A virtual classroom that will help Australia's universities create "greener" engineers of the future has opened online.
A national tertiary team, led by QUT's Dr Cheryl Desha, has created the web-based package of learning resources for engineering lecturers and their students, which focuses on energy efficiency education.
In particular, it aims to equip engineering students with the ability to conduct energy efficiency assessments and improve energy performance across major sectors of the Australian economy.
The Energy Efficiency Education Resources for Engineering (EEERE) will be lauched at QUT's Gardens Point campus in Brisbane on November 25 from 4pm.
The project has involved QUT's Science and Engineering Faculty and other university partners including the University of Adelaide, University of Wollongong, Victoria University, Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology.
Dr Desha said the free online resources were "course-ready" for lecturers and students.
"It's widely acknowledged that energy efficiency provides an immediate, simple and cost-effective way to manage rising energy costs and reduce Australia's greenhouse gas emissions," Dr Desha said.
"These new resources will boost the ability of tertiary institutions to give engineering undergraduates the most up-to-date knowledge and skills in identifying, evaluating and implementing energy efficiency opportunities.
"The package includes 10 videos and supporting flat-pack lecture and tutorial notes, two deep dive case studies and a virtual experience 3D model through a commercial building.
"The information can be spliced into existing lecture material, with the virtual reality experiences enabling students to navigate work-sites and conduct energy efficiency assessments from their home, office or classroom."
The $460,000 EEERE project was funded by the Australian Government, and supported by Engineers Australia, the Australasian Association of Engineering Education, Australian Council of Engineering Deans, Australian Sustainable Built Environment Council, Australian Power Institute, and Mining Education Australia.
"This is the first time this level of funding and collaboration has occurred to develop online open-access resources in education for sustainable development," Dr Desha said.
"The energy efficiency education resources are a huge achievement, demonstrating what is possible for the future in capacity building for sustainable development.
"The project sets a national precedent for tertiary cooperation in curriculum renewal."
Media contacts:
- Dr Cheryl Desha, Environmental Systems Discipline Leader and senior lecturer in sustainable development, QUT, 07 3138 4072 or cheryl.desha@qut.edu.au
- Mechelle McMahon, QUT media officer, 07 3138 9449 or media@qut.edu.au
- After hours, Rose Trapnell, QUT media team leader, 0407 585 901
