Course overview
This course aims to equip students with knowledge and skill on concepts of sustainability and sustainability measures in engineering design practices. The course will further delve into critical sustainability matrices in industrial development, industrial ecology, life-cycle assessment, end-of-life product management, and circular economy practices. By applying this knowledge, students will develop critical thinking and problem-solving ability to identify and analyse complexity of sustainability issues, and to mitigate their impacts in engineering product developments. The course aligns with the programs intent to introduce concepts and techniques for environmentally conscious product design and production, preparing students to appreciate net-zero transitions in future engineering challenges.
Course learning outcomes
- Explain the complexity and implications of environmental, economic, and societal issues related to contemporary engineering designs and industrial developments in both local and global contexts
- Evaluate various industrial ecology strategies and cleaner production techniques regarding their effectiveness for achieving resource efficiency and sustainable development at the organisational and regional levels
- Apply life cycle assessment techniques to analyse and identify problems and opportunities in the development, use, and end-of-life phases of engineering products/systems to mitigate whole-of-life environmental impacts
- Develop and present realistic solutions for product improvement/redesign at the conceptual level for sustainability by integrating eco-design principles, net-zero strategies, and professional engineering design approaches