42012 Green Technologies: Water-Waste-Energy Nexus
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Subject handbook information prior to 2025 is available in the Archives.
Credit points: 6 cp
Subject level:
Postgraduate
Result type: Grade and marksRequisite(s): 48840 Water Supply and Wastewater Engineering OR 48350 Environmental and Sanitation Engineering
These requisites may not apply to students in certain courses. See access conditions.
Description
The exploitation and degradation of the world's limited natural resources has brought numerous challenges and problems to the environment. Engineers play a leading role in developing and promoting green technologies for sustaining wellbeing and preserving the environment into the future.
The aim of this subject is to enable students to acquire knowledge of green technologies in theory and practice addressing technical, environmental, economic and sociocultural aspects. The subject also provides students with a better understanding of promising new green technologies related to water, solid waste and energy sectors. The green technologies investigated are those directed towards developing efficient treatment processes, recovering resources and energy, reducing the carbon footprint, minimising waste production, and protecting human and environmental health. The subject is designed to accommodate integrated study combining both environmental engineering practice and scientific principles (chemistry, biology and ecology).
By reviewing literature relevant to this subject, students are able to improve critiquing skills by identifying the feasibility and applicability of the current practice. By developing problem-solving and systems-thinking skills in this subject, students are also able to apply principles of sustainability in order to achieve a distinctive holistic approach to identify advances in green technology by utilising green practices (e.g. recycling, re-use, energy efficiency, safety and health concerns, renewable resources, etc.).
Subject learning objectives (SLOs)
Upon successful completion of this subject students should be able to:
| 1. | Investigate and assess environmental pollution and problems using scientific and engineering principles. (D.1) |
|---|---|
| 2. | Evaluate green technology and design eco-friendly, climate-friendly, energy-efficient processes. (C.1) |
| 3. | Evaluate innovation processes and systems based on technical, environmental, economic and social-cultural criteria. (B.1) |
| 4. | Recommend green technologies needed in environmental engineering professional practice through solving “real-world” problems. (C.1) |
Course intended learning outcomes (CILOs)
This subject also contributes specifically to the development of the following Course Intended Learning Outcomes (CILOs):
- Socially Responsible: FEIT graduates identify, engage, and influence stakeholders, and apply expert judgment establishing and managing constraints, conflicts and uncertainties within a hazards and risk framework to define system requirements and interactivity. (B.1)
- Design Oriented: FEIT graduates apply problem solving, design thinking and decision-making methodologies in new contexts or to novel problems, to explore, test, analyse and synthesise complex ideas, theories or concepts. (C.1)
- Technically Proficient: FEIT graduates apply theoretical, conceptual, software and physical tools and advanced discipline knowledge to research, evaluate and predict future performance of systems characterised by complexity. (D.1)
Contribution to the development of graduate attributes
Engineers Australia Stage 1 Competencies
This subject contributes to the development of the following Engineers Australia Stage 1 Competencies:
- 1.3. In-depth understanding of specialist bodies of knowledge within the engineering discipline.
- 1.4. Discernment of knowledge development and research directions within the engineering discipline.
- 1.6. Understanding of the scope, principles, norms, accountabilities and bounds of sustainable engineering practice in the specific discipline.
- 2.2. Fluent application of engineering techniques, tools and resources.
- 2.3. Application of systematic engineering synthesis and design processes.
- 3.3. Creative, innovative and pro-active demeanour.
- 3.4. Professional use and management of information.
Teaching and learning strategies
The learning activities in this subject include formal and informal, face-to-face teaching and discussions, reading as well as out of class activities.
As students studying this subject may have different backgrounds (e.g. Environmental, Civil, Chemical, Mechanical, Electrical, etc.), during Orientation Week, students are required to undertake self-leaning and complete the online Fundamental Knowledge Recognition Test. In the 1st class, students will group together and work out the solutions for all the questions through sharing their knowledge and evaluations with other students and teaching staff. Out of class, students can also consult with staff or other students to confirm the solutions. Some questions will be re-tested in the formal quiz in Week 5.
