KA4035 - Sustainable Future and Construction

The learning will revolve around both sustainability concepts and theories of sustainability and their applications in the construction industry.

A range of hypothetical as well as real-world scenarios will be employed during the lectures. A combination of lectures and interactive seminars will be adopted. Video clips, expert interviews, TED talks, case-studies and alike from various parts of the work will also be used and followed by Q&A (question and answer) sessions. You will have opportunities to work in groups and be encouraged to present your work to the rest of the class to ignite wider debates and discussions, enhancing your critical thinking and professional skills in connection to the subject matter. Regular feedback will be also given about the taught element and your coursework. Your learning will be further enhanced through the use of technology. You will have electronic access, via the University’s virtual learning environment (blackboard) and online library resources.

Academic support for this module will be provided by academic staff in a variety of ways. For instance, formative feedback will be provided on your work during lectures, seminars, and activity-based tasks. Summative feedback is also provided specific to your individual coursework component, which contains positive comments on good practices and areas of improvements. The University’s VLE (blackboard) will also allow you to seek additional guidance and engage in academic discussion with academic staff and classmates. You can reach and see the module leader and module tutor(s) to discuss your thoughts on one-to-one basis during the ‘drop-in’ sessions. If any concerns, you can also share them during the class or after the class with your tutors and be guided, as appropriate.

All modules at Northumbria include a range of reading materials that students are expected to engage with. Online reading lists (provided after enrolment) give you access to your reading material for your modules. The Library works in partnership with your module tutors to ensure you have access to the material that you need.

Knowledge & Understanding:

Understand sustainability and climate change in general and the mutual influences between these concepts and the construction sector.

Identify the features of sustainable/green buildings and sustainable/green infrastructures which can offer solutions to challenges/problems of the Construction industry such as the pursuit of the net zero carbon footprint.





Intellectual / Professional skills & abilities:

Demonstrate an understanding of sustainability and environmental issues in the construction sector.

Effectively communicate and present information to both academic and industry audiences.



Personal Values Attributes (Global / Cultural awareness, Ethics, Curiosity) (PVA):

Outline how construction stakeholders can take ethical/social responsibility to deliver solutions for sustainability, climate change, and environmental issues.

Formative Assessment

Formative assessment will be used to allow you to build confidence and highlight any misunderstandings you may have of the theoretical and professional concepts presented in the module. Furthermore, the formative feedback shall be delivered to you verbally by academic staff during formally scheduled teaching and individual or group activity-based sessions to help you learn and prepare you for the submission of your summative assessment.



Summative Assessment

Summative assessment will be by two forms of assessment, these being by presentation and coursework that together will assess your ability to satisfy all the module learning outcomes. You will use the University’s VLE to receive your feedback using appropriate digital feedback tools.

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The Sustainability or Sustainable Development philosophy, both in general and within the context of the construction industry, is a multi- and inter-disciplinary field of study. Construction Managers play an important role in influencing sustainability in the context of the construction and built environment. This module will help you develop and demonstrate a meaning of sustainability from different perspectives including environmental sustainability including climate change, social sustainability and quality of life, and economic sustainability. No only you will evaluate the construction of the built environment on its own but you will also consider it in association with the natural environment, thereby seeking as much seamless integration between the two, as possible. You will also address climate change implications in connection to the net zero carbon agenda and SDGs and appreciate how sustainable and green buildings/infrastructures can contribute to these developments.