Course content

This course is about the building process and the construction engineer in a sustainability perspective. It is an introduction to the whole construction industry and its position and role in society. Using a real-life case project as example, the students will get to know challenges and roles they will meet throughout their whole working career.

Learning outcome

This course is designed to give the students keys to understanding the construction industry and to motivate for further studies. It gives a basis for deeper understanding later in the studies.

Knowledge:

The student has knowledge about

• construction industry’s role in society, and its value creation potential
• the building process with the roles and actors operating there
• general requirements for societal planning and design for universal accessibility
• different types of processes, phases and planning stages
• project as a working method.

Skills:

The student shall be able to

• perform a simple stakeholder analysis
• use flow diagrams to structure problems
• work efficiently in groups
• reflect on their own learning

General competence:

The student knows

• relevant professional terminology
• basic concepts and principles in organizing and management of projects
• value chains and supply chains in the construction process
• principles for communication and collaboration in construction

Digital competence:

The student has knowledge about

• information need, to be able to make important decisions
• the dependency between people, processes and digital means

Sustainability competence:

The student has knowledge about

• the concept of sustainability, what it means for construction industry
• the construction industry responsibility for sustainability in both environmental-, social-, and economic perspectives

Learning methods and activities

Lectures, exercises, and case related tasks.

Reflection activities and -notes.

Compulsory assignments

• 80 % participation in exercises
• 80 % attendance in summary and presentation

Recommended previous knowledge

None.

Course materials

Geir Karsten Hansen: Samspillet i byggeprosessen, Fagbokforlaget.

Notes on stakeholder analysis, flow diagrams and design for universal accessibility.

Other will be given at course start.