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Bond University

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SSUD11-101: Understanding Buildings 1

Contact
  • Contact name: Nima Talebian
  • Position: Semester Teaching Fellow
  • Telephone:
  • Email: ntalebia@bond.edu.au
Lead Educator
  • Lead Educator name: David Afrin
  • Position: Senior Teaching Fellow
  • Telephone: +61 7 5595 0158
  • Email: dafrin@bond.edu.au

The lead educator may be subject to change without notice as circumstances arise.

Description

Understanding Buildings 1 provides an overview of the building construction process. Focused on detached housing development, this subject introduces the stakeholders as well as the physical, legislative, and cost factors affecting the development of a building. It investigates the parts of a building and their functions in detail, as well as the construction sequence and methods adopted. Construction terminology is examined and spatial awareness and drawing interpretation are practised.

Details

Academic Unit: Faculty of Society & Design
Subject Code: SSUD11-101
Subject Title: Understanding Buildings 1
Subject Level: Undergraduate
Semester/Year: May 2025
Credit/points: 10.000

Delivery & Attendance

Timetable: http://timetable.bond.edu.au
Mode of Delivery Standard
Workload Items
  • Forum: x12 (Total hours: 24) - Forum
  • Tutorial: x12 (Total hours: 12) - Tutorial
  • Personal Study Hours: x12 (Total hours: 84) - Personal Study Hours
Attendance and Learning Activities: As successful completion of this subject is heavily dependent on participation during all scheduled sessions, attendance will be monitored. Most sessions build on the content of the previous one. It is difficult for a student to recover if a session is missed. It is the responsibility of the student to catch up on any content missed and to complete set work outside class. It is also necessary for students to engage proactively and contribute positively in discussions, analyses and case studies. The assessments are an important part of developing the knowledge and understanding required to fulfil the minimum requirements of this subject. In addition to face-to-face contact time, students should plan to spend a minimum of 84 hours undertaking preparation/out of class work/personal study for this subject. This is intended as a general guide only for workload planning. More time may be required depending on the student's comprehension of the content delivered in class and aptitude for the subject. Please note that subsequent subjects assume the student has a full understanding of this subject - this content will not be repeated.

Resources

Prescribed Resources:

Books

  • George Wilkie,Stuart Arden (0) Building Your Own Home
    n/a, n/a n/a n/a
  • Allan Staines (2015) The Australian House Building Manual
    9th ed, n/a Pinedale Press n/a
ilearn@Bond & Email:

iLearn@Bond is the Learning Management System at Bond University and is used to provide access to subject materials, class recordings and detailed subject information regarding the subject curriculum, assessment, and timing. Both iLearn and the Student Email facility are used to provide important subject notifications.

Additionally, official correspondence from the University will be forwarded to students’ Bond email account and must be monitored by the student.

To access these services, log on to the Student Portal from the Bond University website as www.bond.edu.au

Enrolment Requirements

Requisites: Nil
Assumed knowledge:

Assumed knowledge is the minimum level of knowledge needed for this subject. Students who do not possess this prior knowledge are strongly recommended against enrolling and do so at their own risk. Students who enrol in this subject without the assumed knowledge will be considerably disadvantaged. No adjustments will be made for students' lack of prior knowledge.

Restrictions:

Nil

Assurance of Learning

Assurance of Learning means that universities take responsibility for creating,monitoring and updating curriculum, teaching and assessment so that students graduate with the knowledge, skills and attributes they need for employability and/or further study. At Bond University, we carefully develop subject and program outcomes to ensure that student learning in each subject contributes to the whole student experience. Students are encouraged to carefully read and consider subject and program outcomes as combined elements.

Program Learning outcomes (PLOs)

Program Learning Outcomes provide a broad and measurable set of standards that incorporate a range of knowledge and skills that will be achieved on completion of the program. If you are undertaking this subject as part of a degree program, you should refer to the relevant degree program outcomes and graduate attributes as they relate to this subject.

Find your Program

Subject Learning Outcomes (SLOs)

On successful completion of this subject the learner will be able to:

  1. Identify the stakeholders and describe the physical, legislative, and cost factors affecting development of a building;
  2. Describe and identify the component parts of a building (physically and on drawings) and their functions;
  3. Recognise and describe the construction sequence and methods adopted to construct a building;
  4. Produce hand drawn plans and elevations of a simple building; and
  5. Apply construction terminology to communicate effectively.

Generative Artificial Intelligence in Assessment

The University acknowledges that Generative Artificial Intelligence (Gen-AI) tools are an important facet of contemporary life. Their use in assessment is considered in line with students’ development of the skills and knowledge which demonstrate learning outcomes and underpin study and career success. Instructions on the use of Gen-AI are given for each assessment task; it is your responsibility to adhere to these instructions.

