Course syllabus for Architecture, environment and sustainable development

Course syllabus adopted 2021-02-26 by Head of Programme (or corresponding).

Overview

  • Swedish nameArkitektur, miljö och hållbar utveckling
  • CodeARK253
  • Credits7.5 Credits
  • OwnerTKARK
  • Education cycleFirst-cycle
  • Main field of studyArchitecture
  • ThemeEnvironment 7.5 c
  • DepartmentARCHITECTURE AND CIVIL ENGINEERING
  • GradingUG - Pass, Fail

Course round 1

  • Teaching language Swedish
  • Application code 45123
  • Open for exchange studentsNo
  • Only students with the course round in the programme overview.

Credit distribution

0115 Written and oral assignments, part A 4.5 c
Grading: UG		 4.5 c
0215 Written and oral assignments, part B 1.5 c
Grading: UG		 1.5 c
0315 Examples class, part C 1.5 c
Grading: UG		 1.5 c

In programmes

Examiner

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Eligibility

General entry requirements for bachelor's level (first cycle)
Applicants enrolled in a programme at Chalmers where the course is included in the study programme are exempted from fulfilling the requirements above.

Specific entry requirements

The same as for the programme that owns the course.
Applicants enrolled in a programme at Chalmers where the course is included in the study programme are exempted from fulfilling the requirements above.

Course specific prerequisites

Swedish.

Aim

The course gives a broad introduction and orientation to sustainable development and sustainable built environments. The course emphasises on life cycle thinking and a holistic approach in which all dimensions of sustainability are respected. The course gives an introduction to how the building sector and the architects work with these questions today. Emphasis is on discussions and seminars in order to support a reflective and critical approach to dealing with sustainable built environments.

Learning outcomes (after completion of the course the student should be able to)

Part A WRITTEN ASSIGNMENT: Team work A (4,5 p). Define a research questions with respect to sustainable building. Gather relevant and reliable literature and material to answer the question. Provide a cohesive reasoning orally and in written to answer the question with support in different sources and draw conclusions. Write an academic text with correct structure, language, style and form. Account for the method used. Use a reference management system. Argue for the reliability of your sources. Give feedback to two other student group's written assignment at two occasions.

Part B: THE ARCHITECT AND A SUSTAINABLE BUILT ENVIRONMENT: Lectures, short assignments/discussions, seminars, study visits (1,5 p) Explain the notion of sustainable development and sustainable building. Account for basic challenges and possibilities for the architect to work for a more sustainable built environment and provide examples of how this can be done with respect to: urban sustainability, social sustainability, energy in buildings and material use.

Part C: PERSONAL STRATEGY: Individual assignment (1,5 p) Orally and in written argue for a personal strategy to work with sustainability in up-coming courses and studios. Explain a relation to United Nationas Global Sustainabiluity Goals. Provide feed-back to other students' personal strategies.

Content

The course is built on lectures with short assignments and discussions, literature and seminars and a longer written assignment. The course is wrapped up with a reflective assignment with the aim of defining a personal strategy to work with sustainability in up-coming courses and studio work.

Organisation

Teachers and supervisors from the academy and from architects' offices participate. Study visits are organised together with industry partners. Students work in smaller groups for assignments and individually for the personal strategy.

Literature

Current open access texts are used and will be listed in the course description provided at the start of the course.

Examination including compulsory elements

Part A: Approved writing assignment regarding content and conclusions, language, style, structure, format, method description and reference system and in accordance with an assessment guideline. Oral and written feed-back on two other student groups' assignments at two separate occasions. An oral presentation of the written assignment at the final critics.

Part B: Oral follow up of literature each week at a seminar and presentation of a visit at an architect's working place.

Part C: Approved personal strategy according to a guideline. Presentation of the personal strategy at a seminar and oral feedback at another student's personal strategy. If the result is not considered as a pass in the course, then supplementation must be completed in accordance to written instructions and assessed in the next subsequent re-examination period. If this primary supplementation does not result in a pass and further supplementation is then required, this will also be notified in writing. This secondary supplementation will be assessed in the subsequent re-examination period. If the additions are then not deemed sufficient for passing the course, the course should be retaken.

The course examiner may assess individual students in other ways than what is stated above if there are special reasons for doing so, for example if a student has a decision from Chalmers on educational support due to disability.