Students
ENVS3102 – Urban Climate and Air Quality
2026 – Session 1, In person-scheduled-weekday, North Ryde
General Information
Download as PDF
| Unit convenor and teaching staff |
Unit convenor and teaching staff
Convenor
Paul Beggs
Contact via Contact via email
12 Wally's Walk, Office 224
By appointment
Lecturer
Vladimir Strezov
Contact via Contact via email
12 Wally's Walk, Office 131
By appointment
|
|---|---|
| Credit points |
Credit points
10
|
| Prerequisites |
Prerequisites
130cp at 1000 level or above including ENVS1017
|
| Corequisites |
Corequisites
|
| Co-badged status |
Co-badged status
|
| Unit description |
Unit description
More than half of the world's population lives in urban areas, and virtually all countries are becoming increasingly urbanised. Australia is one of the most urbanised countries in the world, with about 90% of our pollution living in urban areas. For these reasons, urban climate and air quality are extremely important, directly influencing the health and wellbeing of billions of people around the world. This unit explores urban climate and air quality through detailed study of interactions between the atmosphere and the Earth's surface in the relatively thin veneer of air that we live in known as the planetary boundary layer. The unit will be of interest to all students in science and engineering and more generally any student with an interest in the environment, and provides knowledge and skills that will be of value for a range of careers and employers, ranging from environmental consultancy and local and state government, to private industry. Learning in this unit enhances student understanding of global challenges identified by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs) Good Health and Well Being; Sustainable Cities and Communities; Climate Action |
Important Academic Dates
Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
- ULO1: describe urban climate and air quality, including the physical, chemical and biological processes operating to produce or change the state of the urban atmosphere.
- ULO2: demonstrate knowledge and conceptual understanding of the dispersive capabilities of the atmospheric environment near the surface of the earth, how pollutants emitted into the atmospheric environment move and interact with the surface.
- ULO3: examine and integrate scientific information from various primary and secondary sources.
- ULO4: apply practical knowledge to undertake analysis of climate and air quality data.
- ULO5: demonstrate practical laboratory and field based skills associated with typical measurement problems in the field of climate science.
General Assessment Information
Late Submission Policy
- 5% penalty per day: If you submit your assessment late, 5% of the total possible marks will be deducted for each day (including weekends), up to 7 days.
- Example 1 (out of 100): If you score 85/100 but submit 20 hours late, you will lose 5 marks and receive 80/100.
- Example 2 (out of 30): If you score 27/30 but submit 1 day late, you will lose 1.5 marks and receive 25.5/30.
- After 7 days: Submissions more than 7 days late will receive a mark of 0.
- Extensions:
- Automatic short extension: Some assessments are eligible for automatic short extension. You can only apply for an automatic short extension before the due date.
- Special Consideration: If you need more time due to serious issues and for any assessments that are not eligible for Short Extension, you must apply for Special Consideration.
Need help? Review the Special Consideration page HERE
Assessment Tasks
| Name | Weighting | Hurdle | Due | Groupwork/Individual | Short Extension | AI Approach |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Literature review | 30% | No | 27/03/2026 | Individual | Yes | Open |
| Scientific report | 30% | No | 22/05/2026 | Individual | Yes | Open |
| Quiz | 40% | No | Week 13 in Practical Class | Individual | No | Observed |
Literature review
Assessment Type 1: Written Submission
Indicative Time on Task 2: 19 hours
Due: 27/03/2026
Weighting: 30%
Groupwork/Individual: Individual
Short extension 3: Yes
AI Approach: Open
You will submit a literature review of an urban climate and air quality topic.
On successful completion you will be able to:
- describe urban climate and air quality, including the physical, chemical and biological processes operating to produce or change the state of the urban atmosphere.
- examine and integrate scientific information from various primary and secondary sources.
Scientific report
Assessment Type 1: Written Submission
Indicative Time on Task 2: 20 hours
Due: 22/05/2026
Weighting: 30%
Groupwork/Individual: Individual
Short extension 3: Yes
AI Approach: Open
You will submit a scientific report on an urban climate and air quality topic.
