ENCN281-25S1 (C) Semester One 2025

Environmental Engineering

15 points

Details:
Start Date: Monday, 17 February 2025
End Date: Sunday, 22 June 2025
Withdrawal Dates
Last Day to withdraw from this course:
  • Without financial penalty (full fee refund): Sunday, 2 March 2025
  • Without academic penalty (including no fee refund): Sunday, 11 May 2025

Description

Water quality parameters; mass balances; kinetics; surface water quality modelling; ecological systems; treatment of water, wastewater, solid and hazardous wastes; water quality field activities.

The objective of this course is to introduce students to the fundamental concepts of environmental engineering and their applications through case studies and guest lectures, as well as field and laboratory activities. The overarching goal is for students to understand the potential impacts of engineering activities on ecological and public health with a particular focus on the aqueous environment and water quality.

Learning Outcomes

1. Describe and explain environmental quality & public health objectives and how they are informed by Māori perspectives & values. (Washington Accord WA6. WA7)  (UC CE3, GA2, BCC7)

2. Describe and explain ecology principles (i.e. nutrient cycles, species interaction) and ecosystem function & structure (i.e. population dynamics, food web); calculate energy & material flows; identify ecosystem services & discuss human influences on ecosystems. (Washington Accord WA1, WA6) (EIE3, GA2)

3. Describe and estimate contaminant behaviour in the environment using mass balances, kinetics, rates of reactions, hydraulic reactor models. Washington Accord WA1) (UC EIE3)

4. Carry out water quality sampling, data collection and analyses, illustrating the importance of variability, reproducibility, QA/QC (quality assurance & quality control); summarize and interpret the results using appropriate units of measurement & significant figures.  (Washington Accord WA4, WA9. WA10) (UC EIE2, EIE3)


5. Classify water quality (physical, chemical, biological, nutrients, heavy metals); identify water pollution sources and the impacts on the environment and public health; describe and discuss environmental risks/hazards and potential ways to minimise them. (Washington Accord WA6, WA7) (CU CE3, GA2)

6. Apply the concept of equivalent weights and solve environmental chemistry problems (pH, alkalinity, acid/base reactions). (Washington Accord WA1) (UC EIE3)

7. Estimate and describe pollutant/contaminant transformation (physical, chemical biological) in environmental engineering systems i.e. drinking water & wastewater treatment, solid & hazardous waste disposal. (Washington Accord WA1, WA6, WA7) (UC EIE3, CE3, GA2)

8. Perform laboratory-scale treatment of water samples (coagulation/flocculation) and interpret/explain/discuss the observations & results with respect to water quality objectives.  (Washington Accord WA4, WA9, WA10) (UC EIE2, EIE3)

Prerequisites

Subject to approval of the Dean of Engineering and Forestry

Restrictions

ENNR203, ENCI383

Timetable 2025

Students must attend one activity from each section.

