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Education for Sustainable Development (ESD)

Course content related to sustainable development

The Environmental Impact and Sustainability module is specifically focused on the relationship between the real estate sector and climate change, as well as broader sustainability challenges. The module explores how real estate activity affects not only the physical environment, but also human and natural environments, while encouraging students to consider how the sector can innovate to reduce its negative environmental impacts and contribute to a more sustainable future.

The module covers key topics such as positive and negative environmental impacts of property development; examination of techniques to assess environmental impacts; policy and management mechanisms to facilitate sustainable development; balancing environmental, economic, political, and social impacts in planning and development; and policy, practice, and process in achieving a sustainable future.

Intended Learning Outcomes include:

• Demonstrate knowledge of how and why environment-human relationships dictate management decisions within the real estate, and property development process. 
• Appraise trade-offs between viability, value for money and profitability in real estate, planning and property development practice, in the context of the environment and sustainability. 
• Understand why and how real estate development projects and ventures at several scales are affected by decisions and policies which prioritise the environment and sustainability. 
• Provide arguments for considering a range of environmental impacts and be able to formulate a detailed discussion on how the environment is affected and influenced by real estate, planning and property development schemes. 

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are embedded into the module lecture content in a number of ways including how the SDGs are relevant from a legislative, policy and guidance perspective, and how real estate companies align with SDGs in order to demonstrate a commitment to sustainable activity. Additionally, the module contains a workshop relating to contemporary research on the relevance of SDGs to real estate activity globally.

Key approaches such as spatial planning, retrofit activity and the reuse of existing buildings are critically analysed and tutorials and lecture materials also highlight that in larger surveying organisations and real estate companies increased focus will be placed on sustainability due to the need to mitigate risk, and develop Environment, Social, Governance (ESG) policies.

Module tutorials are used to provide opportunities for students to reflect on what they have learnt and contribute to discussions focused on issues such as policy, ethics, and viability. Discussions about scenarios where students may, or may not, be exposed to sustainable activities in real estate organisations are also encouraged, to demonstrate the disparity of views within the subject area. 

The module includes extensive reference to international case studies and international communities of academics and practitioners who are actively involved in sustainability to provide students with a broad outlook and insight into the subject area.

Competencies for sustainability

A key element of ESD is supporting learners to develop competencies that will help them to tackle and cope with sustainability challenges. Within the Environmental Impact and Sustainability module key competencies developed are: 

• Collaboration: Students work in groups together to review, research, analyse and prepare responses to real-world sustainability issues.
• Critical thinking: Students are required to think critically when exploring how the real estate industry can mitigate the impact of its activity on climate change, including through technological innovations, innovative approaches to construction and community-based approaches to climate change mitigation. 
• Self-awareness: Students are encouraged to understand their role as global citizens and to become more aware of issues relating to climate change and sustainability and how they can make a difference. They are provided with the opportunity to reflect on the key issues that affect them from a career perspective and to understand how the industry is reacting to the problem.
• Empathy: Students are encouraged to become more aware of how real estate and built environment affects many groups in society and to understand how working to mitigate adverse climate change can reduce societal inequality.

Pedagogical approaches

ESD uses action-orientated and transformative pedagogical approaches to facilitate taking sustainability knowledge and competencies into practice. Teaching methods and pedagogical practices used in the Environmental Impact and Sustainability module include:

• Case studies: The module asks students to critically analyse a number of case studies relating to sustainable development at various development stages such as feasibility, pre-planning, construction and operation. The assessment requires students to self-select and critically analyse a contemporary real estate case study.
• Real-world contexts: Embedded throughout the module as case studies and where students critically assess the role of real estate in relation to contemporary legislation, policy and guidance. Students are offered the opportunity to visit sustainable development projects close to the campus and also to visit a project within Greater Manchester that has been heralded as truly sustainable and delivering economic, social and environmental value for local communities.
• Group based work: Students are required to work in groups to develop a research project in an area of relevant sustainability activity. They are required to work together to devise solutions to contemporary issues relating to climate change.
• Authentic assessments: All assessment are based on real-world issues / case studies relating to sustainable real estate activity.
• Independent research: Students are required to self-select a contemporary case study for critical analysis within the assessment.
• Campus as a teaching resource: A key feature of programme induction is a tour of Energy House 2 providing insight into the latest research conducted by the University relating to sustainable buildings. In the module students also have a tour of the Ignition project within the campus to demonstrate the role of research and living laboratories in combatting climate change, and they are offered the opportunity to visit the THINKlab to review how nature-based solutions can mitigate climate change impacts.

Questions to Dr Paul Jones

Why did you include ESD in your teaching?

A key focus for the real estate sector is how to mitigate its adverse impacts on climate change given that in 2022 the United Nations claimed the real estate sector is responsible for approximately 40% of global carbon dioxide emissions. 

