Course content

The course introduces principles for sustainability and sustainable development. It describes concepts for improved sustainability across societal, environmental and technology factors. The course allows ethical reflections across goals for sustainable development and how these are part of practical tools in engineering to assess environmental sustainability in a life cycle and systems perspective. Main goals for sustainable engineering include transition for increased resource utilization and circular economy, improved environmental and climate performance, and a social and fair development of society.

The course gives an introduction to method and application of environmental systems analysis, including material flow analysis (MFA), life cycle assessment (LCA), energy analysis, economic analysis and scenario analysis. Examples in teaching apply a life cycle perspective to product-service systems and production-consumption systems. Course assignments and group work allow training in application and interpretation of methods for sustainable engineering.

Lectures and assignments are in Norwegian.

Learning outcome

Knowledge to:

i) describe principles for sustainability and sustainable development and discuss general concepts for improved sustainability in engineering considering environmental, technological and societal goals.

ii) explain methods for sustainability evaluation of technology in a life cycle and systems perspective and their application for analysis and comparison of engineering solutions.

Skills to:

i) define life cycle and system of analysis for sustainability evaluation and apply sustainability assessment to estimate expected environmental and resource impacts.

ii) explain computation and methods for life cycle assessment (LCA), material flow analysis (MFA), energy analysis and footprint analysis.

iii) derive and use indicators for environmental, material and energy efficiency in a life cycle and systems perspective.

General competence to;

i) interpret and discuss results from sustainability analysis and apply own and other’s sustainability analysis in engineering.

ii) identify and discuss ethical considerations in engineering and goals for environmental and resource efficiency, economic and social development.

Learning methods and activities

The course consists of a series of online learning modules, with assignments and supervision time, and weekly student learning activities. The course timetable consists of 2 hours per week with student learning activity (2F) and 2 hours per week of tutoring for assignments (2Ø). Emphasis is on active learning through practical assignments, consisting of individual and group assignments.

The complete list of compulsory assignments is made available at the beginning of the course period. All assignments must be completed for access to final exams.

Compulsory assignments

• Oblig

Recommended previous knowledge

The course involves computations and prior knowledge in maths is useful, especially linear algebra. No other prior knowledge is required. Lectures and assignments are in Norwegian only.

Course materials

The course makes use of the book by Bhavik R. Bakshi: Sustainable Engineering - Principles and Practice. Cambridge University Press, 2019. Other reading includes notes and scientific articles. A complete list is issued at course start.