Sustainable Engineering Systems – a new approach to civil engineering education

The increasing awareness and requirement for sustainability in undergraduate programmes has led to the development of a Design of Sustainable Engineering Systems (DSES) theme throughout the Newcastle University undergraduate programmes. This case study focuses on the development of the level 6 module in DSES. This module is a 40-credit design-based module that integrates all of the formal taught disciplines and is a vehicle for design-based education. This “real” project focuses on the sustainable development of a large site in the city centre proposed by Arup. Industrial speakers (primarily from Arup) lectured on key elements of the design process and the integration of sustainability in a real context. The students were able (from an outline brief and literature) to develop a detailed client brief for the civil engineering aspects of the project, deliver a master planning solution and present this information in a concise and professional manner at a poster exhibition. Architectural elements of the designs were enhanced with the support of a practising architect. The audience of the exhibition was comprised of a number of industrial professionals, including those who had made inputs to the module, and members of the Industrial Advisory Panel for the civil engineering programme. In order to enhance the student experience of group working, integrate construction management concepts and to develop a “design project simulation”, a project management consultancy was used to evaluate and promote the student-led team development in the module.