Explore UCD

UCD Home >

BSEN30610

Academic Year 2026/2027

SustainabilityDesign Challenge (BSEN30610)

Subject:
Biosystems Engineering
College:
Engineering & Architecture
School:
Biosystems & Food Engineering
Level:
3 (Degree)
Credits:
5
Module Coordinator:
Dr Asli Coban
Trimester:
Spring
Mode of Delivery:
Online
Internship Module:
No
How will I be graded?
Letter grades

Curricular information is subject to change.

This module provides students with a structured, project-based learning environment to develop and apply sustainability-oriented engineering design thinking to real-world sustainability challenges. The module focuses on translating complex sustainability problems into actionable engineering solutions using systems thinking, life-cycle thinking, mathematical modelling, sustainability assessment methodologies, and design-oriented problem framing. The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are used as an overarching framework to contextualise sustainability challenges, guide project development, and evaluate environmental, social, and economic implications.

The module emphasises sustainability challenges relevant to biosystems and food engineering, including (but not limited to) water and wastewater management, waste management and circular bioeconomy, agri-food systems, sustainable materials, and nature-based or low-carbon solutions. Students work in teams on open-ended sustainability design challenges supported by modelling, sustainability assessment, and iterative prototyping approaches, which may include conceptual, analytical, digital, or low-fidelity physical representations. The module complements other programme offerings by focusing explicitly on sustainability design, systems integration, implementation pathways, and sustainability-informed decision-making rather than standalone theory or detailed process design alone.

About this Module

Learning Outcomes:

The module explicitly aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), supporting students in designing engineering solutions that address global sustainability priorities while remaining grounded in local and sector-specific contexts.
On successful completion of this module, students will be able to:
1. Formulate a real-world sustainability challenge by analysing quantitative and qualitative data related to a product, process, or system.
2. Apply design thinking, systems thinking, and life-cycle thinking to develop an engineering-based sustainability solution.
3. Use appropriate mathematical modelling and sustainability assessment tools to evaluate and justify design decisions.
4. Design and communicate a technically feasible and sustainability-oriented solution through professional-quality written and oral outputs.
5. Work effectively in multidisciplinary teams, demonstrating project management, communication, initiative, and reflective practice.

Indicative Module Content:

Week 1: Introduction to the Sustainability Design Challenge
Module overview, expectations, assessment, introduction to sustainability challenges, United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as a guiding framework, example challenge areas, and team formation. Introduction to sustainability and sustainability design challenges.

Week 2: Sustainability Concepts & Systems Thinking
Definitions of sustainability, systems boundaries, stocks and flows, feedback loops, leverage points, and introduction to systems mapping.

Week 3: Design Thinking for Sustainability
Empathise–Define–Ideate–Prototype–Test framework; stakeholder analysis; problem framing for sustainability challenges.

Week 4: Life-Cycle Thinking & Circular Economy
Life-cycle stages, circular economy and circular bioeconomy concepts, introduction to screening-level life cycle assessment (LCA).

Week 5: Data, Modelling & Digital Tools for Sustainability
Use of public datasets, basic mathematical modelling, mass and energy balances, and introduction to digital, data-driven, and decision-support tools for sustainability.

Week 6: Sustainability Challenge Framing & Project Scoping
Team-based development of challenge definition, sustainability objectives, system boundaries, assumptions, and performance indicators.

Week 7: Concept Generation & Design Alternatives
Ideation techniques, development and comparison of design alternatives, feasibility screening, and analysis of sustainability trade-offs.

Week 8: Prototyping for Sustainability
Conceptual, analytical, and low-fidelity prototyping; process flow diagrams; preliminary calculations; integration of sustainability metrics. Prototyping in design thinking involves creating simple, low-cost, and testable representations of ideas to explore solutions early in the design process. These prototypes are not limited to physical objects but can also include sketches, diagrams, simulations, models, or process representations.

Week 9: Sustainability Assessment & Evaluation
LCA-lite, environmental indicators, carbon considerations, sensitivity analysis, risk and uncertainty, validation of design choices.

Week 10: Implementation, Scalability & Policy Context
Implementation pathways, regulatory and policy constraints, scalability, stakeholder engagement, and real-world adoption.

Week 11: Communication & Professional Practice
Technical writing, visual communication, pitching sustainability solutions, professional and ethical considerations, responsible use of AI tools, and effective teamwork practices in line with institutional guidelines.

Week 12: Final Project Presentations & Reflection
Team presentations, professional communication, peer feedback, reflection on design process, sustainability outcomes, and learning experience.

