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1. Demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between climate change and the concept of sustainability and its implication to the built environment.

Coursework Assignment Brief

Postgraduate (Resit)

Academic Year 2024-25

Module Title:

Sustainable Construction

Module Code:

BNV7129

Assessment Title:

Portfolio

Assessment Type

CWRK

Weighting: 100 %

School:

School of Engineering and the Built Environment

Module Co-ordinator:

 

Return of Feedback date and format

20 working days from date of submission (see Moodle for details).

Re-assessment hand in deadline date:

 28th July 2025

Support available for students required to submit a re-assessment:

Timetabled revisions sessions will be arranged for the period immediately preceding the hand in date

NOTE:

At the first assessment attempt, the full range of marks is available. At the re-assessment attempt the mark is capped and the maximum mark that can be achieved is 50%.

Assessment Summary

A portfolio of three critical summaries of topics related to sustainable construction, drawing on examples from practice. This should be around 3,000 words in total, with each summary being about 900 words and a short introduction and conclusion.

This is worth 100% of your overall mark.

IMPORTANT STATEMENTS

Standard Postgraduate Regulations

Your studies will be governed by the BCU Academic Regulations on Assessment, Progression and Awards. Copies of regulations can be found at  https://www.bcu.ac.uk/student-info/student-contract

For courses accredited by professional bodies such as the IET (Institution of Engineering and Technology) there are some derogations from the standard regulations and these are detailed in your Programme Handbook

Cheating and Plagiarism

Both cheating and plagiarism are totally unacceptable and the University maintains a strict policy against them.  It is YOUR responsibility to be aware of this policy and to act accordingly. Please refer to the Academic Registry Guidance at https://icity.bcu.ac.uk/Academic-Services/Information-for-Students/Assessment/Avoiding-Allegations-of-Cheating

The basic principles are:

  • Don’t pass off anyone else’s work as your own, including work from “essay banks”. This is plagiarism and is viewed extremely seriously by the University.

  • Don’t submit a piece of work in whole or in part that has already been submitted for assessment elsewhere. This is called duplication and, like plagiarism, is viewed extremely seriously by the University.

  • Always acknowledge all of the sources that you have used in your coursework assignment or project.

  • If you are using the exact words of another person, always put them in quotation marks.

  • Check that you know whether the coursework is to be produced individually or whether you can work with others.

  • If you are doing group work, be sure about what you are supposed to do on your own.

  • Never make up or falsify data to prove your point.

  • Never allow others to copy your work.

  • Never lend disks, memory sticks or copies of your coursework to any other student in the University; this may lead you being accused of collusion.

By submitting coursework, either physically or electronically, you are confirming that it is your own work (or, in the case of a group submission, that it is the result of joint work undertaken by members of the group that you represent) and that you have read and understand the University’s guidance on plagiarism and cheating.

You should be aware that coursework may be submitted to an electronic detection system in order to help ascertain if any plagiarised material is present. You may check your own work prior to submission using Turnitin at the Formative Moodle Site.  If you have queries about what constitutes plagiarism, please speak to your module tutor or the Centre for Academic Success.

Electronic Submission of Work

It is your responsibility to ensure that work submitted in electronic format can be opened on a faculty computer and to check that any electronic submissions have been successfully uploaded. If it cannot be opened it will not be marked. Any required file formats will be specified in the assignment brief and failure to comply with these submission requirements will result in work not being marked.  You must retain a copy of all electronic work you have submitted and re-submit if requested.

Learning Outcomes to be Assessed:

  1. Demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between climate change and the concept of sustainability and its implication to the built environment.

  2. Evaluate sustainable construction/design solutions and critically reflect on good practice examples (national and international).

  3. Explore and analyse the role of the Project Manager/ Quantity Surveyor/ in the delivery of sustainability in a construction context.

  4. Critically analyse future opportunities and threats for sustainable construction solutions nationally and internationally.

Assessment Details:

Title: Portfolio evaluating sustainable construction solutions

Style: Portfolio

Rationale:

Sustainability is a holistic concept where multiple elements (which can be in tension with each other) must be addressed.  True sustainability can be counterintuitive, so proposed sustainable solutions for the built environment must be properly evaluated and critiqued. Therefore, a portfolio containing critical evaluations of several sustainability issues is an appropriate vehicle for assessment. The use of a portfolio also splits the assessment into more manageable pieces, helping you to tackle the work.

