Built Environment Technology 1 (10187.2)

Please note these are the 2024 details for this unit
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Built Environment Technology 1
Available teaching periods Delivery mode Location
View teaching periods On-campus
 UC College, Bruce, ACT
South Bank, QLD
Bruce, Canberra
EFTSL Credit points Faculty
0.125 3 Faculty Of Arts And Design
Discipline Study level HECS Bands
School Of Design And The Built Environment Level 1 - Undergraduate Introductory Unit Band 2 2021 (Commenced After 1 Jan 2021)
Band 3 2021 (Commenced Before 1 Jan 2021)
This unit develops the students' understanding of material properties and characteristics. It introduces the students to simple structures, their design, construction, structural and environmental characteristics. Students will gain an awareness of Australian standards and codes.

Students who have not yet completed their Work Safely in the Construction Industry (White Card) will be asked to complete it as part of this unit.

Learning outcomes

After successful completion of this unit, students will be able to:
1. Define structural properties and characteristics of materials;
2. Describe and discuss structural concepts for simple building systems; and
3. Identify a range of design details fir simple structures and demonstrate an awareness of sources relating to Australian standards and building codes.


Graduate attributes

1. UC graduates are professional - employ up-to-date and relevant knowledge and skills
1. UC graduates are professional - communicate effectively
1. UC graduates are professional - work collaboratively as part of a team, negotiate, and resolve conflict
1. UC graduates are professional - take pride in their professional and personal integrity
2. UC graduates are global citizens - make creative use of technology in their learning and professional lives
2. UC graduates are global citizens - behave ethically and sustainably in their professional and personal lives
3. UC graduates are lifelong learners - be self-aware


Skills development

 Built Environment Technology 1, is a core unit for architecture, landscape architecture, interior architecture, and building construction management (BCM) students. This is a good opportunity for all student cohorts to work together and build an understanding of what each other does. Additionally, this unit will provide you students with an understanding of built environment structures, materials and how structures are designed to adequately manage and resist forces over the designed lifecycle.



Prerequisites

None.

Corequisites

None.

Equivalent units

8335 Technology Laboratory.

Assumed knowledge

None.
Availability for enrolment in 2026 is subject to change and may not be confirmed until closer to the teaching start date.
Year Location Teaching period Teaching start date Delivery mode Unit convener
2025 UC College, Bruce, ACT UC College Trimester 2 26 May 2025 On-campus Miss Swarali Sidhaye
2025 South Bank, QLD Semester 2 28 July 2025 On-campus Mr Tom James
2025 Bruce, Canberra Semester 2 28 July 2025 On-campus Dr Biruk Tekle
2026 UC College, Bruce, ACT UC College Trimester 2 29 June 2026 On-campus Miss Swarali Sidhaye
2026 South Bank, QLD Semester 2 10 August 2026 On-campus Mr Tom James
2026 Bruce, Canberra Semester 2 10 August 2026 On-campus Dr Biruk Tekle
Not available

Required texts

No required texts.

The electronic version of all reading materials will be provided under the Reading List on the Canvas site 

Submission of assessment items

Extensions & Late submissions

Artificial Intelligence
Artificial intelligence is not allowed to be used in this unit unless expressly stated in the weekly task or assessment.

Good studio practices

The following additional discipline specific regulations and procedures are designed to ensure equity for students in the submission, feedback and assessment of projects.

Submission requirements and protocols

It is UC policy that students submit ALL written work on Canvas in the appropriate assignment submission link for this unit.  You should ensure that your student number and the unit name is provided on a front cover and where possible as a running head on each page.

It is the student's responsibility to ensure that the correct version of any given assignment is submitted by the due date and time as indicated in the unit's Canvas site and unit outline.

Where students are required to submit models, drawings, posters or other physical artefacts that cannot be submitted electronically, students must create an electronic record (digital image, scanned copy, PDF version, or video) of the artefact and submit this in the appropriate assignment dropbox as evidence of their completed and on-time submission.

Students will not be required to submit preparatory field notes, visual journals or design studio portfolios, unless specifically required as part of the unit assessment tasks. Students may be asked to provide evidence of these in class at the request of the unit tutor or unit convenor.

Special assessment requirements

The use of Gen-AI (e.g. Chat GPT) is not permitted in this unit.

