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Green Infrastructure for Liveable Cities (HORT90039)
Graduate courseworkPoints: 12.5On Campus (Burnley)
About this subject
- Overview
- Eligibility and requirements
- Assessment
- Dates and times
- Further information
- Timetable (login required)(opens in new window)
Contact information
February
Associate Professor Nicholas Williams
Overview
Availability | February |
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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 climate change. In this subject students will gain insights into aspects of policy and planning, design and management of green-infrastructure and how it can improve ecosystem service provision in cities. 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 providing more liveable urban communities for people and wildlife.
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; and
- 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; and
- Building star rating systems.
Last updated: 31 January 2024
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: 31 January 2024
Assessment
Description | Timing | Percentage |
---|---|---|
Pre-intensive essay (max. 1000 words)
| Submitted the day prior to the intensive starting | 20% |
Online short answer quiz questions
| During the teaching period | 20% |
Report (max. 3000 words)
| 3 Weeks after the end of teaching | 60% |
Last updated: 31 January 2024
Dates & times
- February
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 during the intensive period. Total time commitment 170 hours Teaching period 12 February 2024 to 23 February 2024 Last self-enrol date 14 February 2024 Census date 23 February 2024 Last date to withdraw without fail 1 March 2024 Assessment period ends 15 March 2024 February contact information
Associate Professor Nicholas Williams
Time commitment details
118 hours
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: 31 January 2024
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:
Type Name Course Graduate Diploma in Urban Horticulture Course Graduate Certificate in Green Infrastructure Course Master of Environmental Science Course Master of Urban Horticulture - 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: 31 January 2024