7B031E - Engineering Sustainability Project 01 Sep 2027 - 31 Aug 2033 | Version 1
Associated Module Information
| Module Code: | 7B031E | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Module Title: | Engineering Sustainability Project | ||
| Faculty: | Faculty of Business and Creative Industries | ||
| Faculty Group: | Operations and Management | ||
| Faculty Sub Group: | Operations and Management | ||
| Module Leader: | Paul Byard | ||
| Module Team: | Sriram Chinnadurai | ||
| First Intended Intake: | SEP 2027 | Final Year of Intake: | |
| Date Closed: | |||
| Credit Value: | 30 | Credit Level: | 7 |
| Language: | English | ||
| Percentage of Module Taught in Welsh: | 0 | ||
| Equivalent Module: | |||
| HECOS codes: | |||
| HECOS Code Weighting: | |||
Document Version Information
| Version | 1 |
|---|---|
| Valid From | 01 Sep 2027 |
| Valid To | 31 Aug 2033 |
Module Aims
The main aims of the module are:
Aim 1 - To develop the ability to design innovative, responsible, and context-appropriate engineering solutions by integrating technical skills with an understanding of global challenges, sustainability, ethics, and the wider social, environmental, and economic impacts of engineering decisions.
Aim 2 - To prepare students for effective global engineering practice by strengthening their capacity to think critically, use analytical decision-making tools, and collaborate and lead within diverse, multidisciplinary teams to deliver informed, ethical, and high-value project outcomes.
Content Summary
This module develops students' understanding of sustainable and ethical practice in engineering contexts, examining how solutions can be designed to balance technical performance with environmental, social, and economic impacts. Students explore the foundations of sustainable development, including legislation, resource efficiency, energy systems, environmental constraints, and societal expectations. The module also introduces core principles of material selection, focusing on choosing appropriate, low-impact materials based on lifecycle performance, durability, recyclability, energy intensity, and supply-chain risk.
Working in groups, students tackle a real-world sustainability challenge, applying value engineering within a closed-loop methodology to ensure that proposed solutions minimise waste, maximise value, and support circular-economy outcomes. Tools covered include the triple bottom line, stakeholder analysis, eco-audit methods, carbon and energy footprinting, closed-loop material flow analysis, and lifecycle assessment. By integrating qualitative reasoning with quantitative data, students learn to construct evidence-based arguments for sustainable engineering decisions, drawing on academic research, industry frameworks, and their emerging professional practice.
Throughout the module, students are encouraged to critically reflect on the broader implications of engineering decisions, developing the analytical confidence and professional awareness needed to navigate complex, real-world sustainability challenges across diverse sectors and global contexts.
Learning and Teaching Methods
| Activity Type | Hours |
|---|---|
| Lecture | 6 |
| Workshop / Seminars | 42 |
| Plenary | 6 |
| Guided Study | 36 |
| Groupwork | 20 |
| Independent study | 120 |
| Formative Assessment | 30 |
| Summative Assessment | 60 |
| Total Hours Selected | 320 |
Learning Outcomes
| # | Learning Outcome |
|---|---|
| LO1 | Design innovative, context appropriate engineering project solutions by integrating interdisciplinary knowledge, ethical principles, and an understanding of global, environmental, and societal impacts. |
| LO2 | Critically evaluate the positive and negative consequences of engineering projects worldwide, demonstrating the ability to appraise risks, unintended outcomes, and long term implications for diverse stakeholders and global development. |
Module Requisites
N/A
Assessment Criteria
| Assessment Category | Assessment Type | Description | Duration | Word Count | Weight (%) | Best of? | Pass Mark |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Asynchronous Assessment | Group Presentation (Asynchronous) | Individual 5 mins as part of a group. 5 max | 5 | N/A | 25 | No | 40 |
| Asynchronous Assessment | Report 1 | Individual Written Report (Asynchronous) | 0 | 3000 | 75 | No | 40 |
Assessment Matrix
| Assessment Type | Learning Outcomes | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| LO1 | LO2 | ||
| Group Presentation (Asynchronous) | ✔ | ✔ | |
| Report 1 | ✔ | ✔ | |