MABY4700 Life Cycle Assessment for Built Environment Course description

The Master's thesis is based on all subjects from previous semesters or similar competences. To be eligible to write a master's thesis, all courses from the first year of the program must be successfully completed.

The master's thesis will be related to energy and environment in buildings by the student making the right choice of system and technology solutions. The thesis can promote the development of new solutions and technologies, and can be carried out either in an academic environment or in connection with business. The master's thesis should be a specialization in one or a synthesis between several of the core areas of the master's degree. After completing the master's thesis, the student has the following learning outcomes, defined as knowledge, skills and general competence:

Knowledge

The student

• has advanced knowledge of a specialised field in the area of energy and environment in buildings
• has in-depth knowledge of relevant acts and regulations on energy and environment in buildings
• has in-depth knowledge of theories of relevance to the topic of the master's thesis

Skills

The student

• is capable of using relevant scientific theories and methods in research and development projects, either in a professional context or in further studies
• is capable of critically assessing the analytical methods and simulations chosen and their limitations, and collecting data to provide a basis for the decisions to be made
• is capable of collecting data to provide a basis for the decisions to be made

• is capable of carrying out an independent, limited research or development project under supervision and in accordance with applicable research ethical standards
• is capable of formulating arguments in the field

General competence

The student

• has an understanding of the importance of the indoor and outdoors environment to people's everyday lives
• know how scientifically based knowledge can be applied in a systematic and critical way to map, formulate and analyze a current issue in the field.
• can obtain and interpret results from recent research literature

• can present issues in the field of study, written and oral, with a view to critical analysis of measurement data and research results
• has awareness of the following factors - how research can contribute positively to the development of society - professionalism, ethical conduct and tolerance in execution of work

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, structures and infrastructures

· 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 civil engineering solutions

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

· performing calculations and documentation of greenhouse gas emissions in a life-cycle perspective for buildings, structures and infrastructures

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

· choosing appropriate civil 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, and inspection of building projects. 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.

The students work on a project in teams of 2-4 and are tasked with developing sustainable solutions.

If lectures are delivered online, they may be recorded, and the recordings will be made available to students on Canvas.

Master's thesis, a written report of approx. 60 pages. Prototypes and/or other products that the student has developed can be included as part of the submission. Oral presentation of the thesis after which the examiners ask the candidate questions. The examiners will set the grade for the master's thesis after the oral presentation and query.

The report, presentation, answers and eventual prototype will be graded as one unit.

Students can complain about a given grade in accordance with § 5-3 of the Act on Universities and Colleges. In case of complaint, the written report (as well as any prototype) will be reassessed. If the grade after reassessment differs from the original, the student must retake oral presentation and questioning, and the grade can be adjusted up or down, based on the presentation and answers to questions.

Exam Format: Project Report

Project report prepared in groups of 2-4 students, approx. 20-30 pages.

The exam can be appealed.

Graded scale A-F

Forelesninger og øvinger.

Ingen.

Individuell skriftlig eksamen under tilsyn på tre timer.

Eksamensresultat kan påklages.

Ved eventuell ny og utsatt individuell skriftlig eksamen kan muntlig eksamensform bli benyttet. Hvis muntlig eksamen benyttes til ny og utsatt eksamen, kan denne ikke påklages.