On successful completion you will be able to:
- describe urban climate and air quality, including the physical, chemical and biological processes operating to produce or change the state of the urban atmosphere.
- apply practical knowledge to undertake analysis of climate and air quality data.
Quiz
Assessment Type 1: Examination
Indicative Time on Task 2: 20 hours
Due: Week 13 in Practical Class
Weighting: 40%
Groupwork/Individual: Individual
Short extension 3: No
AI Approach: Observed
You will undertake a quiz on unit content.
On successful completion you will be able to:
- describe urban climate and air quality, including the physical, chemical and biological processes operating to produce or change the state of the urban atmosphere.
- demonstrate knowledge and conceptual understanding of the dispersive capabilities of the atmospheric environment near the surface of the earth, how pollutants emitted into the atmospheric environment move and interact with the surface.
- examine and integrate scientific information from various primary and secondary sources.
- apply practical knowledge to undertake analysis of climate and air quality data.
- demonstrate practical laboratory and field based skills associated with typical measurement problems in the field of climate science.
1 If you need help with your assignment, please contact:
- the academic teaching staff in your unit for guidance in understanding or completing this type of assessment
- Academic Success for academic skills support.
2 Indicative time-on-task is an estimate of the time required for completion of the assessment task and is subject to individual variation.
3 An automatic short extension is available for some assessments. Apply through the Service Connect Portal.
Delivery and Resources
Lectures
Lectures are on Tuesdays 2pm-4pm and are delivered online. Please see iLearn for further details.
Practicals
There is no Practical in Week 1.
There are three Practical clases:
- Mondays 9am-12noon in 11 Wally's Walk, 270 Computer Lab
- Mondays 1pm-4pm in 11 Wally's Walk, 270 Computer Lab
- Tuesdays 9am-12noon in 11 Wally's Walk, 270 Computer Lab
Please attend the Prectical class you registered in.
Unit Schedule
Please see iLearn for the Unit Schedule.
Policies and Procedures
Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au). Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:
- Academic Appeals Policy
- Academic Integrity Policy
- Academic Progression Policy
- Assessment Policy
- Fitness to Practice Procedure
- Assessment Procedure
- Complaints Resolution Procedure for Students and Members of the Public
- Special Consideration Policy
Students seeking more policy resources can visit Student Policies (https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/policies). It is your one-stop-shop for the key policies you need to know about throughout your undergraduate student journey.
To find other policies relating to Teaching and Learning, visit Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au) and use the search tool.
Student Code of Conduct
Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/admin/other-resources/student-conduct
Results
Results published on platform other than eStudent, (eg. iLearn, Coursera etc.) or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit connect.mq.edu.au or if you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au
Academic Integrity
At Macquarie, we believe academic integrity – honesty, respect, trust, responsibility, fairness and courage – is at the core of learning, teaching and research. We recognise that meeting the expectations required to complete your assessments can be challenging. So, we offer you a range of resources and services to help you reach your potential, including free online writing and maths support, academic skills development and wellbeing consultations.
Student Support
Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/
Academic Success
Academic Success provides resources to develop your English language proficiency, academic writing, and communication skills.
- Workshops
- Chat with a WriteWISE peer writing leader
- Access StudyWISE
- Upload an assignment to Studiosity
- Complete the Academic Integrity Module
The Library provides online and face to face support to help you find and use relevant information resources.
Student Services and Support
Macquarie University offers a range of Student Support Services including:
- IT Support
- Accessibility and disability support with study
- Mental health support
- Safety support to respond to bullying, harassment, sexual harassment and sexual assault
- Social support including information about finances, tenancy and legal issues
- Student Advocacy provides independent advice on MQ policies, procedures, and processes
Student Enquiries
Got a question? Ask us via the Service Connect Portal, or contact Service Connect.
IT Help
For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://www.mq.edu.au/about_us/offices_and_units/information_technology/help/.
When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use of IT Resources Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.
Unit information based on version 2026.02 of the Handbook