Lecture A A
Activity Day Time Location Weeks
01 Thursday 09:00 - 10:00 A2 Lecture Theatre
17 Feb - 6 Apr
28 Apr - 1 Jun
02 Thursday 14:00 - 15:00 A2 Lecture Theatre
17 Feb - 6 Apr
28 Apr - 1 Jun
Lecture B B
Activity Day Time Location Weeks
01 Tuesday 09:00 - 10:00 Meremere 108 Lecture Theatre
17 Feb - 6 Apr
28 Apr - 1 Jun
02 Tuesday 14:00 - 15:00 A2 Lecture Theatre
17 Feb - 6 Apr
28 Apr - 1 Jun
Field Trip A A
Activity Day Time Location Weeks
01-P1 Monday 09:00 - 17:00 - 7 Apr - 13 Apr
01-P2 Tuesday 09:00 - 17:00 - 7 Apr - 13 Apr
01-P3 Wednesday 09:00 - 17:00 - 7 Apr - 13 Apr
02-P1 Monday 09:00 - 17:00 - 14 Apr - 20 Apr
02-P2 Tuesday 09:00 - 17:00 - 14 Apr - 20 Apr
02-P3 Wednesday 09:00 - 17:00 - 14 Apr - 20 Apr
Lab A A
Activity Day Time Location Weeks
01 Monday 13:00 - 16:00 CAPE 113 Teaching Lab
19 May - 25 May
02 Monday 09:00 - 12:00 CAPE 113 Teaching Lab
19 May - 25 May
03 Tuesday 13:00 - 16:00 CAPE 113 Teaching Lab
19 May - 25 May
04 Tuesday 09:00 - 12:00 CAPE 113 Teaching Lab
19 May - 25 May
05 Wednesday 13:00 - 16:00 CAPE 113 Teaching Lab
19 May - 25 May
06 Wednesday 09:00 - 12:00 CAPE 113 Teaching Lab
19 May - 25 May
07 Thursday 13:00 - 16:00 CAPE 113 Teaching Lab
19 May - 25 May
08 Thursday 09:00 - 12:00 CAPE 113 Teaching Lab
19 May - 25 May
09 Friday 13:00 - 16:00 CAPE 113 Teaching Lab
19 May - 25 May
10 Friday 09:00 - 12:00 CAPE 113 Teaching Lab
19 May - 25 May
Tutorial A A
Activity Day Time Location Weeks
01 Wednesday 09:00 - 10:00 Rehua 003 Music
17 Feb - 2 Mar
10 Mar - 16 Mar
24 Mar - 6 Apr
28 Apr - 4 May
12 May - 18 May
02 Wednesday 12:00 - 13:00 Rehua 003 Music
17 Feb - 2 Mar
10 Mar - 16 Mar
24 Mar - 6 Apr
28 Apr - 4 May
12 May - 18 May
03 Wednesday 15:00 - 16:00 Rehua 003 Music
17 Feb - 2 Mar
10 Mar - 16 Mar
24 Mar - 6 Apr
28 Apr - 4 May
12 May - 18 May
04 Wednesday 09:00 - 10:00 Rehua 005
17 Feb - 2 Mar
10 Mar - 16 Mar
24 Mar - 6 Apr
28 Apr - 4 May
12 May - 18 May
05 Wednesday 12:00 - 13:00 A4 Lecture Theatre
17 Feb - 2 Mar
10 Mar - 16 Mar
24 Mar - 6 Apr
28 Apr - 4 May
12 May - 18 May
06 Wednesday 15:00 - 16:00 Rehua 528
17 Feb - 2 Mar
10 Mar - 16 Mar
24 Mar - 6 Apr
28 Apr - 4 May
12 May - 18 May
Tutorial B B
Activity Day Time Location Weeks
01 Friday 10:00 - 11:00 Meremere 108 Lecture Theatre
17 Feb - 6 Apr
28 Apr - 1 Jun
02 Friday 13:00 - 14:00 Meremere 108 Lecture Theatre
17 Feb - 6 Apr
28 Apr - 1 Jun
Tutorial C C
Activity Day Time Location Weeks
01 Friday 17:00 - 18:00 E9 Lecture Theatre
3 Mar - 9 Mar
17 Mar - 23 Mar
5 May - 11 May
19 May - 25 May
02 Friday 17:00 - 18:00 E7 Lecture Theatre
3 Mar - 9 Mar
17 Mar - 23 Mar
5 May - 11 May
19 May - 25 May

Course Coordinator / Lecturer

Simone Larcher

Lecturers

Aisling O'Sullivan and Frances Charters

Assessment

Assessment Due Date Percentage  Description
Field study report 15% Learning Objectives 1,2,4
exam 35% Learning Objectives 3,7
Lab Report 10%
Quizzes 15%
Test 25%


The field activity is a key part of your first semester of study in the department.  You must complete the field activity and complete a report to pass this course.  The field activity ties into both a 15% report for this course and ENCN201 Communications Portfolio submissions. Repeating students who completed the field activities in 2023 do not need to attend the activity.  Repeating students may carryover their field activity report mark from last year, or may make a new submission with the approval of the course co-ordinator.

