1. Demonstrate the understanding of the concepts of sustainable development and how these relate to the built environment.
Assessment Brief
SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE AND ENVIRONMENT
ACADEMIC YEAR 2025/26
Submission details
Module title: Sustainability in the Built Environment
Module code: UBLMR4-15-M
Assessment title: Guiding principles for the delivery of a sustainable development
Assessment type: Individual Report
Assessment weighting: 100% of total module mark
Size or length of assessment: 3000 Words Maximum (no +/- 10% to be used)
Module learning outcomes assessed by this task:
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Demonstrate the understanding of the concepts of sustainable development and how these relate to the built environment.
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Articulate the key drivers and trends affecting the built environment and how these relate to the concepts of sustainable development.
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Demonstrate the understanding of the different measures or features in the built environments that contribute to their sustainability at different spatial scales including infrastructure, neighbourhoods and buildings and their limitations.
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Critique the mechanisms through which sustainable built environments are delivered including legislation and targets, accreditation schemes and environmental management systems.
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Critique the current practices of built environment professionals in terms of sustainable development.
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Utilise different forms of evidence from research and practice in the development of ideas.
Use of AI in assessment: This is a real-world, development-focused report where you are required to choose a specific site and propose a sustainable development plan. Please avoid using AI tools to generate the report, as such submissions can be easily identified. Please ensure that your submission is based on your own research and analysis. However, you may use AI tools to search for information, generate images, check spelling and grammar, and assist with structuring your report. If you have used generative AI for any of these functions in your assessment, you must acknowledge its use through appropriate referencing. Please refer to our specific guidance on using and referencing generative AI. Using generative AI at UWE Bristol - Study skills | UWE Bristol
Guidance on Referencing (inc AI):
Please note that the aim of referencing is to demonstrate you have read and understood a range of sources to evidence your key points. You need to list the references consistently and in such a way as to ensure the reader can follow up on the sources for themselves. You are required to adhere to the UWE Harvard Referencing style, and accurate referencing is included in the marking criteria. For detailed guidance on using the UWE Harvard style, please refer to the referencing guidelines https://www.uwe.ac.uk/study/study-support/study-skills/referencing/uwe-bristol-harvard
Submission and feedback dates
Submission deadline: Before 14:00 on 29th April 2026 This is eligible for 48-hour late submission window Submission format: Word document
Marks and Feedback due on: No later than 20 working days after the late submission window date
N.B. all times are 24-hour clock, current local time (at time of submission) in the UK
Marks and Feedback will be provided via: Marks and feedback will be provided to students via Blackboard
Completing your assessment
What am I required to do on this assessment?
Task
You work for a developer submitting a proposal to the local (or municipal) authority outlining your vision for the development of a brownfield site. The local authority has specified that the development must be sustainable and has asked you to submit six guiding principles for the development.
You are required to submit a 3000-word report to the local authority, detailing your chosen brownfield site, outlining the proposed development, and specifying six guiding principles for sustainable development.
You should select a brownfield site in a town centre/city centre/built-up area of your choice. The development must be appropriate for the site. The following criteria should be used to select a site:
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Is it a brownfield site (i.e. has it been developed in the past, it could be vacant, abandoned or derelict at the moment; it may or may not be contaminated)?
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Is it in an existing urban area (i.e. surrounded on all sides by existing development)? It can be anywhere in the world.
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Is it large enough to accommodate more than a single building with use or uses appropriate for the area?
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If you are proposing housing; is it large enough to accommodate housing at an appropriate density for the area with space for any necessary facilities and amenities? For example: at 40 dwellings per ha it should be at least 2.5 ha, at 80 dwellings per ha it should be at least 1.25 ha.
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Is it available for development now (i.e. is vacant, derelict, abandoned, underused)? If it is in use, you can check whether it is allocated for development (e.g. Strategic Assessment of Land Availability).
- Using your learning from the module, do you think it is a suitable location for sustainable development?
IF YOU HAVE ANSWERED NO TO ANY OF THESE QUESTIONS YOU MUST FIND ANOTHER SITE.
Please note that if the site you have selected has planning permission, we strongly advise that you DO NOT look at the application as the work needs to be your own (and it may not be sustainable!). If construction has started, you cannot use the site as it needs to be available for development. No two students can knowingly use the same site.
Also, you are not allowed to use a site that they have used in another module.
What to include in the report?
