2017/18 Taught Postgraduate Module Catalogue
CIVE5985M Circular Economy and Resource Recovery from Waste
15 creditsClass Size: 50
Module manager: Dr. Costas Velis
Email: c.velis@leeds.ac.uk
Taught: Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) View Timetable
Year running 2017/18
Pre-requisites
| CIVE5557M | Solid Waste Management |
This module is mutually exclusive with
| CIVE5984M | Circular Economy and Resource Recovery from Waste |
Module replaces
CIVE5392M - Bioenergy from WastesThis module is not approved as an Elective
Objectives
This module provides a comprehensive introduction to the emerging theory and core practical aspects of engineering application of recovering of resources and value from waste, within the context of a circular economy.Key objectives of the module are to:
- Develop a comprehensive understanding of what are the technological and engineering means to recover resources and value from waste, including materials, energy and nutrients: this includes technologies, and their application along the required science such as statistical quality control;
- Develop an appreciation of what the concept of circular economy means in theory and how it can be translated into practice within a Global North and Global South socioeconomic and governance and innovation environments; and in different entities such as business and cities;
- Provide an in depth overview of the challenges around assessment of resource recovery and circular economy and the related decision making; and get hands-on experience on using assessment skills and tools in a case study.
Learning outcomes
Upon successful completion of the module, the students should have developed and be able to demonstrate their knowledge and understanding on:
- Navigate the complex notions of circular economy and resource (value) recovery from waste, the wider challenges related to these and apply these is real-life applications in a widespread range of situations (companies, cities, highly developed and developing countries, global supply chains);
- Comprehend and apply key tools/methodologies and specialised engineering knowledge for assessing resource recovery from waste/circular economy to effectively analyse related systems and sound support making;
They should also be able to demonstrate core analytical skills along with improving transferable skills, such as communication skills, creative problem solving, critical thinking, team working, and apply this to hands-on real life cases.
Skills outcomes
Apply specific tools for the resource recovery from waste within a circular economy, such as the novel and customised CVORR ("Complex value for optimisation and resource recovery") analytical and decision support methodology developed by the University of Leeds, combining elements of material flow analysis, environmental and social life cycle assessment, cost-benefit analysis and heterodox economics.
Syllabus
Typical content includes:
- Key concepts for resource recovery from waste (RRfW);
- What is circular economy (CE);
- Disruptive innovation - 4th industrial revolution: materials and automation;
- Circular economy in the Global South (developing countries);
- Waste prevention, reuse and remanufacturing;
- Recycling and global supply chains;
- (Bio)energy from waste;
- Transition from solid waste management (SWM) to CE;
- Cities and circular economy;
- Circular economy business models;
- Quality assurance and control for RRfW;
- Strategies, policies and implementation plans for circular economy;
- Indicators and systems assessment for CE (cities, business);
- Case Study: CE and RRfW for waste plastics
Teaching methods
| Delivery type | Number | Length hours | Student hours |
| Class tests, exams and assessment | 1 | 2.00 | 2.00 |
| Group learning | 1 | 4.00 | 4.00 |
| Lecture | 22 | 1.00 | 22.00 |
| Practical | 4 | 4.00 | 16.00 |
| Seminar | 2 | 2.00 | 4.00 |
| Private study hours | 102.00 | ||
| Total Contact hours | 48.00 | ||
| Total hours (100hr per 10 credits) | 150.00 | ||
Private study
The students will be learning from revisiting the lecture notes and wider learning resources available on the VLE and the reading list and by hands-on working on the specific case study (2nd week of short fat module) outside the contact hours ("Practicals").Opportunities for Formative Feedback
In-course MCQ's.Methods of assessment
Coursework
| Assessment type | Notes | % of formal assessment |
| Group Project | Group project (5000 words report demonstrating applying the CVORR methodology for a specific case study). Individual marks for sections of report and peer mark for the 10% units out of the 70%. | 70.00 |
| Presentation | Group presentation (10 minutes with 5 min Q&A). Peer mark for the 5% units out of the 30% | 30.00 |
| Total percentage (Assessment Coursework) | 100.00 | |
Although group efforts (project and presentation), the marks allocated for the 70% will be individual, and overall 15% will be gained via peer (student to student) marking. Group allocations will be totally randomised.
Reading list
The reading list is available from the Library websiteLast updated: 29/03/2019
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- Undergraduate module catalogue
- Taught Postgraduate module catalogue
- Undergraduate programme catalogue
- Taught Postgraduate programme catalogue
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