Course overview
The dominant linear economy (make > use > dispose) wastes resources, is economically inefficient and leads to environmental damage. In a circular economy, the maximum value is extracted from resources in use, then products and materials are recovered and regenerated at the end of each service life. This course will introduce students to the systems thinking required to develop technological solutions and business models that contribute to making our economy more circular. Students will conduct a basic lifecycle assessment to quantify environmental impacts for different product options and will consider case studies of best practice for different circular strategies.
- Circular Eonomy
- Lifecycle Assessment
Course learning outcomes
- Apply established conceptual models and frameworks to explain how materials and energy flows through our economic system
- Analyse data from a real-world application to articulate the distinguishing characteristics of different strategies towards a more circular economy
- Implement a lifecycle assessment of a product to identify trade-offs between design options, corresponding impacts and sensitivity to modelling assumptions
- Use industry standard software to implement and analyse life cycle assessments of increasing sophistication that quantify system wide impacts (e.g. embodied energy, water, land-use and carbon impacts) for design alternatives on a common industry relevant case study
- Undertake an open-ended, independent and detailed lifecycle assessment comparing multiple infrastructure options from a realistic design specification. Demonstrate clear interpretation of lifecycle impacts in the context of system boundaries, data suitability and related assumptions.
Availability
Class details
Adelaide City Campus East
Group 1
Class number 66130
Section WS01
Size 40
Available 37
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