Module FOUN0497: ENGINEERING IN THE ENVIRONMENT

Department: Foundation Year

FOUN0497: ENGINEERING IN THE ENVIRONMENT

Pre-requisites

Corequisites

Excluded Combinations

Aims

• To develop awareness and knowledge of key environmental issues and the science and engineering behind them.
• To constructively apply knowledge gained in other subject areas.
• To develop library and research skills.

Content

• Energy Introduction to electricity production, history of energy, supply and demand, alternative energies, non-renewable/renewable/sustainable energies, overview of advantages and disadvantages of different kinds, potential for future use. Detailed consideration of power production from solar, wind, hydro-electricity and waves.
• Nuclear power: principles of nuclear fission, nuclear reactor design, safety issues, storage and treatment of waste.
• Cars and transport How a car engine works, measures for reducing car, air pollution — catalytic convertors, lean burn engines etc — alternative transport policies.
• Recycling and Waste Alternative methods of waste disposal, recycling.
• Climate Change Electromagnetic spectrum, greenhouse effect, implications for climate, greenhouse gas reduction.
• Water Treatment, management of resources.
• Structure of materials, particularly metals and their alloys.

Learning Outcomes

• By the end of this module the student will have acquired the knowledge to be able to:
• describe the basic concepts involved in energy production, transport, recycling and waste management, climate change and water as detailed in the content list.

• By the end of this module the student will have acquired the skills to be able to:
• to interpret information to design environmental solutions

• By the end of the module students will:
• be able to communicate effectively in writing.
• be able to apply number both in the tackling of numerical problems and in the collecting, recording, interpreting and presenting of data.
• be able to demonstrate problem solving skills.

Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module

• Theory, initial concepts and techniques will be introduced during lectures and demonstrations.
• Much of the learning, understanding and consolidation will take place through the use of structured activities during tutorials and students' own time.
• Research and library skills will be developed through structured and non-structured research activities.
• Knowledge,understanding and ability to interpret information will be assessed by a portfolio of set tasks and exercises and an end of module examination.
• Research and interpretation skills will be assessed by a set design exercise.

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Summative Assessment

Formative Assessment

Students will be given self testing units on a weekly basis. Students will be given some formative research and design exercises.