MABY4700 Life Cycle Assessment for Built Environment Course description

The course gives students an introduction to how consulting engineers in the field of building technology and structural engineering can actively contribute to the development of sustainable solutions in the construction industry of the future. Sustainable design and construction requires more information, calculations and assessment and a greater degree of interdisciplinary cooperation.

No formal requirements over and above the admission requirements.

After completing the course, the student is expected to have achieved the following learning outcomes defined in terms of knowledge, skills and general competence:

Knowledge:

The student:

·         has knowledge of the sustainability concept and is able to identify common environmental impacts from buildings and structures

·         has knowledge of the drivers behind the development and implementation of sustainability assessments

·         has in-depth knowledge of life-cycle methodology, with the focus on system limits, service life and functional units

·         is capable of recommending relevant standards, guidelines and commercial methods for sustainability assessments and life-cycle analyses.

Skills:

The student is capable of:

·         comparing methods for assessing the environmental performance of building technology and structural engineering solutions

·         applying regulations, relevant standards, guidelines and commercial methods in the performance of sustainability assessments and life-cycle analyses of simple buildings and structures

·         performing calculations and documentation of greenhouse gas emissions in a life-cycle perspective for a building

·         using spreadsheet tools and BIM-based software for the collection, processing, sharing and presentation of relevant information in interdisciplinary assessments

·         choosing appropriate building technology and structural engineering solutions based on sustainability and life-cycle assessments

General competence:

The student is capable of

·         analyzing complexity and assessing the scope of possibility for design and construction to achieve sustainable solutions

·         cooperating in groups on a real, interdisciplinary task

·         presenting academic results and evaluations in a scholarly manner.

The teaching will consist of a combination of lectures, discussions, inspection of building projects and independent work on assignments (individually and in groups). Lectures provide the necessary knowledge for understanding climate and environmental issues, as well as life cycle approaches and systems thinking. Practical use of tools and software is taught to enable students to collect information, for calculations and assessments, and to present solutions in written reports and presentations.

Knowledge tests and exercises check the student's understanding. The students work on a project in teams of 2-4 and are tasked with developing sustainable solutions. 

Two individual exercises must be completed and passed.

The exam is a Portfolio exam, which consists of the following:

• Results of three individual knowledge tests.
• Final submission of exercises.
• Project report prepared in groups of 2-4 students, approx. 20-30 pages.Oral/visual (video) presentation of the project report.

Each student's work will be assessed together as a portfolio with one individual grade at the end of the semester, but all parts that make up the portfolio must be assessed as 'pass' in order for the student to pass the course. 

The exam cannot be appealed.  If a student fails the portfolio assessment, he/she is given one opportunity to resubmit the portfolio.

All aids are permitted.

Grade scale A-F. 

Two internal examiner. External examiners are used regularly.

Ann Karina Lassen