Principles of Urban Environmental Management

As the first in the MSc Programme Urban Environmental Management, this course introduces the four core perspectives in the Programme, i.e. Urban Environmental Quality and Health, Urban Environmental Technology, Urban Governance, and Urban Planning. The key concept in the course is that of a circular urban metabolism, which forms a basis for sustainable management of urban resources. Within a circular urban metabolism, resources necessary to support urban living are provided from renewable sources. Concepts such as Biomimicry, Cradle-to-Cradle, Industrial Ecology and Urban Harvest, with which the urban metabolism can be described, analysed and evaluated, are introduced. This is further extended by approaches (Urban Harvest Approach and The Natural Step), and tools such as Ecological Footprint, Mass Flow Analysis, Life Cycle Analysis and DPSIR. In addition to the consideration of urban resources the course provides a basic understanding of environmental quality of (urban) water, energy, waste, air, agriculture and services, its history and natural cycles and relevant indicators used to monitor it.

The course includes three excursions. Furthermore, students apply knowledge gained during the course in an individual assignment. In this assignment, students focus on an environmental issue within the field of Urban Environmental Management, propose options to tackle the involved challenges and discuss implications of these proposed options.

• Explain the principles of urban resource management based on urban metabolism concepts (Biomimicry, Cradle to Cradle, Industrial Ecology and Urban Harvest)

• Explain the principles of urban environmental quality and how they relate to public health and quality of life

• Explain how urban resources management and environmental quality relate to urban governance and planning

• Understand the guiding principles of the Urban Harvest Approach and the Natural Step

• Use these approaches to design a sustainable urban environment

• Distinguish tools and indicators used to describe and influence the urban metabolism

• Recognise the four core perspectives of the MSc Urban Environmental Management, i.e. Urban Environmental Quality and Health, Urban Environmental Technology, Urban Governance and Urban Planning

• Execute a simple urban case/problem study, suggest measures towards a circular urban metabolism, and reflect on their implications

• Analyse cases in the field of Urban Environmental Management by applying tools, methodologies and concepts provided in the course

• Assignment essay (40%)
• Written test with open and closed questions (60%)

A characteristic of this course is that students have a variety of scientific backgrounds. Consequently, no specific background knowledge is required. We assume that you have a BSc degree related to the Urban Environmental Management MSc programme. We expect you are eager to learn more about the 'other' fields of science and what the importance is of these different disciplines. You understand that an interdisciplinary approach is vital for everyone who wants to contribute to understanding and solving urban environmental problems.

• Literature (compulsory and additional) is provided in Learning Environment@WUR.