Module:

Latest Module Specifications

Current Academic Year 2025 - 2026

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Module Title
Module Code	(ITS: OSC14)
Faculty		School
NFQ level		Credit Rating

Description

The overall aim of this module is to provide the learner with an understanding of the challenges involved in current best practices for the delivery of sustainable management practices across a range of operational issues specifically, waste, environmental management, energy and water management and procurement management.

Learning Outcomes

1. Critically appraise key issues in relation to the management of waste within Ireland and communicate the outcome effectively.
2. Assess the appropriateness of self regulation/self assessment as a tool for preemptive environmental management
3. Identify and define key waste management methodologies; compare and contrast key methodologies against the practice within their workplace
4. Develop a critical awareness of innovative solutions to enhance existing best practice in environmental management planning applicable to their own workplace
5. Demonstrate an ability to use an environmental tool such as life cycle assessment, waste audit or a benchmarking exercise
6. Demonstrate an in depth understanding of the interdependencies between their organisation and energy and water resources and to be able to model these interdependencies
7. Develop a critical awareness of emerging technological and market trends, enabling them develop a strategic roadmap for energy and water sustainability for their organisation.
8. Critically evaluate the key issues in the production, management, and usage of energy and water and to communicate the outcomes effectively.
9. Develop a comprehensive understanding of the impacts of the exploitation of these resources on the environment
10. Critically evaluate the importance of the principles and practice of selected topics in procurement including for example life cycle assessment, risk analysis, risk mitigation
11. Demonstrate the use of risk and market analysis techniques
12. Develop a level of conceptual understanding of the principles of building a sustainable procurement system and how to improve of the processes of delivering this system in order to critically evaluate the outcome
13. Critique managerial and technical insights to manage and operate sustainable procurement systems and communicate the outcome effectively.
14. Appraise a series of frameworks for integrating the knowledge of various sustainable strategic approaches into a sustainable procurement strategy for their organisation

*Type*	*Hours*	*Description*
Workload	Full time hours per semester
Assignment Completion	130	Assignment preparation
Seminars	7	Online seminar
Online activity	30	No Description
Independent Study	150	No Description
Tutorial	10	Online tutorials using Loop
Directed learning	50	Reading from core texts and resources
Total Workload: 377

Type	Description	% of total	Assessment Date
Assessment Breakdown
Assignment	Online Discussion and Report	33.33%	n/a
Assignment	Group work and report	33.33%	n/a
Assignment	Online discussion and report	33.34%	n/a

Reassessment Requirement Type
Resit arrangements are explained by the following categories; RC1: A resit is available for both^* components of the module. RC2: No resit is available for a 100% coursework module. RC3: No resit is available for the coursework component where there is a coursework and summative examination element. ^* ‘Both’ is used in the context of the module having a coursework/summative examination split; where the module is 100% coursework, there will also be a resit of the assessment

Pre-requisite	None
Co-requisite	None
Compatibles	None
Incompatibles	None

All module information is indicative and subject to change. For further information,students are advised to refer to the University's Marks and Standards and Programme Specific Regulations at: http://www.dcu.ie/registry/examinations/index.shtml

Indicative Content and Learning Activities

Sustainable Development, Sustainable Waste and Environmental Management
• Sustainable Development, Global Action, Policies and Legislation •Business Theory and Sustainable Development • What is waste and why is it an issue for Climate Change? • What can we do about waste?

Sustainable Procurement
• What is Sustainable Procurement? • Influencing Factors for Sustainable Procurement • Sustainable Procurement Policy •Sustainable Procurement Implementation •Auditing and Evaluation • Green Public Procurement •What’s Next?

Sustainable Water and Sustainable Energy
• Why is water an issue for Climate Change? • Water Policy and Legislation • Water in Ireland • Water Conservation and Water Management •Sustainable Energy I • Global Energy • Sustainable Energy II

Indicative Reading List

Books:

European Commission: 2000, Directive 2000/60/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing a framework for the Community action in the field of water policy,
MacKay David: 2009, Sustainable Energy Without the Hot Air, UIT Cambridge Ltd,
EUROPEAN COMMISSION: 2006, Directive 2006/12/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council,
Savitz: 2013, The Triple Bottom Line, 2nd, 9781118226223
Albert Thumann, Terry Niehus, William J. Younger,: 2012, Handbook of Energy Audits, Ninth Edition, 9th, 978-1466561625

Articles:
None

Other Resources

None