U.S. National Science Foundation’s Sustainability Research Network (SRN):
Integrated Urban Infrastructure Solutions for
Environmentally Sustainable, Healthy, and Livable Cities
Defining and Measuring Environmental Sustainability, Health and Livability
Class Begins: 1/19/2016
Class Ends: 4/22/2016
Discussion Sessions Online: Wednesdays, 12-1pm EDT or Thursdays, 12-1pm EDT
Online Office Hours: Thursdays, 2-3pm EDT
Lead Instructors
Nisha D. Botchwey, PhD, MCRP, MPH
Georgia Institute of Technology
nisha.botchwey@coa.gatech.edu
Bhavik Bakshi, PhD, MSCEP
The Ohio State University
bakshi.2@osu.edu
Additional Instructors
Matteo Convertino, PhD, M.Sc.
University of Minnesota
matteoc@umn.edu
Anu Ramaswami, PhD, M.S.
University of Minnesota
anu@umn.edu
Yingling Fan, PhD
University of Minnesota
yingling@umn.edu
Armistead Russell, PhD, M.S.
Georgia Institute of Technology
ted.russell@ce.gatech.edu
Julian Marshall, PhD
University of Minnesota
julian@umn.edu
Peter Webster, PhD
Georgia Institute of Technology
pjw@eas.gatech.edu
Joshua Newell, PhD, M.A.
University of Michigan
jpnewell@umich.edu
TBD
Georgia Institute of Technology
Teaching Assistant
Course Description: How do we define and measure Environmental Sustainability, Health and Livability
(EHL) outcomes of cities as they are impacted by engineered infrastructures, and by social and
demographic parameters? How can we assess the co-benefits and trade-offs between Environmental
Sustainability, Health and livability of cities? These questions are the focus of this class.
At present there is no unified framework that simultaneously represents the impact of urban
infrastructure on the environment (environmental sustainability), as well as the benefits/risks posed to
human well-being in cities (health and livability) by infrastructure-environment interactions. This
course will cover:
• Theoretical and methodological foundations for connecting the social-ecological-infrastructural
systems (SEIS) framework to measurement of Environmental Sustainability (E), Health (H) and
Livability (L) outcomes.
• Connection between infrastructure and socio-demographic parameters within individual cities
with:
o Environmental impact (energy, water, etc.) and ecosystem impact (impact on E).
o Multi-scale health risk factors and outcomes, focusing on objective measures of health
such as days of sickness, mortality, etc. (impact on H).
o Livability focusing on subjective well-being (impact on L).
• A review of available indicators for E, H, and L.
• Cross-city comparisons in the U.S. and the developing world to understand the linkage between
EHL outcomes and socio-demographic, infrastructure, urban form, and
environment/ecosystem.
Students will be assessed through short quizzes, a multidisciplinary group project, and overall class
participation.
Course Objectives: The Sustainable Research Network (SRN) will develop science-based methods to
track the environmental sustainability, health, and livability (EHL) of cities. Students in this class will
learn how researchers will:
• Define human well-being and environmental sustainability of cities
• Understand why infrastructures (water supply, sanitation, waste management, green
infrastructure, food supply, energy, and transportation) are important for human well-being
• Measure the resource efficiency and pollution-impact of our water, energy, transportation and
food systems, and how they affect human health
• Learn about footprint methods that combine material-energy flows and life cycle assessment
• Understand how socioeconomic and infrastructure disparities affect health and well-being
• Understand the metrics/indicators for tracking E, H, and L outcomes of cities
Pre-requisites: Graduate standing at a participating SRN university (Colorado State, Columbia
University, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Ohio State, University of Michigan, University of Minnesota or
University of Texas) or other students with instructor permission.
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Procedures: Classes will meet for approximately 3 hours per week and include three components. First,
students will asynchronistically view pre-recorded 1 hour lectures and read assigned articles. These will
be downloadable through T-Square, Georgia Tech’s course management system. Second, students will
meet with faculty for online discussions. WebEx is the platform that will be used for this component.
Finally, students will meet online with their assigned teams 1 hour a week to develop their multiuniversity, multi-disciplinary group assignments. Students will coordinate the technology for these
interactions.
