Undergraduate 

Civil Engineering BEng/MEng

Environmental Engineering 1 ENG1027

  • Academic Session: 2024-25
  • School: School of Engineering
  • Credits: 10
  • Level: Level 1 (SCQF level 7)
  • Typically Offered: Semester 2
  • Available to Visiting Students: No
  • Collaborative Online International Learning: No

Short Description

This course provides an introduction to sustainability, environmental engineering and global challenges associated with the engineering design process. It considers how we move towards more sustainable development, particularly around water, waste and sanitation, and considers how we assess the impact of civil engineering developments on the environment. The students take part in Engineering without Borders UK's Engineering for People Design Challenge. The challenge format is adapted to meet the ILOs of this course and students have to focus their design on an issue around Water, waste or sanitation. "The Engineering for People Design Challenge takes a project learning approach to support students in understanding their impact as engineers on both people and the planet. To do so effectively, we work in collaboration with a community partner to produce a real-world design brief that is shaped by insights and reflections through interviews with the local community. Previous partners have included Makers Valley in South Africa, EcoSwellin Peru, Centre for Appropriate Technology in Australia and Govan Community Project in Scotland. Inspired by the EWB Challenge run by Engineers Without Borders Australia, the Engineering for People Design Challenge is run in partnership by Engineers Without Borders South Africa and Engineers Without Borders UK. Since starting in 2011, the programme has reached over 60,000 students across Cameroon, Ireland, South Africa, the UK and the USA" https://www.ewb-uk.org/upskill/design-challenges/engineering-for-people-design-challenge/

Timetable

1x 2-hour introduction in term 1

1 x 1-hour lecture per week for the first 5 weeks of the course

1 x 2-hour design tutorial for 10 weeks

1 x 3-hour project presentation event

Excluded Courses

None

Co-requisites

None

Assessment

Assessment

Elevator Pitch and poster (group submission):

These will be evaluated by an independent panel and will account for 30% of your grade.

 

EWB report (group submission):

70%- Peer weighting may be used to correct a group's grade for individual performances out-with the norm.

 

Reassessment

In accordance with the University's Code of Assessment reassessments are normally set for all courses which do not contribute to the honours classifications. For non honours courses, students are offered reassessment in all or any of the components of assessment if the satisfactory (threshold) grade for the overall course is not achieved at the first attempt. This is normally grade D3 for undergraduate students, and grade C3 for postgraduate students. Exceptionally it may not be possible to offer reassessment of some coursework items, in which case the mark achieved at the first attempt will be counted towards the final course grade. Any such exceptions are listed below in this box.

Main Assessment In: April/May

Course Aims

The aims of this course are to:

■ Â·provide an introduction to sustainability and the United Nation's sustainable development goals;

■ explore the opportunities and challenges of achieving more sustainable development, particularly of waste, water and sanitation;

■ develop students' knowledge of issues surrounding engineering projects: ethics, environment and economics;

■  introduce the engineering design process;

■ develop communication and team-working skills;

■ enhance problem-solving skills.

Intended Learning Outcomes of Course

■ By the end of this course students will be able to:

■ Describe the Engineering Design Process

■ Formulate the definition/ specification of a process

■ Carry out research around a specific topic and report it.

■ Understand and incorporate the global dimension of engineering: people, environment and economics in their design

■ Discuss the ethics of an engineer and the UN's sustainable development goals

■ Plan and deliver a 5 minute presentation and 10 page report targeted to a specific audience

Minimum Requirement for Award of Credits

Students must attend the supervised time in workshop and submit all three formative assessments.

 

Students should attend at least 75% of the timetabled classes of the course.

 

Note that these are minimum requirements: good students will achieve far higher participation/submission rates. Any student who misses an assessment or a significant number of classes because of illness or other good cause should report this by completing a MyCampus absence report.

 

Note that these are minimum requirements: good students will achieve far higher participation/submission rates. Any student who misses an assessment or a significant number of classes because of illness or other good cause should report this by completing a MyCampus absence report.