Simon Fraser University
Fall 2012
URB695: SUSTAINABILITY ASSESSMENT FOR CITIES
DR. MEG HOLDEN
Harbour Centre Office: 2128
Office Hours: Tuesday 12:30-2:30 or by appointment
Phone: 778.782.7888
Email: mholden@sfu.ca
COURSE FORMAT
This is an online course comprised of 13 weekly modules, with synchronous, online class
meetings Wednesdays 12:30 – 2:00 pm and the expectation of independent and asynchronous
online group work. The course includes online lectures, synchronous and asynchronous dialogue,
online guest lectures, self-assessment and peer assessment, independent study, and reflection. All
readings will be available on-line. A final project applies course material in a context of the
students’ choice.
TEXTS REQUIRED:
All readings will be available on-line. While not required, a useful reference book is Bond, A.,
A. Morrison-Saunders and R. Howitt, 2012, Sustainability Assessment: Pluralism, practice and
progress. Routledge.
COURSE DESCRIPTION
Sustainability assessment is emerging rapidly at a range of scales from the single building or
person, to the neighbourhood, business, or organization; and further to the whole economy or
even the city itself. Far from a standard process or method, sustainability assessments take a
range of regulatory and voluntary forms, serve a variety of instrumental, conceptual, and political
purposes, and may cast a wide or narrow net in defining the nature of sustainability to be
measured and monitored. As ‘sustainability’ becomes a more and more integral part of our legal,
policy, and cultural context, organizations and initiatives feel the need to justify their options and
operations in terms of sustainability. Sustainability assessment facilitates just this.
This course provides an overview of the key concepts and debates, an understanding and
applications of prominent methods, tools and techniques, and an ability to connect the dots
between the why, the how, and the what’s next of assessment and indicator systems. A key
focus will be on the design and impact trade-offs of systems for measurement that are aligned
with contemporary innovative urban policy goals such as sustainability, smart growth, happiness,
and competitiveness and processes such as performance measurement and results-based
accountability.
EVALUATION
Class attendance and participation
Weekly self-assessment quiz
Weekly discussion question participation
Weekly assignment
Final project
PROF. HOLDEN
15%
5%
15%
20%
45%
URB 695