Syllabus for |
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| VMI010 - Environmental systems analysis |
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| Syllabus adopted 2012-02-19 by Head of Programme (or corresponding) |
| Owner: MPTSE |
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7,5 Credits |
| Grading: TH - Five, Four, Three, Not passed |
| Education cycle: Second-cycle |
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Major subject: Energy and Environmental Systems and Technology, Civil and Environmental Engineering
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Department: 47 - ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT
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Teaching language: English
Open for exchange students
Block schedule:
D
Maximum participants: 70
| Course module |
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Credit distribution |
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Examination dates |
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Sp1 |
Sp2 |
Sp3 |
Sp4 |
Summer course |
No Sp |
| 0100 |
Examination |
7,5 c |
Grading: TH |
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7,5 c
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17 Dec 2013 pm V, |
25 Apr 2014 am V, |
27 Aug 2014 pm V |
In programs
MPTSE INDUSTRIAL ECOLOGY, MSC PROGR, Year 1 (compulsory)
MPEPO ELECTRIC POWER ENGINEERING, MSC PROGR, Year 2 (elective)
Examiner:
Univ lektor
Ulrika Palme
Univ adjunkt
Anna Nyström Claesson
Course evaluation:
http://document.chalmers.se/doc/1c84033d-4f33-460a-a064-cfa40022aeed
Eligibility:
For single subject courses within Chalmers programmes the same eligibility requirements apply, as to the programme(s) that the course is part of.
Course specific prerequisites
VMI041 - Environmental and resource analysis for sustainable development or corresponding course
Aim
The aim of the course is to give knowledge regarding number of environmental systems analysis tools such as Environmental Risk Assessment, Life Cycle Assessment, Environmental Impact Assessment, and Materials Flow Analysis. The course also aims at understanding of the relationship between different environmental systems analysis tools.
Learning outcomes (after completion of the course the student should be able to)
After completing the course you should be able to:
- Define terms used in environmental systems analysis and the different tools
- Describe principles of environmental systems analysis
- Explain concepts and working procedure used in the different tools.
- Discuss the relation between the tools.
- Discuss the use of the tools, legal status, target groups etc
- Apply the knowledge by selecting a relevant tool for a specific problem and user of the result. This includes to define goal and scope, select relevant data as well as to discuss relevance and limitations of the selected tool.
Content
Environmental Systems Analysis comprises the collection, analysis, integration, valuation and interpretation of information on how technical systems cause or contribute to environmental problems. There are a number of different tools to perform such studies, for example Environmental systems analysis (ESA) comprises the collection, analysis, integration and evaluation of information on how technical systems cause or contribute to environmental problems. It is used to support decision-making in many different areas like industry, public sector and government. The focus can be on technical solutions as well as on policy, plans and legislation related to the design and use of all kinds of technical systems. Examples of some common ESA tools are environmental risk analysis, life cycle assessment, environmental impact assessment, and material flow analysis.
The course aims at introducing the theoretical framework of the tools and methods, and to provide the knowledge required to choose a relevant tool or method and formulate the goal and scope for a specific application. The course also introduces and defines a set of concepts needed for a good understanding of environmental systems analysis.
One important part of the course is the critical appraisal of results by discussing why different investigators may get different results with the same tool, pointing out the importance of the choices performed. To be able to analyze this, it is important to understand the applications of the ESA tools and methods, what actors can benefit from the results produced by different tools, and in what context they yield meaningful information.
Organisation
The course consists of four parts: theory, reports from practice, short exercises and a larger project work. The theoretical part comprises lectures on the ESA tools and methods, and the course literature. A number of external lecturers will report on how environmental systems analysis is applied in practice, e.g. in industry and by consultants. A series of small exercises and a project will provide basic experience and training in how to perform an ESA study, including problem definition and methodology.
Literature
The course literature consists of a compendium with excerpts from books and reports, and a number of scientific papers.
Examination
The course is assessed by a written exam and a compulsory project work.