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TRA430 Integrative Design for Radical Resource Efficiency

lp1 HT25 (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 teams.

  • To engage students with integrative design: the problem-solving design practice developed and long successfully implemented by Rocky Mountain Institute to deliver 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.

Learning outcomes 

  • Critically and creatively identify and formulate advanced architectural and engineering problems.
  • Lead and participate in the development of new products, processes and systems using a holistic approach by following principles of integrative design
  • Share and reflect on insights about the impact of architecture and engineering solutions in global, economic, environmental and societal contexts.
  • Orally and in writing explain and discuss information, problems, methods, design/development processes and solutions.
  • Reflect on and innovatively apply integrative design solutions for advanced energy efficiency.
  • Challenge and address opportunities at the nexus of engineering and economics.
  • Suggest solutions to problems not by shrinking their scope but by enlarging their boundaries.
  • Describe the role of integrative design and whole system thinking in engineering and design classes taught in Chalmers.
  • Apply consistent methods, processes, and design approaches into projects cross-pollinated across a variety of disciplines while moving briskly through a wide range of design challenges.

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

  • Vehicle and mobility efficiency, demand and logistics
  • Electric and alternative-fueled vehicles
  • Shared and connected mobility systems
  • Autonomous vehicles
  • Business strategy

Focus 3: Industry

  • Industrial systems principles, purpose and design intent
  • Fluid-handling and drivesystems
  • Process heat
  • Heavy-industry and technology-industry examples

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

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 organisation

The course is run by a teaching team.
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 team will have one university examiner, one or a pool of university supervisors and one or a pool of external co-supervisors if applicable.

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 20%
  • Journal Entries 20%
  • Weekly Puzzlers 20%
  • Applied Integrative Design Report and Presentation 40%

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