Best Practices for Integrating Climate Change into Civil Engineering Curricula
The goal of this survey is to gain an understanding of the best practices for integrating climate change knowledge and skills into a civil engineering curriculum across accredited civil engineering programs in Canada. Your responses will greatly benefit the development of Canadian civil engineering curricula to equip civil engineering graduates to plan, design, construct, and maintain infrastructure and the built environment under changing climate conditions and ensure low carbon resilience in the future. This survey is set up to collect information about an individual course and the climate change related topics covered in the course; if you teach any civil engineering specific course which may contain components relating to climate change, we invite you to contribute to this study. If you teach more than one course, please fill out one survey per course. This survey will take approximately 20 minutes.
Questions about this survey can be sent to liup49@mcmaster.ca
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Basic Course Information
Email
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example@example.com
Name of course:
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University course is taught at:
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Primary department(s) that offers the course:
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How many years have you taught this course?
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Approximately how many students are enrolled in this course each year?
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Program year of course:
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First
Second
Third
Fourth
Other
Is this course:
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A mandatory course
A technical elective
What sub-discipline of civil engineering does the course fit best into?
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Construction management engineering
Environmental engineering
Geotechnical engineering
Structural engineering
Water resources engineering
Transportation engineering
Other
What best characterizes the course?
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Environmental sustainability/climate change is the dominant theme
Environmental sustainability/climate change concepts are integrated into the course rather than being the dominant theme
Technical material is taught that supports sustainable development/climate action
Other
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Coverage of Climate Change Topics
The following questions regarding skills and knowledge of climate change topics are based on a robust framework called the Climate Framework Initiative, designed for the built environment sector. More information can be found here: https://www.climateframework.com/
As seen in the image, there are 8 sections: 3 introductory themes and 5 main themes (the theme of Human Factors is excluded from this survey); however, you may skip the sections not relevant to your course.
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Global Context and Fundamentals
This section covers topics on climate science, systems thinking, global policies and commmitments.
Which of the following topics does your course cover?
Climate Fundamentals: Climate Change
Scientific Evidence
Key Indicators and Monitoring
Key Contributors, Individual & Collective Responsibilities, Carbon Budget and Debt
Projected Physical Impacts (on Land, Nature, etc.) and Regional Priorities
Climate Fundamentals: Resource Use
Current Trends and Future Prospects of Natural Resources
Socio-economic Implications of Irresponsible Resource Use
Planetary Boundaries, Resources and Climate Change
Sustainable Resource Use and Management
Shifts in Global, Regional & Local Land Use, Migration, Displacement and Conflict
Climate Fundamentals: Systems Thinking
Measurable Changes in Earth’s Systems and Processes
Causes and Effects of Global Changes
Socioeconomic Drivers and Economic Consequences
Risk & Resilience, the Role of Data / Feedback
Regenerative Leadership
International Legislations, Agreements, Frameworks, Roadmaps and Plans for Action
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, The Kyoto Protocol and the Doha Amendment
United Nations Agenda 2030: Sustainable Development Goals, Global Indicator Framework for SDGs and Targets of the 2030 Agenda, The New Urban Agenda and Race to Zero & Race to Resilience Campaigns
The Paris Agreement and Regional (EU) Directives
Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction
The Sharm El-Sheikh to Kunming Action Agenda for Nature and People, Global Species Action Plan (GSAP) and Strategic Plan for Biodiversity (with Aichi Biodiversity Targets)
Risks and Opportunities in a Net Zero Economy
Climate Change & Biodiversity Loss Risk Management and Nature Economy
Physical Risks (Stranded Assets), Monitoring / Measurement, Opportunities and Actions
Transition Risks (Renewable Energy Technology Developments) and Environmental & Social Value
Global Institution/Sector Economy and New Economic Models
Circular Economy Implementation and Climate Positive Economy
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Built Environment Context
This section covers built environment’s impact on people, natural systems, and presents global policies and standards.