ü You need to provide a short introduction setting out:
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A brief description of the site and a map showing its location;
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Basic information about the surrounding area (e.g. transport connections, amenities, land uses);
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What you propose to develop on the site and why (e.g. land uses, types of dwelling, how this responds to policy and local need), with a basic site plan.
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ü Then set out the six guiding principles that your development will adhere to. Each guiding principle should include the following information:
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A short title for the guiding principle (i.e. what is it trying to achieve);
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A brief description of why this guiding principle is important, for example:
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Background to the problem or challenge the principle aims to address through this development;
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Why this guiding principle is necessary to achieve a sustainable built environment;
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How the guiding principle meets key legislation, guidance and/or targets;
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Information on how this guiding principle will be achieved through your proposed development;
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How your development could be measured or accredited to demonstrate that this guiding principle has been achieved;
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Any limitations to the inclusion of this guiding principle.
ü Support your writing with illustrative graphics, images, diagrams, and other visual aids
ü Ensure the guiding principles are backed by relevant academic references and include the reference list.
What not to include in the report
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Do NOT include executive summary, content page, conclusions and appendices.
Where should I start?
Start by selecting a town or city anywhere in the world to base your assessment and research the development priorities for the area. National and local policies are a good starting point for this research.
Next, identify a suitable brownfield site. If your site is in England, the Brownfield Registers for your area can provide useful information.
Based on the priorities of the area or city where your site is located, decide on a sustainable development project. Then, develop guiding principles that are relevant to the proposed project.
When preparing your report, review all topics covered in lectures and tutorials. This includes revisiting lecture materials, notes, recommended readings, and watching recorded lectures.
Additionally, conduct further research to develop guiding principles that best align with the proposed development.
What do I need to do to pass?
Refer to the marking criteria and achievement of the minimum mark of 50%
How do I achieve high marks in this assessment?
Refer to the marking criteria and the characteristics of work that achieves a Merit or Distinction.
How does the learning and teaching relate to the assessment?
All the pre-recorded lectures and live sessions are designed to directly align with the assignment, ensuring that the content covered supports your work on it.
What additional resources may help me complete this assessment?
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Refer to the teaching materials and reading list on Blackboard
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Contact the teaching team to get formative feedback
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Additionally, you`ll find the following additional resources for improving your academic reading and writing skills.
https://www.uwe.ac.uk/study/study-support/study-skills/presenting-and-working-with-others
https://www.uwe.ac.uk/study/study-support/study-skills/library-study-skills-support#section-2
https://www.uwe.ac.uk/study/academic-information/assessments/assessment-offences
https://www.uwe.ac.uk/study/study-support/study-skills/referencing/introduction-to-referencing
What do I do if I am concerned about completing this assessment?
It is recommended that you review all of the relevant materials on Blackboard. You can also speak to your module leader for advice and guidance.
UWE Bristol offer a range of Assessment Support Options that you can explore through this link, and both Academic Support and Wellbeing Support are available.
For further information, please see the Student study essentials.
Use the support above if you feel unable to submit your own work for this module.
How do I avoid an Assessment Offence on this module?
Student commitment to ethical conduct is essential for maintaining the integrity of the university`s academic standards. Students are expected to avoid behaviours that constitute academic offences, such as plagiarism, collusion, contract cheating, falsification, and fabrication. The Academic Integrity webpage provides guidance and support resources to help students uphold these standards. Academic Integrity
Marks and Feedback
Your assessment will be marked according to the following marking criteria. You can use these to evaluate your own work before you submit.
