Place Adaptation and Green Infrastructure URBAN5148

  • Academic Session: 2025-26
  • School: School of Social and Political Sciences
  • Credits: 10
  • Level: Level 5 (SCQF level 11)
  • Typically Offered: Semester 2
  • Available to Visiting Students: Yes
  • Collaborative Online International Learning: No
  • Curriculum For Life: No

Short Description

This course delves into the principles and practices of place adaptation and the integration of green infrastructure as strategies for sustainable urban development. Through a blend of theoretical knowledge, practical case studies and field trips, students will explore how cities can transform to become more resilient, sustainable, and adaptive in the face of climate change and urbanisation pressures.

Timetable

Classes to run in Semester 2 for six weeks. Each class will be a 3 hour block delivered once per week in person. One week is allocated for a field trip and one week is allocated for student presentations.

Requirements of Entry

None

Excluded Courses

None

Co-requisites

None

Assessment

Assessment:

This course will be assessed by a written assignment (2,500 words; 100% of credit). This will be designed to allow students to demonstrate their critical understanding of place adaptation and green infrastructure through a chosen case study which is an application of green infrastructure or a nature based solution developed with sustainability in mind. 

Course Aims

The primary aim of this course is to provide students with a thorough understanding of how places can be redesigned and transformed using sustainable practices and green infrastructure. The course focuses on the integration of new technologies and green-blue infrastructure into existing urban settings on a local scale, aiming to develop a critical appreciation of the role of place in broader climate adaptation efforts. Additionally, the course seeks to enhance students' appreciation for nature-based solutions in urban environments and to equip them with the skills needed to effectively contribute to the transformation of urban spaces in line with environmental sustainability and net-zero objectives. Furthermore, the course is designed to improve students' ability to apply both theoretical and practical knowledge, utilising qualitative and quantitative approaches, to real-world scenarios of place adaptation.

Intended Learning Outcomes of Course

By the end of this course students will be able to:

■ Demonstrate an understanding of the principles and theories underlying urban sustainable development, place adaptation, green infrastructure and technologies and nature-based solutions, while exploring their interrelationships and impacts on urban resilience at various urban scales.

■ Critically evaluate a wide array of case studies and real-world examples, assessing the effectiveness and scalability of place adaptation strategies through green infrastructure across different urban governance settings.

■ Develop a practical understanding of theory-to-practice translation through engagement in collaborative problem solving to address the complexities of place adaptations through green infrastructure in pursuit of net-zero targets and sustainable urban development.

 

Minimum Requirement for Award of Credits

Students must submit at least 75% by weight of the components (including examinations) of the course's summative assessment.

 

Minimum requirement for award of credit for students on MSc City Planning is D3 or above.

 

University standard regulations apply to students on other Programmes.