Which of the following topics does your course cover?
Environmental Impacts and Drivers of the Built Environment
Sustainable Consumption and Production, Scale, Balance and Monitoring
Impacts on the External Environment (Land Use, Air, Soil, Water Pollution, Other Greenhouse Gases)
Impacts on the Internal Environment (Energy and Water Use, Waste, Thermal Efficiency, Health)
Building Whole Life and Product Life Cycles
Ethics and Value of Sustainability
Ethics in Practice
Health, Wellbeing, Safety and Resilient Communities
Rights of Nature
Rights of Current and Future Generations
Supply and Value Chains
Sustainable Urbanism, Architecture and Engineering
Vernacular Design (in Different Climates / Regions)
19th Century Industrial Revolution: Building in a Time of Industry
20th Century International Style: Building in a Time of Globalisation
21st Century Imperative: Building in a Time of Emergency
Regenerative Urban Development, Buildings, Infrastructure and Growth
Built Environment Policy, Legislation, Regulations, Commitments, Benchmarks and Construction Industry Guidance
Policies, Legislation, Regulations, Carbon Budgets and Implementation
Overview of (Key) Existing Guidance, Targets and Standards (ISO, CEN, EPD, HPD, RIBA, AIA, LETI, UKGBC, CIBSE, RICS, BBP, IStructE, etc.)
Overview of (Key) Existing Commitments, Roadmaps and Frameworks (WorldGBC, GlobalABC, C40, etc.)
Other Mechanisms for Change (Certifications such as BREEAM, LEED, WELL, NABERS, DGNB, HQE, Green Star, CASBEE, BEAM Plus, GORD, One Planet Living, Living Building Challenge (The Red List Materials), Passivhaus and Declarations,)
Advocacy, Commitments/Pledges and Policymaking
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Common Threads
This section covers crucial topics that are applicable to all the overarching themes of the Framework.
Which of the following topics does your course cover?
Retrofit (Adaptation and Reuse)
Retrofit Primer: Scale, Urgency, Challenges and Opportunities
Hierarchy of Interventions: Passive Design, Retro-First, Fabric and Fuel
Whole Building Approaches: Rethinking Retrofit Delivery and Cost
Energy Efficiency Action Plan (for Buildings), EnerPHit and Net Zero
Transitions: Incentives, Policy and Engagement
Building Safety
Fire & Life Safety and Sustainability in the Built Environment
Material Traceability and Transparency
Information Thread, Maintenance and Performance Certainty
Toxic Materials and Long-term Health
Roles and Responsibilities
Planning for (Climate) Extremes, Disaster Risk, Resilience/Robustness, Redundancy and Adaptation
Climate Change Impacts (from Increased Temperatures (Heatwaves and Urban Heat Island Effect), Winds, Wildfires, Sea Level Rises, Increased Precipitation, Storms, Floods, Droughts, Earthquakes)
Vulnerability (Exposure and Sensitivity) and Adaptive Capacity
Proactive Adaptation and Managed Retreat
Climate Buffers and Reactive Adaptation
Stakeholders and Participation
Climate Justice, Equitable and Inclusive Design
Dimensions of Climate Justice
Designing for Equitable, Healthy and Universal Communities
Access to Affordable, Green Energy, Resources and Opportunities
Access to Sustainable Housing, Work, Leisure and Green Spaces
Accountability, Responsibility and Distribution of Economic Investment
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Circular Economy
This section focuses on resources, their use, maintenance, and procurement to encourage ‘endless recycling/reuse’.
Which of the following topics does your course cover?
