ENE5043 Quantifying sustainability in urban systems
Faculty of Engineering
ENE5043 Quantifying sustainability in urban systems is a level 5, 6-credit-point, postgraduate unit from the Faculty of Engineering, offered in 2026 in Semester 1 at Clayton. It has no prerequisites.
- Credit points
- 6
- Offered in 2026
- Semester 1
- Clayton
- Assessment
- Exam 50%
- and 3 other tasks
- Workload
- 144 hours
- per semester
This is the 2026 handbook entry. See the 2027 entry.
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Requisites
Before ENE5043
Prohibitions
You can't enrol if you have passed any of these.
After ENE5043
No unit lists ENE5043 as a prerequisite in the 2026 handbook.
Enrolment rules
You must be currently enrolled in a master’s course in engineering or related STEM and in a related discipline. The unit assumes that you have the necessary foundational knowledge.
Equivalent units
The same content under another code. Only one of them counts.
Overview
Our world is changing rapidly, making it crucial to determine whether our sustainability efforts are meeting our goals or unintentionally exacerbating the problems. Quantifying the effectiveness of our actions is essential to addressing these challenges. This unit provides you with practical skills for conducting sustainability quantification across various scales — from individuals to companies and nations.
You will learn techniques and approaches for modelling and estimating sustainability indicators. These include process-based environmental modelling, bottom-up and top-down environmental footprint analysis using life-cycle assessment,and environmentally extended input-output analysis, along with multi-criteria decision analysis.
You will apply these techniques to quantify various sustainability metrics such as carbon emissions, water usage, biodiversity loss, profitability, employment and poverty across diverse sectors, including construction, water, energy, transportation, food systems, healthcare, tourism, and others. Additionally, you will explore using artificial intelligence (AI) and digital twins to enhance sustainability quantification processes.
Offerings in 2026
| Teaching period | Campus | Mode |
|---|---|---|
| First semester | Clayton | On campus |
Assessment
- QuizzesQuiz / TestThreshold hurdle20%
- Project reportProjectThreshold hurdle20%
- Oral presentationPresentationThreshold hurdle10%
- Final assessmentExaminationThreshold hurdle50%
Assessment details may change. Please refer to the assessment information in Moodle closer to the start of the teaching period.
Learning outcomes
When you finish this unit, you should be able to:
- 1
Define and describe appropriate metrics for quantifying urban sustainability.
- 2
Apply quantitative methods used in sustainability assessment.
- 3
Analyse and interpret sustainability metrics to gain insights into the complex interplay between economic, environmental, and social factors.
- 4
Evaluate the effectiveness and limitations of different sustainability quantification methods.
- 5
Critically reflect on novel and innovative approaches to revolutionise sustainability quantification.
Workload and teaching
- Workshops24 hours
- Practical activities24 hours
- Teaching approachActive learning
- Teaching approachProblem-based learning
The minimum total expected workload to achieve the learning outcomes for this unit is 144 hours per semester typically comprising a mixture of 3-6 hours of scheduled learning activities and 6-9 hours of independent study per week. Scheduled activities may include a combination of teacher-directed learning, peer-directed learning and online engagement. Independent study may include associated readings, assessment and preparation for scheduled activities.
This unit involves group discussions that promote teamwork, cultivate communication skills and encourage critical thinking.
This unit will present challenging real-world sustainability problems. You will analyse information, propose ideas and apply your knowledge to quantify sustainability in urban systems.
Learning resources
Technology resources
This unit will make use of free software and open access databases.
Contacts
- Chief Examiners
- Dr Fiona Tang
- Unit Coordinators
- Dr Fiona Tang
Common questions
What are the prerequisites for ENE5043?
ENE5043 has no prerequisites, but enrolment rules apply.
When is ENE5043 offered?
In 2026, ENE5043 runs in Semester 1 at Clayton.
How much work is ENE5043?
The handbook expects about 144 hours of study across the semester. No students have rated its difficulty yet.
Does ENE5043 have an exam?
Yes. The exam is worth 50% of the final mark, alongside 3 other tasks.