1 Semester

5 Hours per Week

Hawthorn

Nil

Nil

Credit Points: 12.5 Credit Points

Related Course/s:

A unit of study in the Bachelor of Health Science (Public and Environmental Health) .

Aims & Objectives:

During the unit we aim:

• To understand the history and concept of the built environment including the legislative and strategic control of a urban environments.
• To understand the principles of domestic construction and examine the health issues related to housing & accommodation
• To identify the potential environmental hazards of the arising from the built environment including noise, air, ventilation and waste disposal.
• To provide an understanding of selected sanitary engineering principles and the ways in which they can be employed to resolve particular problems.
• To examine the principles of ecologically sustainable development and the application to the built environment.

Teaching Methods:

Lectures, field visits

Assessment:

Assignments, examinations, tests

Generic Skills Outcomes:

Students are expected to enhance several of their graduate attributes during this unit and should consult with your lecturer if not clear as to how this unit achieves this. The graduate attributes which relate to this unit help to produce students who are:

• Capable in their chosen professional, vocational or study areas.
• Have a basic understanding of the theoretical principles involved in the study area.
• Can apply specific knowledge of the (core) discipline to real situations.
• Have an understanding of the principles of sustainable design and development.
• Operate effectively and ethically in work and community situations.
• Have the ability to work both independently and collaboratively.
• Can effectively communicate within and without the subject discipline.
• Are adaptable and manage change.
• Are self-motivated.
• Can understand problem identification, formulation and solution.
• Have an expectation that learning is lifelong.
• Are aware of environments in which they will be contributing.
• Have a broad understanding of the technical, social, cultural, ecological and economic environments and their interconnectedness.
• Have a broad understanding of the need for sustainability and sustainable development.
• Have a basic understanding of the need to carry out work in an ethical and socially responsible fashion.

Content:

• History of the built environment, land use planning processes and strategies and their application to environmental health.
• Building Code of Australia, Health issues related to housing. Statutory controls inc., Prescribed Accommodation, Caravan Parks.
• Waste water disposal theory: vented, vented-modified, single stack, single stack modified systems. Standards of installation, application and supervision. Codes of practice installation standards and regulatory control.
• Vibration/acoustics: theory and practice of vibration and noise control applied to equipment and plant including ventilation systems.
• Codes of practice for noise emission and control. Minimising health risks associated with high levels of vibration and noise.
• Air quality, sources of exposure, pollutants of concern, monitoring and control, sick building syndrome.
• Sustainable development, concept of ecological footprint.

Reading Materials:

Cromar, N, Cameron, S & Fallowfield, H (eds), Environmental Health in Australia and New Zealand, Oxford University Press, 2004.
Australia Building Codes Board, The Guide to the Building Code of Australia, Australian Building Codes Board, Canberra, 1996.
Commonwealth Department of Health and Aged Care, The health effects of environmental noise –other than hearing loss, enHealth Council, Commonwealth of Australia, 2004.
Environment Australia, State of Knowledge Report: Air Toxics and Indoor Air Quality in Australia, Environment Australia, 2001.
WHO, Health Principles of Housing, WHO, Geneva, 1989.