 

Verbal Studio Critiques - Academic Conduct Guidelines - general comments applicable to Built Environment units
 
It is in the AIA Code of Professional Conduct that all members of the profession have an obligation to uphold the integrity and dignity of the profession, and must in every circumstance conduct themselves in a manner that respects the legitimate rights and interests of others. It is important that this is modelled in the unit. This is particularly important during the conduct of the studio critique, a time when a student often feels at their most vulnerable.
 
Verbal critiques in the workshop times are conducted to provide iterative feedback to the students on their progress against the assessment criteria of the design brief, as detailed in the unit outline. They are conducted a number of times a semester in front of peers, and during this time students should be encouraged to
 
• benchmark their work against that of others, and
• enlist the help of a peer to take notes or record the feedback on their behalf during the presentation.
 
During the final critique academics should make it clear which of the following activities is being conducted (Stuart-Murray 2010):
 
• to seek information,
• to test an argument,
• to evaluate outcomes, or
• to make contextual and theoretical comparisons.
 
In return students will be invited to present their own work and to evaluate their level of understanding of the learning outcomes. This two-way process necessarily elicits both positive and negative critique and can lead to misunderstandings about the process and outcomes. However, at all times, all participants can expect to be treated respectfully and ethically by staff, students and visitors, as they work in partnership to better the learning outcomes for all.
 
Running a critique
 
The academic leading the critique is at all times responsible for the safe and ethical conduct of that critique. In the process of a critique the academic leading the critique sessions will aim to ensure that:
 
1. Prior to the critique
 
• the content and format of presentations is clearly specified
• students will be advised on how to prepare their verbal presentations
• assessment criteria are clearly identified
• student has been encouraged to have a peer recorder
 
2. During the critique
 
• clearly communicate their expectations of how the session will unfold
• frame their critique within the context of the brief, thus making connections between the brief expectations and the work presented
• comments will only address the assessment criteria and not the person
• ensure all pre-agreed time limits are upheld
• ensure mutual respect for all present is maintained at all times
 
3. After a critique
 
• the student understands their results
• the student has been given a suitable opportunity to respond
 
Resolving a conflict
 
Should the critique session become unexpectedly heated, or a conflict arise, the academic leader will
 
• immediately stop the critique;
• call a break to the session;
• speak privately with the student/guest involved to resolve the issue – this may be done at another time, if deemed appropriate to the situation. A later discussion should be held in camera, with another academic present. The student should also bring a support person. This later opportunity should include the option or re-presenting their work if deemed appropriate to the situation, without penalty; and
• address the entire group, confirming that those involved will continue the discussion later, prior to re-commencing the session, with the next student.
 
At no time should the student, who has been involved with a conflict situation, be asked to continue – this may lead to issues of perceived injustice in the marks, the student may decide that they cannot do their presentation justice, but also may make the student feel unsafe and bullied.
 
Should the situation remain unresolved at the later meeting then the academic will make the Head of Discipline aware and the Student Grievance Resolution Process should then be followed.

Reference

Stuart-Murray, John. 2010. “The Effectiveness of the Traditional Architectural Critique and Explorations of Alternative Methods.” CEBE Transactions 7 (1): 6–19.

Students must apply academic integrity in their learning and research activities at UC. This includes submitting authentic and original work for assessments and properly acknowledging any sources used.

Academic integrity involves the ethical, honest and responsible use, creation and sharing of information. It is critical to the quality of higher education. Our academic integrity values are honesty, trust, fairness, respect, responsibility and courage.

UC students have to complete the Academic Integrity Module annually to learn about academic integrity and to understand the consequences of academic integrity breaches (or academic misconduct).

UC uses various strategies and systems, including detection software, to identify potential breaches of academic integrity. Suspected breaches may be investigated, and action can be taken when misconduct is found to have occurred.

Information is provided in the Academic Integrity Policy, Academic Integrity Procedure, and University of Canberra (Student Conduct) Rules 2023. For further advice, visit Study Skills.

Participation requirements

Students are encouraged to attend all structured face-to-face and virtual teaching and learning sessions.

Required IT skills

Basic IT skills will be required, including internet browsing and basic web page interactions, email, basic word processing, basic image capture skills, (including placing images in documents). 
Use of the virtual room tool for all class activities is required. The use of this tool will be explored in the first lecture.

In-unit costs

The prototyping and reporting materials required in this unit are unlikely to cost more than $80 in total. The amount of material required for the prototypes will be mentioned in the tutorials in advance in order to avoid unnecessary purchases.

Work placement, internships or practicums

NA