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Criteria |
Fail 0-49% |
Pass 50-59% |
Merit 60-69% |
Distinction 70-100% |
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Site description, proposed development and relevance Weight 30.00% |
No appropriate site for development has been selected; justification for the proposed development is weak or unclear, with little or no consideration of local priorities or site context; a plan of the proposed development is missing or inadequate |
A site has been selected, with a basic description and some reference to location; the proposed development shows limited justification and may not fully align with local priorities, site characteristics, or context; a site plan is included but lacks clarity or sufficient detail |
A relevant site has been selected and described including a general map; the proposed development is justified and generally aligns with local priorities, site characteristics, and context; a site plan is included, though some details may be imprecise |
A relevant site has been selected and provided a detailed description including map/s; the proposed development is well justified and clearly aligned with local priorities, site characteristics and the context. A detailed and clear site plan is included |
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Appropriateness, and quality of guiding principles Weight 40.00% |
Guiding principles are inappropriate, incomplete, or irrelevant to the development; explanations are absent or unclear; implementation strategies and measurement methods are missing or wholly inadequate; limitations are not acknowledged |
Guiding principles are present but may be generic, underdeveloped, or only partially aligned to the development; explanations are limited or imprecise; implementation strategies are broad or impractical; measurement/accredi tation is only superficially addressed; limitations are mentioned briefly or inconsistently |
Guiding principles are appropriate and mostly relevant to the development; titles and descriptions are clear but may lack depth or precision; implementation strategies are realistic but may not be fully developed or innovative; measurement/accredi tation methods are identified but not consistently detailed; limitations are acknowledged, though discussion may be limited |
Guiding principles are highly appropriate, clearly articulated, and fully aligned with the proposed development and sustainability objectives; titles and descriptions are concise yet comprehensive, demonstrating strong understanding of key challenges and solutions; implementation strategies are innovative, realistic, and clearly linked to achieving sustainability outcomes; measurement/accreditati on methods are specific and practical; limitations are critically acknowledged |
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Extent to which the evidence has been used to justify the guiding principles Weight 10.00% |
Guiding principles are unsupported and unjustified using meaningful evidence; little or no understanding of sustainability issues is demonstrated |
Limited or inconsistent use of evidence to justify guiding principles; sources may be generic or weakly integrated; justification is present but superficial, showing only partial understanding of sustainability issues |
Relevant evidence is used to justify most guiding principles, with clear links to sustainability objectives; sources are credible but may lack depth or critical integration; justification demonstrates understanding but may not always be consistently strong |
Strong and consistent use of credible, up-to-date evidence (academic research, policy, legislation, standards, or professional guidance) to justify all guiding principles; Justification clearly demonstrates understanding of sustainability challenges and how the principles address them |
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Referencing and range and quality of sources Weight 10.00% |
Referencing and source attribution are inconsistent; lapses in clarity and accuracy are evident; very limited academic literature or background reading; reliance on unreliable or inappropriate sources; Harvard style not followed in-text or in the reference list |
Referencing and source attribution are mainly methodical and accurate; evidence is drawn from a limited range of sources, some of which are academic; Harvard style is attempted but inconsistently applied in-text and/or in the reference list |
Referencing and source attribution are of a good standard; a solid range of literature has been used from quality academic sources; Harvard style is mostly correct and consistent in-text and in the reference list, with only minor errors |
Referencing and source attribution are consistently of a high standard; a wide range of quality academic literature has been engaged with and effectively applied; all references are cited correctly and consistently using Harvard style, both in-text and in the reference list |
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Quality of presentation, standards of literacy and communication Weight 10.00% |
Language lacks clarity, with several errors in spelling and grammar; illustrative material is poorly considered or fails to support communication; organisation is weak and does not facilitate reader understanding |
A generally good standard of written expression with some appropriate illustrative material; organisation supports communication but may lack polish |
Consistently good standard of writing and expression; illustrative material is well-chosen and clearly presented; organisation is logical and effective |
Writing is fluent and elegant, with a coherent structure suited to the assignment; illustrative material is incorporated effectively and enhances communication throughout |
- In line with UWE Bristol’s Assessment Content Limit Policy (formerly the Word Count Policy), word count includes all text, including (but not limited to): the main body of text (including headings), all citations (both in and out of brackets), text boxes, tables and graphs, figures and diagrams, quotes, lists.
- UWE Bristol’s UWE’s Assessment Offences Policy requires that you submit work that is entirely your own and reflects your own learning, so it is important to:
ü Ensure you reference all sources used, using the UWE Harvard and the guidance available on UWE’s Study Skills referencing pages.
ü Refer to peer reviewed primary sources, rather than using AI or secondary sources
ü Avoid copying and pasting any work into this assessment, including your own previous assessments, work from other students or internet sources
ü Develop your own style, arguments and wording, so avoid copying sources and changing individual words but keeping, essentially, the same sentences and/or structures from other sources
ü Never give your work to others who may copy it
ü If an individual assessment, develop your own work and preparation, and do not allow anyone to make amends on your work (including proof-readers, who may highlight issues but not edit the work) and
When submitting your work, you will be required to confirm that the work is your own, and text-matching software and other methods are routinely used to check submissions against other submissions to the university and internet sources. Details of what constitutes plagiarism and how to avoid it can be found on UWE’s Study Skills pages about avoiding plagiarism.