UNESCO highlights a set of key competencies that support individuals in their development and support society in achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). UCD has adapted these competencies and is combining them with others to form a general framework of learning competencies. This module will help you develop the competencies below to the levels specified. 
Learning Competency Additional Information Level

Collaboration

 The ability to learn from others; to understand and respect the needs, perspectives and actions of others (empathy); to understand, relate to and be sensitive to others (empathic leadership); to deal with conflicts in a group; and to facilitate collaborative and participatory problem solving. Competent

Critical Thinking

 The ability to question norms, practices and opinions; to reflect on one’s own values, perceptions and actions. Competent

Systems Thinking

 The ability to recognize and understand relationships; to analyse complex systems; to think of how systems are embedded within different domains and different scales; and to deal with uncertainty. Competent

Strategic

 The ability to collectively develop and implement innovative actions that further sustainability at the local level and further afield. Advanced Beginner

Integrated Problem Solving

 The overarching ability to apply different problem-solving frameworks to complex sustainability problems and develop viable, inclusive and equitable solution options that promote sustainable development, integrating the competencies in this list. Competent

Self-awareness

 The ability to reflect on one’s own role in the local community and (global) society; to continually evaluate and further motivate one’s actions; and to deal with one’s feelings and desires. Advanced Beginner

Normative

 The ability to understand and reflect on the norms and values that underlie one’s actions; and to negotiate values, principles, goals, and targets, in a context of conflicts of interest and trade-offs, uncertain knowledge and contradictions. Advanced Beginner

Anticipatory

 The ability to understand and evaluate multiple scenarios for the future – possible, probable and desirable; to create one’s own visions for the future; to apply the precautionary principle; to assess the consequences of actions; and to deal with risks and changes. Advanced Beginner

Digital Literacy and Judgement

 The ability to access, evaluate, create and communicate information in digital environments; to engage critically, ethically and responsibly with digital technologies and digital information; to understand their opportunities, limitations, risks and impact on individual’s digital identities; and to exercise informed judgement in digital participation and decision-making. Competent

AI Literacy & Agency

 The ability to understand, critically evaluate and responsibly engage with artificial intelligence; to recognise how AI systems are shaped by human values; to assess their ethical, social and environmental implications; and to exercise human judgement, agency and accountability in AI-related contexts. Advanced Beginner

Wellbeing

 Wellbeing is having the resources and skills to meet life's challenges, including attributes such as personal development skills, resilience, stress management, strengths, lifestyle skills, nutrition, physical activity, sleep, alcohol/substance use, academic skills, time management, goal setting, interpersonal skills, group work, communication. Advanced Beginner

The United Nations identified seventeen Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as core to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and UCD contributes in general to SDG 4 Quality Education. Further SDGs explored within this module if relevant are listed below. A scale of 1 - 5 indicates the extent to which the SDG is covered.


Goal Name Description Coverage

End poverty in all its forms everywhere 1

End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture 2

Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages 3

Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all 5

Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls 1

Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all 5

Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all 4

Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all 3

Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation 5

Reduce inequality within and among countries 1

Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable 4

Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns 5

Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts 5

Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development 3

Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss 3

Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels 1

Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development 3
 

Student Effort Hours:
Student Effort Type Hours
Lectures

24
Autonomous Student Learning

76
Total

100

Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
The module is delivered through a combination of:
- Interactive online lectures
- Design workshops and guided activities
- Team-based project work
- Directed and self-directed reading
- Formative feedback during project development
Active learning is central to the module. Students learn by doing, reflecting, and iterating on their designs, supported by academic staff and peer feedback.
Teams will be formed by the teaching team with the aim of achieving a balanced mix of disciplinary backgrounds and skill sets, where feasible. As this is a fully online module, students are expected to organise and participate in regular online team meetings using appropriate digital platforms. Group work will be supported through scheduled project check-ins and structured milestones across the semester, and the teaching team may engage with teams during selected sessions or activities to monitor progress and provide formative feedback.

Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations

Not applicable to this module.


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Not applicable to this module.
 

Assessment Strategy
Description Timing Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade In Module Component Repeat Offered
Reflective Assignment: Individual Technical Contribution Note Week 11 Alternative linear conversion grade scale 40% No
10
 No
Group Work Assignment: Mid-Semester Design Review Week 6, Week 7, Week 8 Pass/Fail Grade Scale No
10
 No
Group Work Assignment: Team-Based Sustainability Design Project Week 11, Week 12 Alternative linear conversion grade scale 40% Yes
40
 Yes
Group Work Assignment: Team Presentation / Pitch Week 12 Alternative linear conversion grade scale 40% Yes
20
 Yes
Participation in Learning Activities: Peer Design Review via Brightspace Discussion Board Week 6, Week 7, Week 8 Pass/Fail Grade Scale No
10
 No
Reflective Assignment: Individual Reflection Week 12 Alternative linear conversion grade scale 40% No
10
 No

Carry forward of passed components
No
 

Resit In Terminal Exam
Autumn No
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 

Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Feedback individually to students, on an activity or draft prior to summative assessment
• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment
• Group/class feedback, post-assessment
• Peer review activities

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Feedback is provided through: 1) Ongoing verbal feedback during workshops and project check-ins 2) Peer feedback during interim presentations or discussions 3) Written feedback and marking rubrics for assessed components 4) Formative feedback on project scope, assumptions, and design direction prior to final submission

Timetabling information is displayed only for guidance purposes, relates to the current Academic Year only and is subject to change.
Spring Lecture Offering 1 Week(s) - 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33 Thurs 11:00 - 12:50
Print this page
Fill in the following details:
Enter the body of your query here.

From time to time UCD would like to send you further information that we feel, based on your enquiry, would be of interest to you.