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Green Infrastructure for Liveable Cities (HORT90039)
Graduate courseworkPoints: 12.5On Campus (Burnley)
For information about the University’s phased return to campus and in-person activity in Winter and Semester 2, please refer to the on-campus subjects page.
About this subject
- Overview
- Eligibility and requirements
- Assessment
- Dates and times
- Further information
- Timetable(opens in new window)
Contact information
Please refer to the LMS for up-to-date subject information, including assessment and participation requirements, for subjects being offered in 2020.
Overview
Availability | Summer Term August |
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Fees | Look up fees |
Green infrastructure is the network of natural and designed vegetation elements within our cities and towns, in both public and private domains. Green infrastructure includes traditional green elements such as urban parks, gardens and trees, as well as newer green roofs, green walls and rain garden technologies. Green infrastructure provides a number of significant economic, social and environmental benefits and is an effective means of helping to adapt our buildings, communities and cities to future climate change conditions. In this subject students will gain insights into aspects of planning, design and management of green infrastructure including green roofs, green walls, urban forests and water sensitive urban design strategies. The use of green infrastructure as ‘living architecture’ and the design considerations involved will be discussed. At the building scale, this will include an understanding of the improved energy efficiencies provided by green infrastructure and their role in building star energy rating systems. At the neighbourhood and landscape scale, the role and function of different green infrastructure technologies and systems will be discussed, including roles in ameliorating urban climates, improving urban water retention, use and quality and providing more liveable urban communities.
Intended learning outcomes
Upon completion of this subject students will be able to:
- Recognise different green infrastructure types and their use to mitigate and adapt to climate change
- Describe the different roles, functions and application of green infrastructure and related technologies
- Analyse the design, planning, implementation and management issues relevant to green infrastructure
- Describe the principles of water sensitive urban design and filtration media and the potential to reduce peak flows and improve water quality
- Calculate basic building energy balances and star rating systems
- Discuss factors that influence the ‘urban heat island’ and determine the costs and benefits of different green infrastructure systems for energy saving and climate amelioration.
Generic skills
Generic skills obtained during this course will be:
- Climate change adaption issues from the local (building) to macro (city-wide) scale
- Perspectives of private industry, policy-governance and public for green infrastructure
- Design considerations for ‘living architecture’ in retro-fitted and new developments
- Systems understanding of urban landscapes (water, substrate, vegetation, society, energy)
- Cost-benefit analysis of sustainability initiatives
- Building star rating systems
Last updated: 11 October 2023
Eligibility and requirements
Prerequisites
None
Corequisites
None
Non-allowed subjects
None
Inherent requirements (core participation requirements)
The University of Melbourne is committed to providing students with reasonable adjustments to assessment and participation under the Disability Standards for Education (2005), and the Assessment and Results Policy (MPF1326). Students are expected to meet the core participation requirements for their course. These can be viewed under Entry and Participation Requirements for the course outlines in the Handbook.
This course requires all students to actively and safely participate in field excursions and laboratory activities. Students who feel their disability may impact upon their participation are encouraged to discuss this matter with the Subject Coordinator and Student Equity and Disability Support.
Further details on how to seek academic adjustments can be found on the Student Equity and Disability Support website: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/student-equity/home
Last updated: 11 October 2023
Assessment
Due to the impact of COVID-19, assessment may differ from that published in the Handbook. Students are reminded to check the subject assessment requirements published in the subject outline on the LMS
Description | Timing | Percentage |
---|---|---|
Pre-intensive essay (max. 1000 words)
| Submitted the Friday before intensive teachhing period | 20% |
Online short answer questions, submitted Day 2 and Day 4 of intensive | From Day 2 to Day 4 | 20% |
Report (max. 3000 words), submitted 2 weeks after intensive
| 2 Weeks after the end of teaching | 60% |
Last updated: 11 October 2023
Dates & times
- Summer Term
Principal coordinator Nicholas Williams Mode of delivery On Campus (Burnley) Contact hours Total hours 52 hours - 25 hours of lectures, 22 hours of practicals and 1x 5-hour field trip. Total time commitment 170 hours Pre teaching start date 3 February 2020 Pre teaching requirements Pre teaching period commences on 03/02/2020, first assignment is due the friday before teaching period commences. Teaching period 10 February 2020 to 15 February 2020 Last self-enrol date 4 February 2020 Census date 24 February 2020 Last date to withdraw without fail 28 February 2020 Assessment period ends 29 February 2020 - August
Coordinator Nicholas Williams Mode of delivery On Campus (Burnley) Contact hours 10 x 2 hour lectures, 1 x 4 hour field trip and 5 x 3 hour practicals throughout the teaching period. Total time commitment 170 hours Pre teaching start date 24 July 2020 Pre teaching requirements Pre teaching period commences 2 weeks pior to commencement, first assignment is due the friday before teaching period commences. Teaching period 10 August 2020 to 4 September 2020 Last self-enrol date 27 July 2020 Census date 14 August 2020 Last date to withdraw without fail 28 August 2020 Assessment period ends 18 September 2020
Time commitment details
170 hours
Additional delivery details
This subject is delivered either partially or fully in-person in Second Half Year 2020. Please ensure you are able to attend any essential in-person requirements or speak to Stop 1 about alternative subject options.
Last updated: 11 October 2023
Further information
- Texts
Prescribed texts
There are no specifically prescribed or recommended texts for this subject.
- Related Handbook entries
This subject contributes to the following:
- Available through the Community Access Program
About the Community Access Program (CAP)
This subject is available through the Community Access Program (also called Single Subject Studies) which allows you to enrol in single subjects offered by the University of Melbourne, without the commitment required to complete a whole degree.
Entry requirements including prerequisites may apply. Please refer to the CAP applications page for further information.
- Available to Study Abroad and/or Study Exchange Students
This subject is available to students studying at the University from eligible overseas institutions on exchange and study abroad. Students are required to satisfy any listed requirements, such as pre- and co-requisites, for enrolment in the subject.
Last updated: 11 October 2023