Environment and Engineering

Uitgebreide vaknaam	Environment and Engineering
Leerdoelen	1. The student can explain in own words how the atmosphere is working and explain how wind flows function, in order to connect that knowledge to the distribution of noise, radiation, and pollution through the physical environment. 2. The student is able to explain how sound waves emerge, how wave propagation works, and how sound intensity and human perception are connected in order to argue how measured and calculated sound levels relate to legal standards and to propose alternatives to improve the environmental quality in terms of noise pollution by means of spatial planning. 3. The student is able to clarify which forms of air pollution exist and can provide an overview of the historical development of legal standards regarding air pollution. The student can connect these insights to a comparison of how suggested and modelled interventions relate to real air quality issues in the Netherlands and across borders. 4. The student can explain how an estimation of risks (chance x effect) simultaneously is also a consideration between financial costs and consequences. The student is able to connect the “area-bounded risk” and the “group risk” to the explanation. 5. The student is able to use the laws of thermodynamics to propose spatial interventions and spatial strategies that can contribute to sustainable energy landscapes.
Omschrijving	The Environment and Engineering module deals with conditions from environmental science relevant to spatial planning. Understanding sources and atmosphere based propagation of physical-chemical environmental components, as air pollution and noise are a prerequisite to spatial planning. The module deals with: • a theoretical understanding of negative environmental consequences resulting from wanted human activities; • transport of noise and air pollution through the atmosphere; • the influence of pollution on humans; • technical measurability in relation to legal standards; • spatial interventions that contribute to improved environmental conditions in terms of noise, air quality, safety, and energy landscapes. Five themes form the basic overall structure of the module: (1) atmosphere and weather, (2) noise, (3) air pollution, (4) external safety, and (5) applied thermodynamics. The learning outcomes are connected to these five themes. Theoretical understandings of especially the component noise will be applied in practice during a so-called Soundscapes research project. Groups of students will perform measurements on noise after consulting the lecturers. The measurements will be executed at a self-chosen location where noise nuisance is expected to raise environmental issues and where spatial planning might contribute to area-specific solutions (also referred to as Soundscapes). Students use instruments, simple calculation models, and GIS in the project. The gained results will be compared to corresponding legal standards. The project is finished with a group effort based project report and presentation during a symposium.
Uren per week	4
Onderwijsvorm	Fieldwork, Guest lectures, Lectures, Practicals (+ Symposium)
Toetsvorm	Examination with multiple choice questions, Examination with open questions, Group assignments, Individual assignments, Oral presentation
Vaksoort	bachelor
Coördinator	dr. F.M.G. van Kann
Docent(en)	E. Margaritis, PhD. , C. Theron, MSc. ,dr. F.M.G. van Kann
Verplichte literatuur	Titel Auteur ISBN Prijs Various chapters from the book: The Bloomsbury Handbook of Sonic Methologies (available as E-book via University of Groningen Library) Bull, M and Cobussen, M. (eds.)
Entreevoorwaarden
Opmerkingen
Opgenomen in	Opleiding Jaar Periode Type BSc Human Geography & Planning  (Optional courses Human Geography & Planning) 3 semester II a keuze BSc Spatial Planning and Design  (Basic programme BSc Spatial Planning and Design) 3 semester II a verplicht Pre-master programmes FSS  (Pre-master Environmental and Infrastructure Planning) - semester II a verplicht