Description:

You are required to choose three topics related to construction, that offer a more sustainable future. Examples of the types of topic area you might choose from include renewable energy applications; low and zero carbon technologies; materials; design considerations; climate change mitigation measures; and management practices. A well-balanced portfolio is likely to cover at least two of these topic areas.

For each topic, you must undertake a SWOT analysis and provide at least one case study example that illustrates the application and relevance of the topic to modern construction and professionals working within the industry.

The portfolio should include a short introduction or rationale that sets the scene and links your three topics to climate change and the need for more sustainable solutions. There should be a short conclusion which summarises the main points. You should use the Harvard format for referencing. 

The portfolio should be approximately 3,000 words, allowing around 900 words for each topic and 300 words for the introduction and conclusion.

Additional information:

A suggested format for the portfolio is:

Title Page

  1. Rationale for Sustainable Construction

  2. Topic 1

    • Introduction

    • Strengths

    • Weaknesses      

    • Opportunities

    • Threats

    • (Any of the above sections must be illustrated with a case study example)

  3. Topic 2

    • Introduction etc., …

  4. Topic 3

    • Introduction etc., …

  5. BRIEF Conclusion

    • General References

Details of SWOT analysis and related techniques will be explained during the lectures. Opportunities for practising these will be provided during the seminars.

Each chosen topic should be focused to allow for an appropriate depth of analysis, e.g. ‘the use of solar photovoltaic panels in UK residential housing’ rather than ‘solar power’ or ‘renewable energy’. Sustainability is a worldwide issue so examples chosen from outside the UK are encouraged. Feedback on the appropriateness of your topic choices will be provided during the seminars.

Exemplar portfolios from previous years will be made available on Moodle.

To help with development of your portfolio, you are asked to do two pieces of formative assessment:

  1. An informal poster presentation to your classmates on a sustainable construction topic of your choice

  2. An informal presentation to your classmates on a sustainable material.

These are designed to give you feedback from your lecturer and classmates that will help improve your final submission. You are allowed to develop the work you do for the formative assessments and include it in your final portfolio (i.e., you use the same topics). No marks are associated with the formative assessments, but they are an opportunity to test your ideas and practise your presentation skills. Experience has shown that the best marks tend to come from students that have taken full advantage of this opportunity.

For advice on writing style, referencing and academic skills, please make use of the Centre for Academic Success: https://icity.bcu.ac.uk/celt/centre-for-academic-success

Workload: 

The assessment is 3,000 words (+/-10%)

This should take a typical student about 35 hours to complete. 

Transferable skills: 

  • Critical evaluation

  • Report writing

  • Referencing skills

  • Presentation skills

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Why Students Struggle with the Sustainable Construction Portfolio

What is the Sustainable Construction Unit About?

The Sustainable Construction module explores how the construction industry can respond to climate change by adopting more environmentally responsible practices, technologies, and management approaches. Students examine the relationship between sustainability and the built environment while critically evaluating modern construction solutions such as low-carbon technologies, sustainable materials, renewable energy systems, and climate change mitigation strategies. The unit also encourages students to consider the role of construction professionals in delivering sustainable outcomes and to analyse future opportunities and challenges facing the industry both in the UK and internationally.

Although sustainability is now a major priority within construction, many students find this portfolio particularly challenging because sustainability is a broad and often complex concept with no single "correct" answer. Students are expected to select three focused topics, conduct detailed SWOT analyses, integrate real-world case studies, and critically evaluate both the benefits and limitations of sustainable solutions. Many struggle to balance environmental, economic, and social considerations while demonstrating critical thinking rather than simply describing sustainable technologies. Selecting sufficiently narrow topics, finding suitable international examples, and linking all three topics back to climate change can also prove difficult, especially at postgraduate level.

Common Difficulties Students Experience

  • Choosing three focused and balanced sustainability topics.

  • Completing a critical SWOT analysis rather than a descriptive discussion.

  • Linking sustainable solutions directly to climate change challenges.

  • Finding suitable real-world case studies from industry practice.

  • Evaluating both advantages and limitations of sustainable construction approaches.

  • Balancing environmental, social, and economic sustainability considerations.

  • Demonstrating postgraduate-level critical analysis throughout the portfolio.

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