Assessment

Assessment Details

Type Task % Timing* Outcomes Assessed AI Category
Paper-based Examination (Closed) ^ Assessment of coursework and other learning objectives from entire subject 40.00 Final Examination Period 2, 3, 5
Written Report Analysis of a building process or system 20.00 Week 5 1, 2
Project § Preparation and application of design drawings and construction processes/methods 40.00 Week 10 2, 3, 4, 5

^ Students must pass this assessment to pass the subject

§ Indicates group/teamwork-based assessment

* Assessment timing is indicative of the week that the assessment is due or begins (where conducted over multiple weeks), and is based on the standard University academic calendar

C = Students must reach a level of competency to successfully complete this assessment.

AI Categories

AI-Prohibited: Learning to develop AI-free knowledge and skills.

AI-Supported: Learning with the help of AI as directed.

AI-Focussed: Learning AI expertise and mastery as directed.

Assessment Criteria

High Distinction 85-100 Outstanding or exemplary performance in the following areas: interpretative ability; intellectual initiative in response to questions; mastery of the skills required by the subject, general levels of knowledge and analytic ability or clear thinking.
Distinction 75-84 Usually awarded to students whose performance goes well beyond the minimum requirements set for tasks required in assessment, and who perform well in most of the above areas.
Credit 65-74 Usually awarded to students whose performance is considered to go beyond the minimum requirements for work set for assessment. Assessable work is typically characterised by a strong performance in some of the capacities listed above.
Pass 50-64 Usually awarded to students whose performance meets the requirements set for work provided for assessment.
Fail 0-49 Usually awarded to students whose performance is not considered to meet the minimum requirements set for particular tasks. The fail grade may be a result of insufficient preparation, of inattention to assignment guidelines or lack of academic ability. A frequent cause of failure is lack of attention to subject or assignment guidelines.

Study Information

Submission Procedures

Students must check the iLearn@Bond subject site for detailed assessment information and submission procedures.

Policy on Late Submission and Extensions

A late penalty will be applied to all overdue assessment tasks unless an extension is granted by the subject coordinator. The standard penalty will be 10% of marks awarded to that assessment per day late with no assessment to be accepted seven days after the due date. Where a student is granted an extension, the penalty of 10% per day late starts from the new due date.

Policy on Plagiarism

University's Academic Integrity Policy defines plagiarism as the act of misrepresenting as one's own original work: another's ideas, interpretations, words, or creative works; and/or one's own previous ideas, interpretations, words, or creative work without acknowledging that it was used previously (i.e., self-plagiarism). The University considers the act of plagiarising to be a breach of the Student Conduct Code and, therefore, subject to the Discipline Regulations which provide for a range of penalties including the reduction of marks or grades, fines and suspension from the University.

Bond University utilises Originality Reporting software to inform academic integrity.

Feedback on Assessment

Feedback on assessment will be provided to students within two weeks of the assessment submission due date, as per the Assessment Policy.

Accessibility and Inclusion Support

If you have a disability, illness, injury or health condition that impacts your capacity to complete studies, exams or assessment tasks, it is important you let us know your special requirements, early in the semester. Students will need to make an application for support and submit it with recent, comprehensive documentation at an appointment with a Disability Officer. Students with a disability are encouraged to contact the Disability Office at the earliest possible time, to meet staff and learn about the services available to meet your specific needs. Please note that late notification or failure to disclose your disability can be to your disadvantage as the University cannot guarantee support under such circumstances.

Additional Subject information

It is strongly recommended that students procure their own copies of the prescribed texts. Students will also be required to research and source some information in addition to that provided in class and on iLearn as well as visit places with building activity to obtain a clearer understanding of building methodology.

Subject Curriculum

Discuss key stakeholders in the building process, considerations when designing/building a house and terminology related to building design and mechanics.

Detail visual and online site analysis, encumbrance, and explains the difference between performance solution and deemed-to-satisfy solution.

Focus on utilities that are common to all building sites, slope analysis and management, building platforms, retaining walls, and site drainage.

Discuss footings, such as isolated systems and continuous systems. Construction process of slabs (Stiffened Raft Slab and Waffle raft slab) and concrete pouring, finishing, reinforcement, and formworks will be discussed.

Discuss the suspended floor design, elements, material selection (timber and concrete), and construction considerations.

Describe the wall elements, design considerations, and construction methodology. Roof shapes, terminology, pitched roof and trussed roof will also be discussed.

Identify common building enclosure materials, design considerations, construction specifics, cladding options, roof fascia, roof gutters, downpipes, and waterproofing in buildings.