You will be allocated to a Field activity session (4 consecutive days) and working groups will be assigned during the Field Activity. If you would like to change the week to which you are allocated please find another student who is willing to swap with you and contact the course coordinator.

Textbooks / Resources

Recommended Reading

Mihelcic, James R., Zimmerman, Julie Beth Auer, Martin T; Environmental Engineering - Fundamentals, Sustainability ; Hoboken, NJ : John Wile, 2010.

Additional Course Outline Information

Assessment and grading system

Notes:
i.  You cannot pass this course unless you achieve a mark of at least 40% on the test and final exam. A student who narrowly fails to achieve 40% but who performs very well in the other course assessments, may be eligible for a pass in the course at the discretion of the course coordinator.

ii.  You cannot pass this course unless you attend the field study, demonstrate professional conduct during the camp, and contribute to your team’s report.

iii.  You cannot pass this course unless you attend the laboratory and contribute to your team’s report. The laboratory report is due 1 week after your laboratory session.

iv  A penalty will be assessed for late assessments. The penalty for this course has been set at 20% per day of the actual marks available for the item of assessment.

Any student who has been impaired by significant exceptional and/or unforeseeable circumstances that have prevented them from completing any major assessment items, or that have impaired their performance such that the results are not representative of their true level of mastery of the course material, may apply for special consideration through the formal university process. The applicability and academic remedy/action associated with the special consideration process is listed for each assessment item below. Please refer to the University Special Consideration Regulations and Special Consideration Policies and Procedures documents for more information on the acceptable grounds for special consideration and the application process.

Quizzes Special consideration is not applicable as the individual quizzes are worth < 10% of the course grade. Students may discuss late quiz submissions with the instructor in charge of that particular assessment.

Lab & Field Activity Reports  An extension will be granted for evidence-supported requests. Extensions will typically be for up to one week, but the duration will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Students seeking an extension must contact the course coordinator as soon as possible with evidence of their situation, and preferably before the due date. For students that completely miss the lab or field activity, the submission of an equivalent alternative assessment will be required.

Test and Final Exam Students will be offered an equivalent alternative test or exam that will replace their original mark. These alternative assessments are only available to students who have approved special consideration applications for the assessments at an appropriate severity level. The mark on these alternative assessments will replace the original mark in the course grade calculation unless the student declines the offer or otherwise does not sit an alternative assessment, in which case the original mark will be used.

The alternative assessments for the test in this course will be held on-campus on the first day of Term 2 (Monday April 22 2024). The alternative assessments for the final exam in this course will be held on-campus in the week of 8 July 2024. It is your responsibility to ensure that you are available for these dates if you want to benefit from the academic remedy for your special consideration.

All communication associated with the arrangements of these equivalent alternative assessments will be conducted using official UC email accounts. The offer to sit the alternative assessment for the test will come with the time and location on the date specified above (April 22 2024).

The offer to sit an alternative assessment for the final exam will come with a date/time during the resit week (July 8-12 2024). Students will have a clearly specified amount of time to respond to the offer. Failure to respond will be interpreted as a declined offer and the original assessment mark will be used to compute the course grade.

If a student has applied for special consideration but the application has not yet been approved when arrangements are being made for the alternative sitting, they may be permitted to sit the alternative assessment, but the mark will only be applied if the application is approved by the special consideration committee at an appropriate severity level.

Indicative Fees

Domestic fee $1,122.00

International fee $6,238.00

* All fees are inclusive of NZ GST or any equivalent overseas tax, and do not include any programme level discount or additional course-related expenses.

For further information see Civil and Natural Resources Engineering .

All ENCN281 Occurrences

  • ENCN281-25S1 (C) Semester One 2025