Before each class, students need to fulfil the self-learning activities by studying the online materials and completing online Pre-work Session Exercise. Students will perform self-assessment in the class through discussions and evaluations. Students will also be able to receive verbal feedback on their individual learning by making an appointment with teaching staff. Written feedback is also given on students' assignments.
Students will be divided into groups and acquire Australian industry experience through both invited lecturers and a field visit.
Students are required to submit assignment and reports by the due dates and participate fully in team activities and seminar presentations. They are also encouraged to undertake individually further research and reading. These supplementary resources can also be found in UTSOnline.
Content (topics)
The subject is designed to provide insights and knowledge for sustainable development, necessary for environmental engineering.
The subject content is designed to meet the objectives of the subject as well as the overall course aims. The main topics that will be covered in this subject relate to:
- Basic concepts of Green technology and environmental sustainability;
- Important environmental issues for most pressing waste, pollution, and resource problems and constraints in developing integrated water and waste management;
- Fundamental science and engineering principles of various green technologies employed for water, waste and energy sectors, including process design, operation, maintenance, monitoring and assessment of performance;
- Concepts of processes and system design, including integration and interconnectivity with available energy and materials flows;
- Technological advances of current green technologies for sustainable water and waste management;
- Application of green technologies for pollution prevention and control, and remediation and restoration;
- Social, economic and political aspects relevant to green technology applications;
- Investigation and assessment of current green technologies through case studies and industry experience.
Professional Skills
- Systems thinking
- Problem solving and design
- Report writing
Assessment
Assessment task 1: Green Technology Case Study
| Intent: | The purpose of the assignment is to cultivate and improve research skills. Through this task, students will gain better in-depth knowledge about green technology. |
|---|---|
| Objective(s): | This assessment task addresses the following subject learning objectives (SLOs): 1, 2 and 3 This assessment task contributes to the development of the following Course Intended Learning Outcomes (CILOs): B.1, C.1 and D.1 |
| Type: | Report |
| Groupwork: | Individual |
| Weight: | 40% |
| Length: | maximum 8 pages |
Assessment task 2: Group Project
| Intent: | To provide students with a real-life situation to better understand present technological advances in sustainable engineering. |
|---|---|
| Objective(s): | This assessment task addresses the following subject learning objectives (SLOs): 1, 2, 3 and 4 This assessment task contributes to the development of the following Course Intended Learning Outcomes (CILOs): B.1, C.1 and D.1 |
| Type: | Project |
| Groupwork: | Group, group assessed |
| Weight: | 30% |
| Length: | Group written report (maximum 20 pages for each assignment) |
Assessment task 3: Online Quiz
| Intent: | To assess knowledge of green technologies for water/wastewater treatment, waste management and energy recovery. |
|---|---|
| Objective(s): | This assessment task addresses the following subject learning objectives (SLOs): 1, 2, 3 and 4 This assessment task contributes to the development of the following Course Intended Learning Outcomes (CILOs): B.1, C.1 and D.1 |
| Type: | Quiz/test |
| Groupwork: | Individual |
| Weight: | 30% |
| Length: | 90 minutes |
Minimum requirements
In order to pass the subject, a student must achieve an overall mark of 50% or more.
Required texts
Course materials prepared by the subject coordinator.
Recommended texts
Books:
1.Chen at al. (2012). Handbook of climate change mitigation, Springer. (available at UTS Library E-book)
2.Sharma S.K. (2012). Green Technologies for Wastewater Treatment, Springer. (available at UTS Library E-book)
3.Karagiannidis A. (2012). Waste to Energy, Springer. (available at UTS Library E-book)
Internet site:
1. Water and waste - Energy Efficiency Exchange (Australian Government Department of Resources, Energy and Tourism): http://www.nhmrc.gov.au/guidelines/publications/eh52
References
- Chen at al. (2012). Handbook of climate change mitigation, Springer.
- Sharma S.K. (2012). Green Technologies for Wastewater Treatment, Springer.
- Galarraga et al. (2011). Handbook of Sustainable Energy, Edward Elgar Publishing Limited, UK.