Discuss first fix (electrical and plumbing), interior linings, stairs, kitchens, and bathrooms. Final fit off (electrical and plumbing), painting, flooring, and commissioning will also be covered.

Identify and describe soft and hard landscaping elements, landscape plans, construction sequence, critical issues, coordination, maintenance, and external plumbing.

Practice construction drawings such as site plan, floor plan, roof plan, elevations, sections. Recognise construction symbols, acronyms, and abbreviations.

Approved on: Dec 17, 2024. Edition: 5.13
Last updated: May 19, 2025
Copyright © Bond University
In the spirit of reconciliation, Bond University acknowledges the Kombumerri people, the traditional Owners and Custodians of the land on which the university now stands. We pay respect to Elders past, present and emerging.

CRICOS Provider Code 00017B | TEQSA Provider ID PRV12072

Bond University

0

SSUD11-101: Understanding Buildings 1

Contact
  • Contact name: Nima Talebian
  • Position: Semester Teaching Fellow
  • Telephone:
  • Email: ntalebia@bond.edu.au
Lead Educator
  • Lead Educator name: Chris Austin
  • Position: Senior Teaching Fellow
  • Telephone: 55952187
  • Email: caustin@bond.edu.au

The lead educator may be subject to change without notice as circumstances arise.

Description

Understanding Buildings 1 provides an overview of the building construction process. Focused on detached housing development, this subject introduces the stakeholders as well as the physical, legislative, and cost factors affecting the development of a building. It investigates the parts of a building and their functions in detail, as well as the construction sequence and methods adopted. Construction terminology is examined and spatial awareness and drawing interpretation are practised.

Details

Academic Unit: Faculty of Society & Design
Subject Code: SSUD11-101
Subject Title: Understanding Buildings 1
Subject Level: Undergraduate
Semester/Year: January 2025
Credit/points: 10.000

Delivery & Attendance

Timetable: http://timetable.bond.edu.au
Mode of Delivery Standard
Workload Items
  • Forum: x12 (Total hours: 24) - Forum
  • Tutorial: x12 (Total hours: 12) - Tutorial
  • Personal Study Hours: x12 (Total hours: 84) - Personal Study Hours
Attendance and Learning Activities: As successful completion of this subject is heavily dependent on participation during all scheduled sessions, attendance will be monitored. Most sessions build on the content of the previous one. It is difficult for a student to recover if a session is missed. It is the responsibility of the student to catch up on any content missed and to complete set work outside class. It is also necessary for students to engage proactively and contribute positively in discussions, analyses and case studies. The assessments are an important part of developing the knowledge and understanding required to fulfil the minimum requirements of this subject. In addition to face-to-face contact time, students should plan to spend a minimum of 84 hours undertaking preparation/out of class work/personal study for this subject. This is intended as a general guide only for workload planning. More time may be required depending on the student's comprehension of the content delivered in class and aptitude for the subject. Please note that subsequent subjects assume the student has a full understanding of this subject - this content will not be repeated.

Resources

Prescribed Resources:

Books

  • George Wilkie,Stuart Arden (0) Building Your Own Home
    n/a, n/a n/a n/a
  • Allan Staines (2015) The Australian House Building Manual
    9th ed, n/a Pinedale Press n/a
ilearn@Bond & Email:

iLearn@Bond is the Learning Management System at Bond University and is used to provide access to subject materials, class recordings and detailed subject information regarding the subject curriculum, assessment, and timing. Both iLearn and the Student Email facility are used to provide important subject notifications.

Additionally, official correspondence from the University will be forwarded to students’ Bond email account and must be monitored by the student.

To access these services, log on to the Student Portal from the Bond University website as www.bond.edu.au

Enrolment Requirements

Requisites: Nil
Assumed knowledge:

Assumed knowledge is the minimum level of knowledge needed for this subject. Students who do not possess this prior knowledge are strongly recommended against enrolling and do so at their own risk. Students who enrol in this subject without the assumed knowledge will be considerably disadvantaged. No adjustments will be made for students' lack of prior knowledge.

Restrictions:

Nil

Assurance of Learning

Assurance of Learning means that universities take responsibility for creating,monitoring and updating curriculum, teaching and assessment so that students graduate with the knowledge, skills and attributes they need for employability and/or further study. At Bond University, we carefully develop subject and program outcomes to ensure that student learning in each subject contributes to the whole student experience. Students are encouraged to carefully read and consider subject and program outcomes as combined elements.

Program Learning outcomes (PLOs)

Program Learning Outcomes provide a broad and measurable set of standards that incorporate a range of knowledge and skills that will be achieved on completion of the program. If you are undertaking this subject as part of a degree program, you should refer to the relevant degree program outcomes and graduate attributes as they relate to this subject.

