| CODE | SPI5402 | |||||||||
| TITLE | Infrastructure Systems | |||||||||
| UM LEVEL | 05 - Postgraduate Modular Diploma or Degree Course | |||||||||
| MQF LEVEL | 7 | |||||||||
| ECTS CREDITS | 5 | |||||||||
| DEPARTMENT | Spatial Planning and Infrastructure | |||||||||
| DESCRIPTION | This study-unit is aimed at familiarising students with the planning dimension resulting from infrastructural development. Infrastructural development is crucial to secure a country's competitiveness and to ensure that society's quality of life remains at par with those of its peers. Infrastructural development involves: - the provision of safe and reliable water supplies, and the collection treatment and disposal of the resultant sewage; - the collection of waste and its treatment whilst taking into account the need to minimise waste, separate waste into fractions which may be recycled or from which energy may be generated and the limitation of waste going to landfill; - the provisions of reliable energy supplies and ensuring the security of supplies whilst promoting energy efficiency and the generation of energy from renewable sources; - the provision of fast and efficient communication systems that ensure connectivity and reduce travel and waiting times. In order to ensure the country's competitiveness, infrastructural development needs to be firmly integrated into the planning system such that the necessary requirements for the planning horizon are factored into the development process. Study-unit Aims The aims of this study-unit are to: 1. familiarise students with the various facets of infrastructure in particular water, waste, energy, transport and communication; 2. explore specific infrastructure sectors from a planning perspective; 3. understand demand and supply relationships for infrastructural development; 4. link infrastructural development with competitiveness and quality of life. Learning Outcomes 1. Knowledge & Understanding: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: 1. comprehend the main characteristics of the different facets of infrastructure; 2. identify the relationship between demand for infrastructure services and the provision thereof; 3. demonstrate an understanding of the various adaptation and mitigation processes for an efficient infrastructure as well as to discuss minimisation, conservation, management, recycling and other factors in the context of infrastructural development and management; 4. comprehend the relationship between sustainable development and infrastructural systems; 5. become familiar with policy development for infrastructural systems in Malta. 2. Skills: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: 1. undertake processes leading to calculating demand and carrying capacity of specific infrastructures; 2. carry out high level impact assessments of various policy options; 3. determine mitigation measures as a result of identified impacts; 4. develop more integrated policy options. Main Text/s and any supplementary readings European Commission. (2012a). Water. Retrieved from EUROPA: http://ec.europa.eu/environment/water/index_en.htm European Commission. (2012b). EU Waste Legislation. Retrieved from EUROPA: http://ec.europa.eu/environment/waste/legislation/a.htm European Commission. (2012d). TEN-T / Transport infrastructure. Retrieved from EUROPA: http://ec.europa.eu/transport/infrastructure/index_en.htm European Commission. (2012e). Information Society. Retrieved from EUROPA: http://ec.europa.eu/information_society/index_en.htm European Commission. (2012f). Energy Strategy for Europe. Retrieved from EUROPA: http://ec.europa.eu/energy/index_en.htm European Community. (2012c). Keeping Europe Moving. Retrieved from EUROPA: http://ec.europa.eu/transport/index_en.htm Evans, J., & Hunt, L. C. (Eds.). (2011). International Handbook on the Economics of Energy. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar Publishing Ltd. Hutton, B. (2012). Planning Sustainable Transport. Abingdon: Routledge. Jacobs, D. (2012). Renewable Energy Policy Convergence in the EU. Farnham: Ashgate. Lenton, R., & Muller, M. (Eds.). (2009). Integrated Water Resources Management in Practice: Better Water Management for Development. Abingdon: Routledge. Letcher, T., & Vallero, D. (Eds.). (2011). Waste: A Handbook for Management. London: Academic Press. Marshall, S., & Banister, D. (Eds.). (2007). Land Use and Transport: European Research Towards Integrated Policies: European Perspectives on Integrated Policies. Amsterdam: Elsevier Science. Mitchell, C. (2009). The Political Economy of Sustainable Energy. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan. MRA. (2012). Implementation of the European Union Water Framework Directive. Retrieved from Malta Resources Authority: http://www.mra.org.mt/wfd_introduction.shtml MRRA. (2009a). A Solid Waste Management Strategy for the Maltese Islands. Retrieved from Ministry for Resources and Rural Affairs: http://www.mrra.gov.mt/page.aspx?id=123 MRRA. (2009b). Energy Policy For Malta. Retrieved from Ministry for Resources and Rural Affairs: http://www.mrra.gov.mt/page.aspx?id=144 MRRA. (2012). National Climate Change Adaptation Strategy. Retrieved from Ministry for Resources and Rural Affairs: http://www.mrra.gov.mt/page.aspx?id=124 Rydin, Y. (2011). The Purpose of Planning: Creating Sustainable Towns and Cities. Bristol: Policy Press. Vaughn, J. (2009). Waste Management: A Reference Handbook. Santa Barbara: ABC-CLIO. Williams, K. (Ed.). (2005). Spatial Planning, Urban Form and Sustainable Transport. Aldershot: Ashgate Publishing Limited. |
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| STUDY-UNIT TYPE | Lecture, Seminar & Independent Study | |||||||||
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The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints. Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice. It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2023/4. It may be subject to change in subsequent years. |
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