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GESS1014: Managing Singapore's Built Environment

 

Taken in AY2022/2023 Sem 1

Prof Kua Harn Wei (Weeks 1-6), Prof Shah Kok Wei (Weeks 7-12) with 2 Guest Lecturers in between.This module is co-lead by 2 Profs. Prof Kuah heads the first half, and Prof Shah heads the 2nd half.

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Deliverables

Under Prof Kuah:
Group Project 1 (Written Report 15%, Presentation 10%)

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Under Prof Shah:
Group Project 2 (Presentation 10%)
Individual Reflection Paper (15%)

Finals (50%)

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Part 1: Prof Kuah

The first part of this module is headed by Prof Kuah. It focuses more on the Built Environment. This part focuses on the physical aspect of the built environment; therefore, it is more technical, covering concepts such as comparing urban ecosystems to natural ecosystems, industrial ecology, how one aspect of the built environment affects the other. You'll touch on terms such as life cycle assessment, circular economy (how we can reuse waste), as well as sustainable and recyclable building materials.

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There are 2 lectures conducted by Dr Teo Ho Pin, former mayor of Bukit Panjang SMC, to touch on the social aspects of the built environment. He covers how towns are run, balancing stakeholders' opinion's in order to manage a town as efficiently as possible.

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Part 2: Prof Shah

The 2nd part of the module is headed by Prof Shah. This part focuses on the problems faced by the built environment, and possible solutions to solve them. The lectures cover an overview on how to identify problems with the built environment, and how to solve them in the best possible way, whilst looking at the pros and cons of solutions, and how effective the solution will be if implemented. These can include using COVID Disinfection robots to save costs for example.

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Workload and Grading
Firstly, the tutorials themselves are fortnightly and are not graded. They are more on a 'good to know' basis. The bulk of the work comes from the group projects.

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Group project 1

The first group project requires you to form in groups of 6 to do an oral presentation and a 12-page written report. The report covers concepts taught in the first part of the module, but on a larger macro-economic scale. Questions asked can be for example 'what is sustainability?' Both presentations are pretty casual, you don't have to wear formal to conduct them. Try to be creative in the presentation.
 

Group project 2

The 2nd group project requires you to come up identify problems faced by the built environment and come up with a solution for one of them. Then you describe and explain what the solution is about and quantify the benefits of the solution. No written report is required for the group project. The Individual report is the same as the 2nd group project but done individually.

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Finals

Finals are open-book. Similarly, there 2 parts of the exam covering each Profs' parts respectively. Although when I took the paper Prof Shah's section was much more relevant (the part where you come up with solutions). Hint: Print a lot of reports so you can reference them during Finals.

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Final Thoughts

This is an interesting module but has higher workload (according to my groupmates) compared to other GESS modules. You will acquire a better awareness on how to formulate and understand the concept of sustainability within the built environment, as well as how ecosystems work. For me my groupmates were pretty fire and therefore I had fun during the modules and group projects. IMO if your groupmates are not into this together, you'll have a harder time.