WM9PW-15 Sustainable Manufacturing & Materials
Introductory description
This module provides the theoretical basis and wider context of sustainability and sustainable development applied to the area of Manufacturing and Materials. Students will examine and explore the social, economic and environmental challenges presented by the UN Sustainability Development Goals. It will provide the necessary knowledge and understanding for student to design organisational processes and strategies to address these challenges.
Module aims
To provide an understanding of the challenges presented to the Design and Manufacturing organisations by the quest for more sustainable development. Students will learn how to critically review the designs in relation to key aspects of life cycle and assess the economic viability of sustainable materials and manufacturing approaches, whilst considering societal factors. Students will develop their capabilities to make sustainable judgements and recommendations based on the contextual challenges of sustainability in design and manufacturing.
Outline syllabus
This is an indicative module outline only to give an indication of the sort of topics that may be covered. Actual sessions held may differ.
- Carbon science and cycle
- Climate change
- Ecosystems
- Environmental challenges of limited resources
- The role of the United Nations and its Sustainability Development Goals
- Working with standards and regulations such as ISO14001
- Life cycle analysis
- Principles of the “Circular Economy”, engineering waste and recycling
- Carbon trading
- Ethical and commercial concerns of sustainability
- Corporate, social, and engineering responsibility
Learning outcomes
By the end of the module, students should be able to:
- Develop a critical understanding of the theoretical basis of sustainability as applicable to a Design and Manufacture organisation.
- Analyse and evaluate the applicability and impact of the UN Sustainable Development Goals, for an organisation working in the Design and Manufacture sector.
- Evaluate the environmental and societal impact of solutions to complex problems using Life Cycle Analysis to assess environmental burdens in systems, products and processes.
- Develop a CSR (Corporate and Social Responsibility) strategy appropriate for an organisation informed by relevant analysis.
Indicative reading list
Everett, B. 2021. Energy Systems and Sustainability. Oxford University Press. Jacobson, M. 2021. 100% Clean Renewable Energy. Cambridge University Press. MacKay, D. 2009. Sustainable Energy. UIT Cambridge. Mavropoulos, A. 2020.
Industry 4.0 and Circular Economy. Wiley. Rosa, A. 2022. Fundamentals of Renewable Energy 4th Ed. Academic Press. Young, S. 2013. Sustainability: Essentials for Business. Sage.
Subject specific skills
- Life cycle analysis
- Interpretation of engineering data
- Carbon foot printing
- Energy efficiency calculations
Transferable skills
- Evaluation and judgement
- Communication
- Critical thinking
- Reasoning
- Decision making
- Presentational skills
Study time
| Type | Required |
|---|---|
| Lectures | 14 sessions of 1 hour (13%) |
| Tutorials | 16 sessions of 1 hour (15%) |
| Online learning (independent) | 16 sessions of 1 hour (15%) |
| Assessment | 60 hours (57%) |
| Total | 106 hours |
Private study description
Directed by a module study guide issued at the start of the module. This will direct students to relevant text and journal readings and other learning activities, including flipped classroom activities, with indicative time allocations for each.
Costs
No further costs have been identified for this module.
You must pass all assessment components to pass the module.
Assessment group A
| Weighting | Study time | Eligible for self-certification | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Case Study Report | 60% | 36 hours | Yes (extension) |
|
A case study report that covers the sustainability performance of an organisation operating in the Design and Manufacturing sector, to inform the production of organisational CSR strategy. |
|||
| Industry impact evaluation | 40% | 24 hours | Yes (extension) |
|
Students will conduct a sustainability impact evaluation of an existing company in the design and manufacturing sector, with respect to the UN’s Sustainability Development Goals. |
|||
Feedback on assessment
- Verbal feedback given during seminar/tutorial sessions
- Written individual formative feedback on the 1st assignment report
There is currently no information about the courses for which this module is core or optional.