The School is considering convening a special twelve credit point course on the above topic and is seeking to determine the level of interest from students. The course would run over an approximate two week period in February 2009. It is felt that it would be most appropriate for students who would be planning to complete their program in 2009 or 2010.
What will a sustainable city of the future look like? Can we plan today to develop the models we will need to maintain the expectations of current lifestyles as weneed to adapt to climate change. What are the challenges for urban infrastructure management if our cities are to become carbon neutral?
This elective study tour course is aimed at addressing the major issues of climate change and meeting sustainability criteria.
It starts by considering the attributes of a successful city. Amongst the most liveable cities in the world are Paris and Melbourne.
RMIT students will collaborate with students from Ecole Speciale des Travaux Publics (ESTP) in Paris and compare social and technical attributes of the two cities.
ESTP is one of the most highly regarded technical universities in Europe with veryhigh entrance standards. ESTP programs specialise in urban infrastructure.
The challenges ahead for our cities of the future mean that future generations must be skilled to address issues such as:
-Liveability and sustainability
-Major infrastructure development and maintenance issues
-Quality of life
-Climate change
-Future economies based on carbon neutrality
These are technological skills and skills based on adaptability to climate change and an understanding of the social capital of a successful city.
Students in small collaborative groups will select a particular topic of interest to study in detail. Topics would be drawn from but not limited to the examples below:
1. Green Construction for Building and Civil Works
Site planning, building orientation, embodied energy in construction materials, on-site water re-use, energy conservation in buildings
2. Water Resources
Urban water catchments, water storage and distribution networks, collection of stormwater, recycling of waste water, individual household systems as adjunct supplies
3. Energy
World demand for energy, energy and the economy, non-renewable energy sources – oil, coal, gas, carbon dioxide and global warming, alternate energy sources
4. Urbanism Development
Urban development and planning, regionalism, transport-planning linkage, growth corridors, natural boundaries, socio-economic issues
5. Public Transportation
Environmental impacts of transport, automobile dependence, sustainable transport, planning for cyclists and pedestrians, demand management
6. Waste Management
The production-consumption cycle, landfills, waste avoidance, recycling, source reduction, waste minimisation in construction
7. Communication
Urban spaces for social interaction, public events, cultural exchange, telecommunications, transport substitution through e-communication
8. Heritage Aspects
RMIT and ESTP student groups would initially network via emails prior to the students meeting and then finalising the collaboration through a series of workshopsand site inspections in Paris.Students would be aware of the total class work by all the students involved through the sharing of experiences at project workshops and presentations. The student sections would be developed so that each section can become a chapter in a final complete report on a sustainable city –each section would be a piece in the jigsaw, so to speak
The Course represents a departure from traditional forms of learning:
Students will experience a truly innovative educational activity.
Employers are seeking communicative and outward looking graduates who are ready to engage in multi-disciplinary global work activity.
Participating in this course would develop these skills which employers are seeking.
Students will have greater knowledge of sustainability
Acquisition of skills to help adapt to climate change
Knowledge of urban infrastructure planning and management
Increased cross-cultural awareness
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