Resource Efficiency and Geographic Implications
Natural Capital and Capitals Approach
Urban Systems and Circularity
The R’s of Circular Economy: Reduce, Reuse, Repair, Repurpose, Recycle
Waste Sources and Reduction
Choice of Construction Methods
Designing for Change (Flexibility and Adaptability) and Regeneration
Designing for Circularity (Resource Flows)
Designing for Disassembly, Deconstruction and Reassembly (Prefabrication, Standardisation, Panellisation)
Designing for Flexibility (for Change of Space within the Same Use)
Designing for Adaptability (for a Change of Use and Climate), Durability and Resilience
Designing for Leasibility: from Products and Spaces to Services
Waste as a Resource
Waste Sources from the Built Environment: Materials, Energy, Water, Organic Matter
Waste-to-Material/Product (Upcycling and Downcycling)
Waste-to-Energy (Heat and Electricity)
Waste-to-’Food’ (Composting)
Waste-to-Nature (Decomposition)
Environmental and Health Impacts of Materials and Waste
Carbon Impact (Recycle Content, Recyclability, Bio-based and Biogenic Materials)
Chemical Impact (Toxicity)
Material and Product Declarations/Certifications/Disclosure (EPD, HPD, C2C, FSC, etc.)
Waste Impact (Hazards)
Pollution on Air, Water and Land
Responsible and Ethical Sourcing
Procurement, Supply Chain Management and Auditing
Value Chain and Stakeholder Health and Wellbeing
Green and Lean Upstream Production
Downstream Distribution
Social Procurement
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Energy and Carbon
This section covers energy use, and carbon emissions’ reduction, as well as offsetting in the built environment.
Which of the following topics does your course cover?
Passive Design
Climate and Microclimate
Building Orientation, Form, Form Factor and Layout
Thermal Mass
Fabric First Approach, Thermal Comfort and Overheating
Passive Heating and Cooling
Active Design: Environmental Systems and Technologies
Building Systems
Energy Demand, Supply Sources and Balance (Heat Gains and Losses)
Energy Storage, Load Sharing and District Networks
Smart Systems, Technologies, Monitoring and Maintenance
Low Carbon and Renewable Energy Supply
Whole Life Carbon Impacts (for Retrofit and New Build)
Upfront Impacts (Stage A): Product and Construction
In-Use (Embodied and User) Impacts (Stage B) and Capital Carbon
End-of-life (Embodied) Impacts (Stage C)
Beyond Building Life Cycle (Module D)
Biogenic Carbon, Carbon Capture, Storage, Sequestration and Carbonation/Calcination and Direct Air Capture Technologies
Carbon Offsetting
Carbon Offset Projects
Renewable Energy Procurement
Carbon Accounting
Carbon Offset Purchasing and Contracts
Ethics and Limitations of Carbon Offsetting
Operational Energy Modelling, Embodied Carbon Assessment and Iterative Design Process
Regulated vs. Unregulated Energy Sources
Operational Energy Modelling
Life Cycle Assessment: Embodied Carbon and other Environmental Indicators
Iterative Design Process and other Environmental Assessments
Stakeholder Responsibilities
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Water
This section focuses on water use, harvesting and recycling, as well as climate change’s impact on natural water bodies.
Which of the following topics does your course cover?
Water Cycles, Sources, Stresses, Quality and Management
Water Cycles
Water Sources and Uses
Water Availability and Stresses
Water Quality and Sanitation
Water Distribution and Management
Water Recycling and Reuse
Benefits and Challenges
Wastewater Sources
Wastewater Treatment and Reuse
Technological Advancements
Health, Environment and Socioeconomic Outcomes
Rainwater Harvesting, Stormwater Management and Sustainable Urban Drainage
Benefits and Challenges
Water Runoff, Quantity and Quality
Rainwater Uses
Catchment and Storage
Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems
Water Pollution on Land and in Aquatic Habitats
Water Pollution Sources
Causes and Effects
Water Pollution Prevention
Water Pollution Control
Water Pollution Monitoring and Management
Impacts of Climate Change (Water-related Hazards and Disasters)
Impacts on People & Nature and Cascading Events
Designing for Water Scarcity and Droughts
Designing for Intense Rainfall, Storms and Wind Damage
Designing for Sea Level Rise and Flood Risk
Adaptation Opportunities and Challenges [to reducing Vulnerabilities]
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Ecology and Biodiversity
This section covers efficient land use, nature-based solutions, and sustainable food production, among others.
