Environmental Design in Housing (ARCH30004)

Undergraduate level 3Points: 12.5On Campus (Parkville)

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Overview

Availability
Summer Term
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Environmental Design in Housing forms part of the Environmental Systems specialisation.

This  subject prioritises the sustainable building design process and assessment tools used in the design of NCC class 1 – 2 buildings, which include standalone single dwellings and apartment buildings.

The subject combines theoretical knowledge of the environmental performance of residential buildings (such as energy, comfort, water, daylight, waste, ecology, innovation) with a practical understanding of how the industry assesses them in accordance with Town Planning requirements, the Building Code of Australia, NatHERS and other specialised assessment tools. These skills are closely aligned with industry expectations for positions such as: graduates ESD consultant positions in architecture and engineering companies.

The subject will maximise industry interaction through guest speakers, case studies and site visits.

Prescribed software programs with no cost
Built Environment Sustainability Scorecard
Water Usage Calculator
TankulatorFirstRate5
HOT2000
PVWatts Calculator

Details of software availability and pricing are captured at  https://edsc.unimelb.edu.au/student-experience/it-support

Intended learning outcomes

On successful completion of this subject, students should be able to:

 

  • Provide general advice on the environmental performance of a range of residential buildings, including potential problems from the design of the building fabric, services, and renewable systems;
  • Demonstrate a clear understanding of the industry processes and tools that are used in both town planning and building permit applications;
  • Provide general environmental design advice for a project at the concept stage, such as orientation, heating and cooling loads, facade glazing percentage, heating, cooling and ventilation systems, lighting and renewable energy systems;
  • Complete assessments of residential buildings for current town planning and current building permit requirements;
  • Demonstrate a general understanding of the range of environmental building performance tools, such as Building Environment Sustainability Scorecard, Code for Sustainable Homes, Passivhaus, NatHERS, HOT2000, RETScreen International;
  • Demonstrate understanding of the ways to achieve 'nearly net-zero' or 'net-zero' building performance targets.

Generic skills

  • Upon successful completion of this subject the student will have had the opportunity to develop the following generic skills: • Capacity for independent thought • ability to research through the competent use of the library and other information sources • ability to conceptualise theoretical problems, form judgements and arguments and communicate critically, creatively and theoretically through essay writing, tutorial discussion and presentations; • ability to communicate knowledge intelligibly and economically through essay writing and tutorial discussion; • ability to manage and organise workloads for recommended reading, the completion of essays and assignments and examination revision;

Last updated: 4 March 2025

Eligibility and requirements

Prerequisites

One of

Code Name Teaching period Credit Points
ABPL20036 Environmental Building Systems
Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)
 12.5
ABPL10007 Architectural Technologies 1: Place
Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville)
Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)
 12.5

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.

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: 4 March 2025

Assessment

DescriptionTimingPercentage

Individual Simulation Report, due by the beginning of week 2

  • 500 words
Week 210%

Group presentation on zero energy housing design and sustainable community development strategies (equivalent to 800 words per student), due by the end of week 2

  • 20 minutes
Week 220%

Individual ESD Essay

  • 3000 words
3 Weeks after the end of teaching70%

Last updated: 4 March 2025

Dates & times

  • Summer Term
    Principal coordinatorMasa Noguchi
    Mode of deliveryOn Campus (Parkville)
    Contact hours40 hours (over two weeks), including 2 hours of lectures and 4 hours of tutorials each teaching day.
    Total time commitment170 hours
    Pre teaching requirementsReading materials will be available to students via LMS
    Teaching period13 January 2025 to 24 January 2025
    Last self-enrol date15 January 2025
    Census date24 January 2025
    Last date to withdraw without fail31 January 2025
    Assessment period ends14 February 2025

    Summer Term contact information

    Subject Coordinator

    Masa Noguchi

    masa.noguchi@unimelb.edu.au

     

What do these dates mean

Visit this webpage to find out about these key dates, including how they impact on:

  • Your tuition fees, academic transcript and statements.
  • And for Commonwealth Supported students, your:
       -  Student Learning Entitlement. This applies to all students enrolled in a Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP).
     

    Subjects withdrawn after the census date (including up to the ‘last day to withdraw without fail’) count toward the Student Learning Entitlement.

Last updated: 4 March 2025

Further information

Last updated: 4 March 2025