To ensure that class discussions produce substantively meaningful dialogue, students are expected to
participate in both the weekly faculty discussion and team meeting sessions having already viewed the
week’s pre-recorded lecture. Additionally, students should complete any assigned reading material
and videos prior to faculty session discussions.
In addition to participation in the weekly faculty session discussions, students will form groups of 5-6
people to complete two multi-university, multi-disciplinary class projects that align with the course
objectives outlined above.
Assignments:
Quizzes (30%) Students will complete short quizzes to assess their learning of the first four course
modules. Spring break is scheduled for various weeks at the SRN partner universities, making it likely
that students may miss a week or important content in a timely fashion to sit for a quiz. Student grades
for this component of the student assessments will be based on their top three quiz grades.
Multidisciplinary Group Project (40%) Students will work with classmates from other universities to
propose, develop, and deliver a project that focuses on one U.S. or developing world city, measuring
EHL outcomes and socio-demographic, infrastructure, urban form, and environment/ecosystem
parameters, and making recommendations for approaches for it to operate as a sustainable city of the
future.
Participation (30% of course grade) Students are expected to actively engage throughout the semester
through the online discussions. Participation in the online discussions is measured by constructive
comments that help move the topic specific discussions forward. Students will also participate in peer
evaluations documenting the extent to which their teammates contributed to the submissions.
Students will use the course T-Square site to submit assignments. Files should have identifiers that are
unique (eg WaterAnalysis.Jones.8Feb15.doc); combine all graphics, spreadsheets, and text into one
file; and submit in a standard software format (.doc, .xls, or.pdf). Various course materials and
assessments are also available through T-Square including videos, readings, and other relevant items.
Grading Practices: Assignments are graded in the usual A, B...F system. In general, we endeavor to
follow these grading standards:
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"A": exemplifies excellence: including clear reasoning, sound methods, forceful exposition, and
stimulating ideas in comparison with others at the same stage of career. Independent and creative
thinking utilizing a thorough understanding of course concepts is evidenced. Language usage,
calculation, attribution, and formatting are essentially free of error.
"B": allowing for growth in performance between now and graduation, the work would be considered
satisfactory professional planning work given the time and resources allocated to it. Assertions are
correct; arguments are persuasive. Mastery of course concepts is evidenced. Errors in language usage,
attribution, calculation and/or formatting are minimal.
"C": even allowing for growth in performance between now and graduation, the work would be
considered less than satisfactory in a professional planning environment. There may be errors in fact or
in understanding of course concepts. Arguments may not be convincing; there may be multiple errors
in language usage, grammar, attribution, calculation and/or formatting.
“D”: the work does not meet expectations for graduate students. The core prompts in the assignment
may not be followed; arguments may be hard to understand or may ignore key lessons understood
broadly in our profession and/or developed in the course; language usage, attribution, calculation
and/or formatting may have serious flaws or widespread errors.
"F": the work does not address the assignment, fails to meet ordinary expectations for English
language exposition, or appears to have been completed in a manner violating the Institute Honor
Code.
Any assignment received electronically by 11:55pm on the announced due date will be considered on
time. Please take precautions to make multiple copies of files related to your coursework; We have
sympathy for problems related to computer malfunctions or lost materials, but can offer no grading
concessions. Submissions after 11:55pm on the due date are downgraded 1/4 letter grade;
submissions more than one week late are downgraded a full letter grade. Submissions received after
the graded assignment has been returned to the class will receive the grade of F. Assignments due for
presentation during particular class sessions must be handed in during that meeting.
Those with bona fide illness or serious family problems should make this known and seek suitable
arrangements at the earliest possible date. Such personal crises are the only acceptable justifications
for the Incomplete grade.
Course Evaluations:
All students are expected to complete on-line course evaluations at the end of the semester.
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Course Schedule (14 weeks):
Module 1 (2 weeks): Introduction to EHL Measurements, Indicators, and Cities
- Quiz
Module 2 (3 weeks): Measuring "E" (environmental sustainability)
- Quiz
Module 3 (3 weeks): Health Risks and Objective Measures of Well-being “H” (health)
- Quiz
Module 4 (3 weeks): Livability “L”
- Quiz
Module 5 (2 weeks): Synthesis and Cross City Comparisons and Future Directions in EHL Research
Project Presentations (1 week)
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