Principles and Practices in Sustainable Development for the Engineering and Built Environment Professions
On completion of the three day course, participants
will be provided with a Certificate of Participation.
For students seeking credit for a 10 Credit Point
value course, assessment requirements comprise the
15% (Daily during Course): Short written items
at the conclusion of each day’s learning.
25% (Day 3 - Evening): Individual presentation
task. Given the activities and discussions undertaken
during the course, students will choose their
topic for the major assessment item. Students
will present a 5 minute summary of the rationale
of their proposed topic and intended methodology
to an audience.
60% (Post-Attendance): Major Assessment Item
(Due within 3 weeks of course completion). Students
will research a minimum of 10 key papers in
relation to their topic (literature review)
and prepare a paper, drawing on their professional
context. Depending on the quality of the papers
produced, there may be the opportunity for actual
submission and/ or publication.
More detail will be provided on each assessment
item in accordance with usual assessment briefing
requirements, prior to commencement of the short
The course facilitators will be available via email
on completion of the course, for questions relating
to the major assessment item.
Satisfactory completion of coursework and associated
assessments will be formally recognised as credit
towards the RMIT Master of Sustainable Practice
(Supervisor - Associate Professor Roger Hadgraft,
School of Civil and Chemical Engineering).
Each course is equivalent to one quarter of a Graduate
Certificate. RMIT postgraduate credit is recognised
at a number of Australian and International Universities.
From the learning points and the background
reading, list three examples of where in the
past engineers have designed for sustainability
and three examples where engineered innovations
have since created as many problems as they
List two to five significant and famous engineering
Are any of those you have listed examples of
design for sustainability? If not…(see
What societal needs and services were these
engineering projects seeking to meet?
How could engineers today go back to the drawing
board and re-examine the problem again to meet
those needs through designing for sustainability?
Broadly speaking what are some of the sustainable
enabling technologies or new design techniques
available today that could assist to achieve
List one global phenomenon that is a major driver
of weather on the planet?
List an international example of a country that
has undergone significant innovation within
its national system of innovation.
List three examples of beneficial outcomes from
the above program.
riefly describe the ‘waves of innovation’
model, and the concept of the ‘sixth wave’
the difference between resource productivity,
resource efficiency and resource intensity.
Refer to Brief Background Information.
two incentives to industry to address material
flows in their products and services.
Define ‘Material Input Per Service Unit’.
What are four points to consider when selecting
a pump? What are the implications of failing
to consider each point? Refer to Lamb, G. (2005)
‘User’s guide to pump selection’,
WME Magazine July 2005, pp 40-41.
What strategy did Jan Schilham use to design
the pipes and pumps system at Interface’s
Shanghai plant? How does this strategy differ
from the conventional strategy that was used
What specific design features in the pipes and
pumps system lead to the small pumping energy?
Discuss the features that would lead to a similar
reduction in pumping energy in an air conditioning
system. Refer to von Weizsacker, E. et al (1997).
the four Whole System Design Principles developed
in Natural Capitalism.
Choose one principle and briefly describe an
engineering design example to illustrate it.
- Define the term ‘Biomimicry’.
- List and summarise the three
principles of Biomimicry.
- List the key steps in the
Biomimetic Design Method.
- Name two examples of information
sources and/or networks that can help engineers
and designers find information about natural
- Define ‘Green Chemistry’.
- Define ‘Green Engineering’.
Natural Edge Project Engineering Sustainable Solutions
Program is supported by the Australian National
for UNESCO through the International Relations
Program of the Department of Foreign Affairs and