Outline

Overview

This unit of study introduces students to fundamental principles of environmental engineering, focusing on water and air quality, energy and climate change, as well as concepts of sustainability and how they inform the work of civil engineers. Students will learn about physical, chemical and biological principles underlying water and wastewater treatment technologies, how to design solutions to water treatment problems, major urban air pollutants and their sources, how to model airborne pollution plumes and how air pollution control technologies work. Basic principles of energy, including laws of thermodynamics, and various forms of energy, will be introduced and discussed. Simple models of planetary radiative balance, based on system dynamics, will be used to better understand anthropogenic climate change, including mitigation and adaptation, and how they are likely to influence the future of civil engineering practice. Concepts of sustainability will be discussed through lenses of energy, thermodynamics and complex systems. In addition to the above, students will develop communication skills through report writing and group discussions. They will learn how to interpret environmental data, perform calculations and build simulation models of environmental problems. Lectures, tutorials, and project workshops are all used in teaching and learning in this unit of study. By the end of the unit, students will develop a practical understanding of how civil engineers can help deliver cleaner water, air and energy, as well as more sustainable solutions for communities. They will have developed a better understanding of the complex environmental, technological, ethical and social contexts of engineering decision-making.

Unit details and rules

Academic unit	Civil Engineering
Credit points	6
Prerequisites ?	MATH1061 and MATH1062
Corequisites ?	None
Prohibitions ?	CIVL3010
Assumed knowledge ?	ENGG1810
Available to study abroad and exchange students	Yes

Teaching staff

Coordinator	Abbas El-Zein, abbas.elzein@sydney.edu.au

Assessment

The census date for this unit availability is 31 August 2026

Details
Criteria

Type	Description	Weight	Due	Length	Use of AI
Written exam	Final Exam Summative final exam where students are evaluated on a set questions related to any part of the material covered in the unit during the semester.	30%	Formal exam period	1.5 hours	AI prohibited
Outcomes assessed:
Attendance - accreditation or faculty requirement	Participation Recorded attendance in lectures, tutorials and workshops and submission of weekly pre-lecture works.	10%	Multiple weeks	Not relevant	Not applicable
Outcomes assessed:
Out-of-class quiz	Early Feedback task Online Week 3 Pre-work Quiz	0%	Week 03 Due date: 20 Aug 2025 at 23:59	5 questions	AI allowed
Outcomes assessed:
In-person practical, skills, or performance task or test	Water and Wastewater Quiz In-class quiz on energy (material covered in first 4 weeks of semester)	20%	Week 04	1.5 hours	AI prohibited
Outcomes assessed:
Research analysis	Air Pollution Report Report structured on activities conducted during field day on week 7 and the interpretation of their results.	20%	Week 08	6 pages	AI allowed
Outcomes assessed:
Data analysis	Climate Change Investigation Assignment The assignment report is the final outcome of two workshops in which the students develop a system dynamics model of global warming and use it to assess various future scenarios.	20%	Week 12	2000-word report	AI allowed
Outcomes assessed:
= group assignment ? = early feedback task ?

Early feedback task

This unit includes an early feedback task, designed to give you feedback prior to the census date for this unit. Details are provided in the Canvas site and your result will be recorded in your Marks page. It is important that you actively engage with this task so that the University can support you to be successful in this unit.

Assessment summary

Detailed information for each assessment can be found on Canvas.

Assessment criteria

The University awards common result grades, set out in the Coursework Policy 2014 (Schedule 1).

As a general guide, a high distinction indicates work of an exceptional standard, a distinction a very high standard, a credit a good standard, and a pass an acceptable standard.

Result name	Mark range	Description
High distinction	85 - 100
Distinction	75 - 84
Credit	65 - 74
Pass	50 - 64
Fail	0 - 49	When you don’t meet the learning outcomes of the unit to a satisfactory standard.

For more information see sydney.edu.au/students/guide-to-grades.

For more information see guide to grades.

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI)

You can use generative AI tools for open assessments. Restrictions on AI use apply to secure, supervised assessments used to confirm if students have met specific learning outcomes.

Refer to the assessment table above to see if AI is allowed, for assessments in this unit and check Canvas for full instructions on assessment tasks and AI use.

If you use AI, you must always acknowledge it. Misusing AI may lead to a breach of the Academic Integrity Policy.

Visit the Current Students website for more information on AI in assessments, including details on how to acknowledge its use.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

Academic integrity

The University expects students to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.

Our website provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. This includes advice on how to avoid common breaches of academic integrity. Ensure that you have completed the Academic Honesty Education Module (AHEM) which is mandatory for all commencing coursework students

Penalties for serious breaches can significantly impact your studies and your career after graduation. It is important that you speak with your unit coordinator if you need help with completing assessments.

