Academic Curriculum

SEDV 601 explores the fundamentals of energy resources, covering their production through consumption, including technical, economic, social, environmental, and policy aspects. Topics include fossil fuels, nuclear energy, and renewable energy; electricity systems; the built environment; mobility; industries; energy transitions; and sustainable and just energy strategies.

SEDV 603 focuses on the analysis of energy systems, including the integration of renewable and non-renewable energy sources, energy storage, and system reliability. Topics include energy balances, basic thermodynamic calculations, system efficiency, environmental impact analysis, and the economics of energy production and use. Students will collaborate in teams to analyze a current or future energy project.

SEDV 605 provides an in-depth analysis of Indigenous peoples and ecological sustainability in relation to energy development. The course integrates systems ecology, ecological economics, cultural anthropology, Indigenous rights, and ethics as theoretical foundations for sustainable development, with a primary focus on Canadian Indigenous peoples. It examines the historical and legal-political context, addressing treaties, policy, and land use, including the duty to consult and accommodate, with an emphasis on reconciliation.

SEDV 613 explores financial principles and evaluation techniques as applied to energy investment planning. The course includes assessment methods applied to real-world examples and examines foundations in environmental energy economics and policies.

SEDV 615 focuses on the principles and professional practice of environmental impact assessment, with specific application to energy development projects. Topics will cover the following: basic principles, history and development of EIA, legal, institutional and theoretical frameworks, processes including environmental inventory, prediction of impacts, mitigation and management, monitoring and evaluation, methodologies, document preparation, management problems in impact assessment, EIA processes used in other countries, cumulative impacts, strategic environmental assessment, international EIA issues, and regulatory components of EIA.

SEDV 619 examines general legal concepts, administrative law, aspects and sources of environmental law, environmental decision-making, international agreements and treaties, and law reform. The course content will include both a theoretical framework and applied cases. By the end of the course students will become aware of Canadian and international environmental laws and policies and be able to analyze environmental issues in the context of provincial and federal legislation, regulations and case law that govern energy development in Canada.

SEDV 621 explores environmental management systems and issues in relation to organizational and environmental impacts. Topics include environmental management for compliance and innovation, management processes such as audits, development of indicators and reporting, green product development, and risk management.

SEDV 623 focuses on the strategy of sustainable development, exploring concepts and principles and their application to energy policies and business development opportunities. The course also emphasizes stakeholder engagement.

SEDV 631 examines the concepts supporting life cycle sustainability assessment (LCSA) in energy production and consumption decision-making. Topics include life cycle thinking, goal and scope definition, mitigating problem shifting, inventory analysis, greenhouse gas emission quantification, environmental, cost, and social impact assessments, and multicriteria decision analysis.

SEDV 633 explores the role of energy policy in sustainable energy development, including the rationale for policy, the policy-making process, principles of policy analysis, and the impact of energy policy on energy systems. The course provides a theoretical overview of energy policy tools, examples of their practical use, and a review of current energy policy issues both domestically and internationally.

SEDV 635 examines water and air quality in the context of sustainable energy development. Topics include clean water and air acts, drinking water criteria, common pollutants and their impacts on human and ecological health, and the water-energy nexus. The course covers water and energy conservation, water use in the energy and mining industries, water reclamation and reuse options, and fundamentals of water and wastewater treatment. Additional topics include acid rain, particulates, SOx, NOx, urban and photochemical smog, tropospheric ozone depletion, CFCs, greenhouse gases, global warming, climate change, GHG trends and effects, multi-media contaminant transport, contaminated sites, and an introduction to risk assessment.

In our current economy, we tap into finite resources, use them as products and infrastructure, and, in the process of doing so, create a seemingly continuous stream of waste and wastage. We could call this a ‘linear’ economy. Through smarter design of products, systems, and policies, however, we can adopt more ‘circular’ approaches that benefit businesses, people, and the planet. In this course, we will learn what these benefits look like, from tackling the carbon emissions that remain unaddressed by the energy transition, to driving business and administrative innovation, to reducing household spend. We will start by examining the limitations of the linear economy and of our current fixes to those ailments. Students will learn key terminology, concepts, and principles of the circular economy. Through ample practical examples and exercises in the fields of design, technology, operations, business models, and policy, students will become familiar with some of the tools that can support the circular transition towards better economic, social, and environmental outcomes.  Upon completing this course, students will feel better equipped to apply circular thinking to your other courses and future career.

Application of management principles to the project environment; planning, control, scope, time and cost processes; project organization and human resource issues. Students review a current major capital project and submit and defend a project report.

Focus on idea generation, feasibility analysis, and business model development of early-stage businesses using experiential team-based projects and case analyses.

Building on the foundation laid in SEDV 635, this elective course aims to furnish participants with an expansive comprehension of the complexities surrounding land, water, and air pollution assessment, control, and mitigation. Key topics covered include a broad spectrum of subjects, ranging from land pollution, where students delve into waste characterization, biogas, waste-to-energy conversions, and methodologies for assessing contaminated sites, to industrial waters, exploring issues, challenges, and treatment options, including tertiary water treatment. Furthermore, the course addresses air pollution control comprehensively, touching upon aspects such as air pollutant measurements, strategies for controlling NOX, VOCs, and odors, utilization of air quality tools, examination of air pollutants from energy sector sources and facilities, and considerations for carbon capture and storage. Through this holistic approach, participants gain a nuanced understanding of environmental management techniques essential for addressing contemporary pollution challenges.

In SEDV 640, students engage in the critical task of identifying potential capstone project research questions grounded in the realms of energy, environment, and an additional aspect chosen by the student. Through this process, they hone their abilities to craft research designs and assess the feasibility of investigating various research questions. This involves a systematic approach to evaluating the viability of potential inquiries, narrowing down options, and ultimately selecting the most promising one to develop into a concise proposal. By navigating through this iterative process, students not only strengthen their research skills but also cultivate the ability to tackle complex interdisciplinary challenges at the intersection of energy, environment, and their chosen area of focus.

Continuing from SEDV 640, in SEDV 641, students embark on crafting a thorough proposal aimed at addressing a specific research question. This process involves seeking approval from a supervisor proficient in the chosen topic, with guidance provided by the course instructor. Furthermore, students are tasked with verbally presenting the research question, compellingly articulating its significance to the audience. Throughout the course, students persist in their investigation of the research question, providing progress reports to both the supervisor and the course instructor to ensure ongoing refinement and advancement of their research endeavors.

Building upon the groundwork laid in SEDV 641, SEDV 642 entails a comprehensive exploration of the research question through meticulous literature review, data collection, and analysis across dimensions of energy, environment, and another chosen aspect. Students are tasked with completing a final report, meticulously crafted to professionally elucidate the methodologies employed in the exploration and examination process. Additionally, they are required to present their findings to effectively communicate their discoveries and insights gleaned from the research endeavor. Through this rigorous process, students demonstrate their ability to delve into complex interdisciplinary issues and contribute meaningfully to the fields of energy, environment, and beyond.