The inclusion of ESD in the module is because of the significance of the role of sustainable development on the future careers of students, where the industry will require them to have knowledge of, and ability to, critically analyse and apply the role of real estate in sustainable development. I also recognised that by gaining knowledge of sustainability students could generate a competitive advantage in relation to applying for employment positions. I also wanted to highlight both the opportunities and challenges of the subject of sustainability, for students to independently understand the issue and how this may affect their future career.

Is ESD embedded in any assessments in the module?

The module contains two assessments which are both focused on ESD activity. One assessment involves exploring the importance of the real estate sector in mitigating climate change, then critically evaluating a topical subject relating to real estate and sustainable development. Topical examples include retrofit and adaptive reuse, and real-world projects relating to the subject are also analysed. 

The second assessment involves students acting as a consultant who has been tasked with advising a multi-disciplinary real estate client on the concept of sustainable low environmental impact real estate activity. This requires students to demonstrate their research skills by selecting and critically evaluating a contemporary low environmental impact case study, in the form of a professional report. This includes evaluating sustainable measurement techniques to assess and monitor the environmental impact of the real estate project.

How do you link ESD to other priorities such as decolonising the curriculum, acknowledging and learning from Indigenous Knowledge, and wider equity, diversity and inclusion?

The module has been developed alongside the Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA) guidelines with respect to inclusivity and diversity which has included specific initiatives to decolonise the curriculum. I ensure that we discuss issues of power dynamics between nations in terms of global emissions and the need for reparations to compensate those nations most affected by climate change. 

The reading list contains a wide diversity of global authors’ writing on the subject area and there is specific module content relating to international case studies to discuss the subject area from a global perspective. During the assessment process students can also select, and critically evaluate, a low environmental impact case study which provides the ability to understand the global implications of climate change and also to potentially select a case study from their country of origin.

How do you link ESD to industry?

The module places strong emphasis on how the concept of sustainability links to industry. Within the full-time programme, guest lectures are provided by former students working in industry and industry professionals to demonstrate the relevance of sustainability and how it may impact their future career. Within the degree apprentice programme, students are asked to reflect on their interaction with sustainability during their roles.

The module content includes guidance on how sustainability will impact a role as a graduate surveyor in the real estate industry from different perspectives such as funding, leasing, development, asset management, acquisitions and disposals. The assessment case study requires that students prepare a critical evaluation of a real world low environmental impact project, in the style of a professional report, in order to provide students with the knowledge and ability to report on the subject of sustainability in a professional format that will be familiar to employers.

The module content also relates to organisational responsibilities of real estate companies, for example the need to develop Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) policies and the reasons for doing this. Additionally, the module discusses the approaches to sustainability from key industry bodies such as the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS).

How does the module consider and address eco-anxiety?

The module places considerable emphasis on the constraints associated with climate change using peer reviewed information to highlight the challenges and impact of adverse climate change. However, it also highlights the potential opportunities to address the problems of climate change such as the growing awareness of the subject area, the potential employment opportunities to participate in the Green Industrial Revolution, and progress made so far on mitigating climate change.

I am keen to highlight issues such as how climate change contributes to social inequality, but the module also includes reference and commentary on a wide range of real-world international low environmental case studies to highlight current initiatives. The case studies range from community based and voluntary initiatives to high value capital projects to demonstrate how the problem can be tackled without the need for significant funding investment. There is also reference and links to local climate change initiatives and groups within and outside campus to provide opportunities for students to take practical, low cost, action during their programme of study.

I also ensure that guest lecturers or site visit hosts highlight the relevance of sustainability but also outline how the industry is changing to develop solutions that can mitigate the challenges of climate change, so that students can see problem solving in action to ease fears on the apparent lack of activity relating to climate change mitigation.

What advice do you have for other academics looking to embed ESD into teaching?

I would recommend the following advice for academics teaching ESD to work to incorporate some (or all) of the following:

• Acknowledge that this is an emotive subject where students will have differing views on the subject and allow for constructive debate on the subject area.
• Use Mentimeter / Kahoot to encourage a variety of options for students to respond anonymously as they may not wish their views to be made public.
• Highlight the relevance of the subject area and introduce real-world case studies relevant to the field of study.
• Encourage students to research the subject area as part of the assessment process.
• Use the resources of the Sustainability Team within the University as students really gain valuable insight into how sustainability is embedded into organisational culture and governance.

Do you have any future plans for ESD?

The plans for the module include development of additional group workshop tasks, introduction of additional case studies, and collaborating with University departments to encourage additional site visits on campus. As I have recently been appointed as Programme Leader, I am also looking at opportunities to strengthen ESD in the wider curriculum of all levels of both the Degree Apprenticeship and BSc. 

Feedback from students about the programme

• “Lecturer is clearly very passionate about the subject and encourages debates for those who have alternate viewpoints surrounding the nature of the module.”
• “Great content and delivery of the lectures which is well related to my working role. I enjoyed the practical site visits.”
• “Thanks again for the way you have delivered the lectures, very practical and enjoyable.”
• “Combination of good teacher and interesting module.”