Visit the Current Students website for more information on AI in assessments, including details on how to acknowledge its use.

Learning support

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

Support for students

The Support for Students Policy reflects the University’s commitment to supporting students in their academic journey and making the University safe for students. It is important that you read and understand this policy so that you are familiar with the range of support services available to you and understand how to engage with them.

The University uses email as its primary source of communication with students who need support under the Support for Students Policy. Make sure you check your University email regularly and respond to any communications received from the University.

Learning resources and detailed information about weekly assessment and learning activities can be accessed via Canvas. It is essential that you visit your unit of study Canvas site to ensure you are up to date with all of your tasks.

If you are having difficulties completing your studies, or are feeling unsure about your progress, we are here to help. You can access the support services offered by the University at any time:

Support and Services (including health and wellbeing services, financial support and learning support)
Course planning and administration
Meet with an Academic Adviser

Weekly schedule

WK	Topic	Learning activity
Week 01	Introduction	Lecture (2 hr)
	Introduction	Tutorial (1 hr)
	Introduction to environmental engineering	Workshop (2 hr)
Week 02	Water and Wastewater	Lecture (2 hr)
	Water and Wastewater	Tutorial (1 hr)
	Water and Wastewater	Workshop (2 hr)
Week 03	Water and Wastewater	Lecture (2 hr)
	Water and Wastewater	Tutorial (1 hr)
	Water and Wastewater	Workshop (2 hr)
Week 04	Water and Wastewater	Lecture (2 hr)
	Water and Wastewater	Tutorial (1 hr)
	Water and Wastewater	Workshop (2 hr)
Week 05	Air Pollution	Lecture (2 hr)
	Water and Wastewater	Tutorial (1 hr)
	Water and Wastewater	Workshop (2 hr)
Week 06	Air Pollution	Lecture (2 hr)
	Air Pollution	Tutorial (1 hr)
	Air Pollution	Workshop (2 hr)
Week 07	A whole day exercise will be performed on the University campus.	Fieldwork (7 hr)
Week 08	Energy	Lecture (2 hr)
	Energy	Tutorial (1 hr)
	Enviro Day Report	Workshop (2 hr)
Week 09	Climate Change	Lecture (2 hr)
	Climate Change	Tutorial (1 hr)
	Lecture on System Dynamics	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 10	Climate Change	Lecture (2 hr)
	Climate Change	Tutorial (1 hr)
	Climate Change and Sustainable Systems	Workshop (2 hr)
Week 11	Sustainable Systems	Lecture (2 hr)
	Sustainable Systems	Tutorial (1 hr)
	Climate Change and Sustainable Systems	Workshop (2 hr)
Week 12	Sustainable Systems	Lecture (2 hr)
	Sustainable Systems	Tutorial (1 hr)
	Climate Change and Sustainable Systems	Workshop (2 hr)
Week 13	Sustainable Systems	Lecture (2 hr)
	Sustainable Systems	Tutorial (1 hr)
	Final Exam Revision	Workshop (2 hr)
Weekly	Readings, pre-lecture work, exercises	Self-directed learning (13 hr)

Attendance and class requirements

Participation marks are awarded for active participation in the weekly tutorials, lectures and workshops and for submission of small pre-lecture tasks.

Attendance of workshops and tutorials is compulsory and will be recorded.

The fieldwork exercise must be attended, and this cannot be rescheduled. If you miss this exercise, you must contact the unit of study coordinator as soon as possible to organise an alternative assessment.

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 hours of student effort in total.

Required readings

Reading list will be provided on the Canvas website.

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

LO1. Describe common water and wastewater treatment processes using physical, chemical, and biological principles and apply these principles to design and analyse water and wastewater treatment systems.
LO2. Identify major air pollutants, their sources and how their control technologies work, and predict the spread of airborne pollution.
LO3. Assess the source, potential and impacts of different forms of energy based on principles of thermodynamics.
LO4. Describe the greenhouse effect and appraise mitigation and adaptation options of climate change.
LO5. Critically appraise different aspects of environmental sustainability and the role of civil engineers in achieving them.
LO6. Conduct research, solve problems and communicate effectively on technical topics.

