Sustainable Urban Communities

• • Introduction to the concept of sustainable development and highlights its growing importance within urban areas.
  • History of cities, focusing on how their urban form has evolved as transport technologies have changed.
  • Major global sustainability challenges facing urban areas today, including those relating to automobile dependence.
  • How climate change brings serious challenges for urban areas and is becoming a key driver of urban change.
  • How we can respond to these most pressing urban sustainability issues of our age - and envision more sustainable urban places.
  • Key aspects of urban sustainability that can be addressed through enlightened physical planning.
  • Transport planning approaches including strategies for curbing automobile dependence and creating better public transport
  • Urban environments that support walking, cycling and other forms of ‘active transport’.
  • Creating more sustainable urban form, both at high and low densities.
  • More sustainable way of using and reusing water and waste, and integrating nature and agriculture within our urban places.

Equivalent subjects

You cannot enrol in this subject if you have successfully completed any of the following subject(s) because they are considered academically equivalent:

• MUR-SUS220

Others

Students must have completed 18 credit points (6 OUA subjects) at Level 1 before enrolling in this subject.

Special requirements

No special requirements

This subject was previously known as SUS220 Sustainable Urban Communities.

Over half the world’s population now live in urban areas and 75 percent could be urban by 2050. This subject examines the sustainability challenges and possibilities that lie ahead as we become an increasingly urban species. The subject explores how we can create urban communities and lifestyles that enhance human dignity and equality, while also being more environmentally sustainable. The subject takes an international perspective, exploring majory urban sustainability issues and inspirational practices from Australia, Asia and around the world.

Please Note: All students studying at Murdoch University will need to complete the compulsory unit, Murdoch Academic Passport (MAP100), which only takes 2-3 hours to complete online. Find out more: http://goto.murdoch.edu.au/MurdochAcademicPassport.

An Essay invites students to reflect on key urban sustainability challenges now facing humanity. The Essay is an opportunity to gain early feedback (on writing skills and unit knowledge) from teaching staff. Through a whole-of-semester Project, students explore the practical application of urban sustainability principles and practices within an urban area that is of particular personal interest. Students are thus challenged to consider how these practices can be applied in an integrated way, and to get feedback from teaching staff on this. A final assignment gives students an opportunity to demonstrate that they’ve met the unit’s learning outcomes. Students are asked to discuss better practices for sustainable transport, sustainable urban form, water-sensitive cities and urban greening.

• Project (40%)
• Online Discussion (30%)
• Final assignment (30%)