Which of the following topics does your course cover?
Biodiversity and Net Gain
Biodiversity Value and Habitat Evaluation: Factors, Impacts, Risks, Pre- and Post-Development Conditions
Key Actors and the Business Case
Mitigation Hierarchy, Conservation/Restoration and Multi-layered Outcomes
Measurement and Monitoring
Offsetting Net Biodiversity Loss
Nature-based Solutions
Benefits
Barriers and Trade-offs
Key Actors and Implementation Process
Balanced Solutions at Scale
Advanced Solutions: Bio-based Products and Processes
Land Use and Building Density
Land Use Activities and Models
Land Use Changes
Pressures: Environmental, Socioeconomic, Cultural
Demand and Supply: Human Needs and Natural Capital
Land Use Planning, Zoning and the Built Environment
Bioregional Planning and Biophilic Urbanism
Citizen Participation and Action-oriented Planning
Place-based Design
Balance of the Urban Metabolism
Green Regionalism and Infrastructures
Responsible Regionalism and Environmental Ethics
Sustainable Food Production and Urban Food Systems
Benefits and Challenges
Farming Methods and Land Balance
Productive Landscapes: Urban, Rural and Peri-Urban Farms
Building-integrated Solutions
Regenerative Agricultural Practices
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Connectivity and Transport
This section focuses on how people, places, and cities connect through sustainable urban planning, and transportation.
Which of the following topics does your course cover?
Site Selection, Location and Urban Ecosystems
Economies of Scale: Environment, Economic and Social Implications
Landlocked and Transit-bridging Sites
Greenfield, Brownfield and Reclaimed Sites
Urban Accessibility
Rural Accessibility
Compact Development and Walkability
Change in Behaviours and Health Benefits
The ‘15-minute’ Neighbourhood and City
Safe, Walkable, Liveable Streets, Car-free Centres and Mobility Hubs
Complete Streets and Curbside Management
Mobility Corridors: Green Infrastructure
Regional and Local Infrastructure and Planning
Sustainable Transportation Indicators
Polycentric, Unicentric and Regenerative Communities
Sustainable Land Use Planning
Shifts in Infrastructural Modes
Digital Infrastructure and Resilience
Low Carbon Transport and Multimodal Transportation Networks
Flows and Capacity
Active Travel (Walking, Cycling, etc.)
Electric Vehicles and Charging Infrastructure
Car Sharing
Autonomous Vehicles
Planning for Future of Transportation
Net Zero Carbon Regeneration and Renewal
Strategic Logistic Hubs
Demand and Sustainability of Alternative Fuels
Investment and Risks
Sustainability and Livability Planning Trends
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Teaching Resources
The next set of questions are to identify the most useful teaching resources relating to the previous topics that you checked. These questions are optional, but any sharing of resources will greatly benefit all.
List any textbooks used that relate to the above checked topics:
List any readings used that relate to the above checked topics:
eg. articles, journal papers, books
List links to any websites used that relate to the above checked topics:
List any software used that relate to the above checked topics:
Describe any case studies used that relate to the above checked topics:
Describe any projects used that relate to the above checked topics:
Describe any other resources that relate to the above checked topics (eg. sample homework):
Please upload any resources (relating to the above set of questions) you would like to share.
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Please upload your course syllabus here.
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Conclusion
Please identify barriers that limit or prevent the incorporation of climate change topics into your course:
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I do not experience barriers
No time in course to add additional topics
Other priorities exist in the course content
No perceived connection between course and above topics
Limited personal expertise on the topic
Unavailable or insufficient resources
Do you wish to incorporate more climate change topics in your course?
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Yes, and I know how
Yes, but I am unsure how
No
Other
Would you like the results of this survey to be shared with you?
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Yes
No
General comments or questions about this study:
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