinator Daniel Ryan, daniel.ryan@sydney.edu.au
Type Description Weight Due Length
Assignment Assessment 2: Sustainable building redesign
Written report
65% STUVAC 3000 words
Outcomes assessed: LO4 LO1 LO3 LO2 LO7 LO5
Assignment group assignment Assessment 1 – Environmental building case study
Case study and poster presentation
35% Week 07 A0 or 2xA1
Outcomes assessed: LO4 LO1 LO3 LO6 LO2 LO7 LO5
group assignment = group assignment ?

Assessment summary

  • Assessment 1: Environmental building case study: You are asked to do a case study of a classic environmental building. 
  • Assessment 2: Sustainable building redesign: Taking a set of sustainable design principles you are asked to redesign the building.
  • Detailed information for each assessment 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

Work of outstanding quality, demonstrating mastery of the learning outcomes assessed. The work shows significant innovation, experimentation, critical analysis, synthesis, insight, creativity, and/or exceptional skill.

Distinction

75 - 84

Work of excellent quality, demonstrating a sound grasp of the learning outcomes assessed. The work shows innovation, experimentation, critical analysis, synthesis, insight, creativity, and/or superior skill.

Credit

65 - 74

Work of good quality, demonstrating more than satisfactory achievement of the learning outcomes assessed, or work of excellent quality for a majority of the learning outcomes assessed.

Pass

50 - 64

Work demonstrating satisfactory achievement of the learning outcomes assessed.

Fail

0 - 49

Work that does not demonstrate satisfactory achievement of one or more of the learning outcomes assessed.

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:

See the School Resolutions: https://www.sydney.edu.au/handbooks/architecture/rules/faculty_resolutions.shtml

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.

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.

WK Topic Learning activity Learning outcomes
Week 03 Introduction; Environmental crisis as design crisis; Design with Climate Lecture (4.5 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4
Site analysis Tutorial (2.5 hr) LO3 LO4 LO6
Week 05 Using current solar income - Reducing heating and cooling loads, shading design & renewable energy Lecture (4.5 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO7
Climate analysis introduction Computer laboratory (2.5 hr) LO1 LO2 LO5 LO7
Week 06 Designing with Country. Sustaining Place; Designing for Health and Happiness Lecture (4 hr) LO1 LO3
Review of assignment 1 Tutorial (2.5 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO6 LO7
Week 08 Designing for Climate Change: resilience, retrofit and adaptation Lecture (4.5 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO6 LO7
Preliminary design analysis tools Computer laboratory (2.5 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO7
Week 10 Designing like you give a damn: equity, justice and the challenge of green gentrification Lecture (4.5 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO6
Review of assignment 2 Tutorial (2.5 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO7

Attendance and class requirements

Please refer to the Resolutions of the University School: http://sydney.edu.au/handbooks/architecture/rules/faculty_resolutions.shtml

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 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.

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

  • LO1. relate buildings to their climate and place
  • LO2. evaluate sustainable design strategies against a set of design principles
  • LO3. be aware of claims made about the environmental performance of buildings
  • LO4. demonstrate knowledge of the relevant properties of building form, materials and construction elements which impact on the environmental performance of buildings
  • LO5. use early design stage environmental evaluation tools
  • LO6. work collaboratively with others on a project
  • LO7. communicate sustainable design principles and strategies for building design.

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
GQ1 GQ2 GQ3 GQ4 GQ5 GQ6 GQ7 GQ8 GQ9

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

Unit was well reviewed last year. Lecture content has been updated to reduce duplication with other units and introduce a wider range of sustainable design principles.

Additional costs

Students are expected to cover the cost associated with printing assignments.There will also be a small cost associated with cardboard model making for solar studies.

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.