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TRA430 Integrative Design for Radical Resource Efficiency

lp1 HT24 (7.5 hp), Course is offered by the department of Tracks

Link to Course Syllabus and Learning Outcomes

Course Overview

Contact details

Course purpose

The course provides a platform to work and solve challenging cross-disciplinary authentic problems from different stakeholders in society such as the academy, industry or public institutions. Additionally, the aim is that students from different educational programs practice working efficiently in multidisciplinary development teams.

  • To engage with integrative design and the problem-solving design practice developed by RMI to deliver real-world examples of profitable resource efficiency.
  • To teach optimization of whole systems to capture multiple benefits and increase returns from single expenditures.
  • To provide direct professional development for students in a wide variety of fields and encourage an entrepreneurial spirit for problem-redefining and -solving.
  • To promote networking and collaboration among Chalmers students with shared interests across different disciplines and connect them with the instructors and their networks.

Course literature

With input from the teaching team, students will develop the ability to identify and acquire relevant literature throughout their projects. Below is a selected list of publications by Amory Lovins and others that are the most appropriate background readings for the course. Recommended readings will help complete the Puzzlers and other assignments. This is a reference reading list and will be spread throughout the course depending on the weekly topic, and updates will be posted in Canvas.

See course LITERATURE page for articles and resources

Course design

The main part of the course is a challenge driven project. The challenge may range from being broad societal to profound research driven. The project task is solved in a group. The course is supplemented by on-demand teaching and learning of the skills necessary for the project. The project teams will be supported by university staff through planned tutoring sessions.

Focus 1: Buildings

  • Conventional vs. integrative design
  • Passive thermal comfort in cold, hot, and humid climates
  • Illumination
  • Water heating
  • Appliances and other loads
  • Design, construction, commissioning, improvement, and adaptation
  • Real-estate implications

Focus 2: Mobility

  • Radical light-duty vehicle efficiency
  • Vehicles and mobility demand
  • Electric and alternative-fueled vehicles
  • Shared mobility systems
  • Connected mobility systems
  • Autonomous vehicles
  • Business strategy
  • Heavy-vehicle efficiency and logistics

Focus 3: Industry

  • Industrial systems and principles
  • Purpose and design intent
  • Fluid-handling and drivesystems
  • Process heat
  • Heavy-industry examples
  • Technology-industry examples
  • Industrial systems

Focus 4: Electricity

  • Implications for demand and business model
  • Comprehensive disruptions
  • Grid and generation right-sizing
  • The supply-side revolution
  • Cost-effective, reliable, and resilient integration of variable renewables
  • Transition paths

Focus 5: Disruptive Energy Futures

  • Market adoption of energy efficiency, renewables, and integrative design
  • Pace of disruption
  • National-level strategies for rapid, cost-effective decarbonization and energy security
  • Turning barriers into business opportunities
  • Profitable climate protection through energy savings and natural-systems carbon removal

Focus 6: Implementation at Scale

  • Implications for resilience, security, global development, and financial capital allocation
  • Implementation through a wide range of techniques and stakeholders

Schedule

See Canvas calendar for schedule and updates

Examination form

Each week, students are expected to:

  • Complete required readings in advance of class
  • Watch pre-recorded lecture(s) in advance of class
  • Submit journal entry in preparation for class
  • Attend all class activities
  • Actively participate in discussions and activities
  • Complete in-class Puzzlers

A final grade for the class will be awarded to each student, based on :
Attendance/Participation 25%
Journal Entries 20%
Weekly Puzzlers 30%
Applied Integrative Design Report/Project 25%

Please note that a substantial percentage of the final grade is attendance and participation. If you have difficulty speaking in class/group settings, please meet with the examiner as early in the course as possible to discuss your situation. Participation will be evaluated on an individual basis by the Teaching Staff who will value quality of contribution as much as (and in some cases more than) quantity.

The course examiner may assess individual students in other ways than what is stated above if there are special reasons for doing so, for example if a student has a decision from Chalmers on educational support due to disability.

Course summary:

Date Details Due