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1	Depth of disciplinary expertise Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.
GQ2	Critical thinking and problem solving Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.
GQ3	Oral and written communication Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.
GQ4	Information and digital literacy Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.
GQ5	Inventiveness Generating novel ideas and solutions.
GQ6	Cultural competence Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.
GQ7	Interdisciplinary effectiveness Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.
GQ8	Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.
GQ9	Influence Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes	Graduate qualities
Learning outcomes

Alignment with Competency standards

Outcomes	Competency standards
	Engineers Australia Curriculum Performance Indicators - 1.1. Developing underpinning capabilities in mathematics, physical, life and information sciences and engineering sciences, as appropriate to the designated field of practice. 1.2. Tackling technically challenging problems from first principles. 3.2. Information literacy and the ability to manage information and documentation. 5.1. An appreciation of the scientific method, the need for rigour and a sound theoretical basis. 5.2. A commitment to safe and sustainable practices. 5.4. Skills in the selection and application of appropriate engineering resources tools and techniques, appreciation of accuracy and limitations;. 5.5. Skills in the development and application of mathematical, physical and conceptual models, understanding of applicability and shortcomings. 5.6. Skills in the design and conduct of experiments and measurements.
	Engineers Australia Curriculum Performance Indicators - 1.1. Developing underpinning capabilities in mathematics, physical, life and information sciences and engineering sciences, as appropriate to the designated field of practice. 1.2. Tackling technically challenging problems from first principles. 2.2. Application of enabling skills and knowledge to problem solution in these technical domains. 5.1. An appreciation of the scientific method, the need for rigour and a sound theoretical basis. 5.5. Skills in the development and application of mathematical, physical and conceptual models, understanding of applicability and shortcomings. 5.6. Skills in the design and conduct of experiments and measurements.
	Engineers Australia Curriculum Performance Indicators - 1.1. Developing underpinning capabilities in mathematics, physical, life and information sciences and engineering sciences, as appropriate to the designated field of practice. 1.2. Tackling technically challenging problems from first principles. 5.1. An appreciation of the scientific method, the need for rigour and a sound theoretical basis. 5.2. A commitment to safe and sustainable practices. 5.4. Skills in the selection and application of appropriate engineering resources tools and techniques, appreciation of accuracy and limitations;.
	Engineers Australia Curriculum Performance Indicators - 1.1. Developing underpinning capabilities in mathematics, physical, life and information sciences and engineering sciences, as appropriate to the designated field of practice. 1.2. Tackling technically challenging problems from first principles. 2.4. Advanced knowledge and capability development in one or more specialist areas through engagement with: (a) specific body of knowledge and emerging developments and (b) problems and situations of significant technical complexity. 3.4. An understanding of and commitment to ethical and professional responsibilities. 3.6. An ability to function as an individual and as a team leader and member in multi-disciplinary and multi-cultural teams. 4.5. An ability to undertake problem solving, design and project work within a broad contextual framework accommodating social, cultural, ethical, legal, political, economic and environmental responsibilities as well as within the principles of sustainable development and health and safety imperatives. 5.5. Skills in the development and application of mathematical, physical and conceptual models, understanding of applicability and shortcomings. 5.9. Skills in documenting results, analysing credibility of outcomes, critical reflection, developing robust conclusions, reporting outcomes.
	Engineers Australia Curriculum Performance Indicators - 1.1. Developing underpinning capabilities in mathematics, physical, life and information sciences and engineering sciences, as appropriate to the designated field of practice. 1.2. Tackling technically challenging problems from first principles. 3.6. An ability to function as an individual and as a team leader and member in multi-disciplinary and multi-cultural teams. 4.1. Advanced level skills in the structured solution of complex and often ill defined problems. 4.2. Ability to use a systems approach to complex problems, and to design and operational performance. 4.5. An ability to undertake problem solving, design and project work within a broad contextual framework accommodating social, cultural, ethical, legal, political, economic and environmental responsibilities as well as within the principles of sustainable development and health and safety imperatives. 5.1. An appreciation of the scientific method, the need for rigour and a sound theoretical basis. 5.2. A commitment to safe and sustainable practices.
	Engineers Australia Curriculum Performance Indicators - 1.2. Tackling technically challenging problems from first principles. 2.4. Advanced knowledge and capability development in one or more specialist areas through engagement with: (a) specific body of knowledge and emerging developments and (b) problems and situations of significant technical complexity. 3.1. An ability to communicate with the engineering team and the community at large. 3.2. Information literacy and the ability to manage information and documentation. 4.1. Advanced level skills in the structured solution of complex and often ill defined problems. 4.2. Ability to use a systems approach to complex problems, and to design and operational performance. 4.5. An ability to undertake problem solving, design and project work within a broad contextual framework accommodating social, cultural, ethical, legal, political, economic and environmental responsibilities as well as within the principles of sustainable development and health and safety imperatives.

Responding to student feedback

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

Introduction of new water and wastewater component; removal of 1 pre-requisites.

Disclaimer

Important: the University of Sydney regularly reviews units of study and reserves the right to change the units of study available annually. To stay up to date on available study options, including unit of study details and availability, refer to the relevant handbook.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.

Current students

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Early feedback task

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI)

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Support for students

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Alignment with Competency standards

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links

CIVL2010: Environmental Engineering

Semester 2, 2026 [Normal day] - Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Early feedback task

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI)

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Support for students

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Alignment with Competency standards

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links