2024/25 Undergraduate Module Catalogue

CIVE3460 Environmental Health Engineering in Developing Countries

10 creditsClass Size: 150

Module manager: Professor Barbara Evans
Email: b.e.evans@leeds.ac.uk

Taught: Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) View Timetable

Year running 2024/25

This module is not approved as a discovery module

Module summary

If you are interested in practical application of civil engineering skills or if you are interested in international development then CIVE3460 is an important option for you to take. The module is taught through a series of nine lectures and two seminars - the lecture team are drawn from Civil Engineering and the Institute of Transport Studies at Leeds as well as from the School of Environment and Development at Manchester and the Water Engineering Development Centre at Loughborough. All of the teaching staff are practitioners also currently working in developing countries. The assessment is via the project (100%), which involves assessing the best options and outline design for low-cost housing development using a set of background data and contexual information. The project will help you develop both technical skills and also has a strong element relating to presentation of information in a report and through drawings. The fieldcourse is obligatory but does not carry a mark. During the fieldcourse, students spend two days at the University farm near Tadcaster and build a low-cost ($100) house using earth-pressed blocks and hand-made tiles, one or more latrines, simplified sewer lines and a ferro-cement water tank. The fieldcourse is always very popular and provides students with the opportunity to learn some practical site skills and work with our highly experienced building technician.

Objectives

This module will develop student skills in applying engineering knowledge to unfamiliar contexts. Students will develop a knowledge and understanding of the environmental health conditions which typically prevail in low-income urban and rural communities outside the UK. They will gain an understanding of the challenges associated with designing engineering solutions in resource-scarce environments under time constraints. Specifically they will gain knowledge of sustainable approaches to housing in areas which are prone to extreme weather events and earthquakes. In addition they will further develop their practical communications skills including report writing and drawing for professional clients.

Learning outcomes
On successful completion of the module students will have demonstrated the following learning outcomes relevant to the subject (contributing to the AHEP4 learning outcomes indicated between brackets):

1. Apply a comprehensive knowledge of engineering principles, to define and solve complex technical problems while also understanding and taking in to account wider social and health dimensions (M1, M2, M5);

2. Evaluating and using imperfect data and applying appropriate engineering techniques to develop design solutions in conditions of uncertainty such as during natural and manmade disasters (M2, M3, M4);

3. Design solutions for appropriate water supply and sanitation for informal urban settlements considering social, environmental and economic matters following applicable industry standards and health/safety requirements (M5);

4. Apply integrated approaches to problem solving through design of appropriate emergency housing scheme including additional essential infrastructure and services and which is integrated into existing city-scale services and systems (M6);

5. Evaluate socio-environmental and health impact of solutions by including life-cycle consideration (M7);

6. Use practical skills to investigate problems and propose solutions (M12);

7. Select and apply appropriate materials and equipment and recognise limitations of technologies and processes (M13);

8. Demonstrate effective communication of complex engineering subjects with technical and non-technical audiences (M17).

Skills outcomes
Use of knowledge
Design

Syllabus

- Poverty and development: global distribution of poverty, global burden of disease, growth and urbanisation;
- Environmental challenges: earthquakes, cyclones, drought etc, man-made disasters, civil disruption, population migration.
- Setting priorities for environmental health interventions: communicable and non-communicable diseases, mental illnesses and psychosocial disorders.
- Appropriate civil engineering materials: pozzolanic cements, fibre-reinforces cement companies, soil stabilisation.
- Low-cost housing technology I: design requirements for comfort conditions.
- Low-cost housing technology II: design requirements for earthquake resistance and cyclone resistance.
- Housing policy and projects, self-help housing, microfinance and urban development.
- Transport planning in developing countries.
- Public and private transport design.
- Appropriate road design.
- Planning and design of appropriate water supply and sanitation for informal urban settlements.
- Management and pricing of water and sanitation services in poor cities.

Teaching methods

Delivery type	Number	Length hours	Student hours
Consultation	5	1.00	5.00
Fieldwork	1	16.00	16.00
Lecture	9	2.00	18.00
Seminar	2	2.00	4.00
Private study hours			57.00
Total Contact hours			43.00
Total hours (100hr per 10 credits)			100.00

Private study

12 hours revision, 50 hours coursework

Opportunities for Formative Feedback

Attendance requirement - To gain the credits for this module students must attend the field course at the end of Semester Two.

Methods of assessment

Coursework

Assessment type	Notes	% of formal assessment
Project	Project report	100.00
Total percentage (Assessment Coursework)		100.00

Normally resits will be assessed by the same methodology as the first attempt, unless otherwise stated

Reading list

The reading list is available from the Library website

Last updated: 11/06/2024

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