1. DEMONSTRATE A CRITICAL AWARENESS OF THE KEY CHALLENGES TO THE SUSTAINABLE MANAGEMENT OF CONTEMPORARY URBAN ENVIRONMENTS
Knowledge & Understanding

2. DEMONSTRATE A CRITICAL UNDERSTANDING OF THE CONCEPTS OF BOTH A SUSTAINABLE CITY AND A SMART CITY, TOGETHER WITH A CRITICAL APPRECIATION OF THE KEY ELEMENTS OF A SMART CITY. Knowledge & Understanding

3. CRITICALLY EVALUATE A RANGE OF DIFFERENT SUSTAINABLE AND SMART CITY INITIATIVES AND STRATEGIES AND SUGGEST A VISION FOR A SMART AND SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY OF THE FUTURE. Application;
Enquiry;
Problem Solving; Communication

4. ENGAGE IN RESEARCH AND CRITICALLY DISCUSS IDEAS PRESENTED IN THE LITERATURE RELATING TO THE DEVELOPMENT AND MANAGEMENT OF SMART AND SUSTAINABLE CITIES AND COMMUNICATE IDEAS AND KNOWLEDGE CLEARLY
Communication;
Analysis

As part of a small group you will work together to design your ideal smart and sustainable urban neighbourhood or community and present your ideas to the rest of the class (40%) [Learning outcomes 1 – 3]

An individual 1250-word report that provides a justification for your vision for a smart and sustainable urban community and is supported by reference to a range of literature and case studies (60%) [Learning outcomes 1 – 4]

Formative Assessment:
Opportunities for ongoing formative feedback will be provided during class sessions via strategies such as discussion of key issues and formative feedback on in-class activities. You will also be provided with the opportunity to receive feedback on your ideas for your smart and sustainable neighbourhood/community.

This module introduces the issues surrounding sustainable development within cities and explores how the smart city concept can contribute to the urban sustainable development agenda. The module begins by considering the key characteristics of contemporary urbanisation and the issues and challenges that these present for sustainability and urban environmental management. The meaning and nature of sustainability for cities will be discussed, followed by a consideration of the definitions of a smart city and a discussion of the key elements of a smart city including its contribution to: greater social sustainability; enhanced urban governance; the more effective and efficient management of natural resources; improved environmental quality; and enhanced economic activity. The module will also provide you with the opportunity to design a vision for a sustainable and smart community or neighbourhood of the future.

The module will be delivered through a combination of:

1. Weekly 2 hour sessions - these will introduce issues and concepts related to urban sustainability and the smart city, and explore the types of urban sustainability and smart city initiatives and strategies that can be used to help create smarter and more sustainable cities, communities and neighbourhoods. A variety of formats will be used in these sessions - e.g. traditional lectures, buzz groups, group discussions, completion of structured worksheets, student presentations.

2. A field visit to explore local sustainability issues and discuss the implementation of sustainable and smart city initiatives and strategies (4 hours)

3. Independent guided reading, exploring web-based resources, the completion of preparatory and follow-up activities, preparation for the group presentation and production of your vision for a smart and sustainable community or neighbourhood should account for the remaining 122 hours.

Batty, M. (2013) The New Science of Cities. MIT Press.

Campbell, T. (2012) Beyond Smart Cities: How Cities Network, Learn and Innovate. Routledge)

Barlow, M. & Levy-Bencheton, C. (2019) Smart Cities, Smart Future. Wiley

Satyam, A. and Calzada, I. (2017) The Smart City Transformations: The Revolution of the 21st Century. Bloomsbury

Shark, A. et al. (2014) Smart Cities for a Bright Sustainable Future - A Global Perspective.
CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform.

Townsend, A. (2013) Smart Cities: Big Data, Civic Hackers, and the Quest for a New Utopia. W. W. Norton & Company (e-book edition)

Wheeler, S. & Beatley, T. (editors, 2014) The Sustainable Urban Development Reader – Third Edition. Routledge

Willis, K. & Aurigi, A. (2018) Digital and Smart Cities. Routledge