Find your Program

Subject Learning Outcomes (SLOs)

On successful completion of this subject the learner will be able to:

  1. Identify the stakeholders and describe the physical, legislative, and cost factors affecting development of a building;
  2. Describe and identify the component parts of a building (physically and on drawings) and their functions;
  3. Recognise and describe the construction sequence and methods adopted to construct a building;
  4. Produce hand drawn plans and elevations of a simple building; and
  5. Apply construction terminology to communicate effectively.

Generative Artificial Intelligence in Assessment

The University acknowledges that Generative Artificial Intelligence (Gen-AI) tools are an important facet of contemporary life. Their use in assessment is considered in line with students’ development of the skills and knowledge which demonstrate learning outcomes and underpin study and career success. Instructions on the use of Gen-AI are given for each assessment task; it is your responsibility to adhere to these instructions.

Assessment

Assessment Details

Type Task % Timing* Outcomes Assessed
Paper-based Examination (Closed) ^ Assessment of coursework and other learning objectives from entire subject 40.00 Final Examination Period 2, 3, 5
Written Report Analysis of a building process or system 20.00 Week 5 1, 2
Project § Preparation and application of design drawings and construction processes/methods 40.00 Week 10 2, 3, 4, 5

^ Students must pass this assessment to pass the subject

§ Indicates group/teamwork-based assessment

* Assessment timing is indicative of the week that the assessment is due or begins (where conducted over multiple weeks), and is based on the standard University academic calendar

C = Students must reach a level of competency to successfully complete this assessment.

Assessment Criteria

High Distinction 85-100 Outstanding or exemplary performance in the following areas: interpretative ability; intellectual initiative in response to questions; mastery of the skills required by the subject, general levels of knowledge and analytic ability or clear thinking.
Distinction 75-84 Usually awarded to students whose performance goes well beyond the minimum requirements set for tasks required in assessment, and who perform well in most of the above areas.
Credit 65-74 Usually awarded to students whose performance is considered to go beyond the minimum requirements for work set for assessment. Assessable work is typically characterised by a strong performance in some of the capacities listed above.
Pass 50-64 Usually awarded to students whose performance meets the requirements set for work provided for assessment.
Fail 0-49 Usually awarded to students whose performance is not considered to meet the minimum requirements set for particular tasks. The fail grade may be a result of insufficient preparation, of inattention to assignment guidelines or lack of academic ability. A frequent cause of failure is lack of attention to subject or assignment guidelines.

Study Information

Submission Procedures

Students must check the iLearn@Bond subject site for detailed assessment information and submission procedures.

Policy on Late Submission and Extensions

A late penalty will be applied to all overdue assessment tasks unless an extension is granted by the subject coordinator. The standard penalty will be 10% of marks awarded to that assessment per day late with no assessment to be accepted seven days after the due date. Where a student is granted an extension, the penalty of 10% per day late starts from the new due date.

Policy on Plagiarism

University's Academic Integrity Policy defines plagiarism as the act of misrepresenting as one's own original work: another's ideas, interpretations, words, or creative works; and/or one's own previous ideas, interpretations, words, or creative work without acknowledging that it was used previously (i.e., self-plagiarism). The University considers the act of plagiarising to be a breach of the Student Conduct Code and, therefore, subject to the Discipline Regulations which provide for a range of penalties including the reduction of marks or grades, fines and suspension from the University.

Bond University utilises Originality Reporting software to inform academic integrity.

Feedback on Assessment

Feedback on assessment will be provided to students within two weeks of the assessment submission due date, as per the Assessment Policy.

Accessibility and Inclusion Support

If you have a disability, illness, injury or health condition that impacts your capacity to complete studies, exams or assessment tasks, it is important you let us know your special requirements, early in the semester. Students will need to make an application for support and submit it with recent, comprehensive documentation at an appointment with a Disability Officer. Students with a disability are encouraged to contact the Disability Office at the earliest possible time, to meet staff and learn about the services available to meet your specific needs. Please note that late notification or failure to disclose your disability can be to your disadvantage as the University cannot guarantee support under such circumstances.

Additional Subject information

It is strongly recommended that students procure their own copies of the prescribed texts. Students will also be required to research and source some information in addition to that provided in class and on iLearn as well as visit places with building activity to obtain a clearer understanding of building methodology.

Subject Curriculum

Discuss key stakeholders in the building process, considerations when designing/building a house and terminology related to building design and mechanics.

Detail visual and online site analysis, encumbrance, and explains the difference between performance solution and deemed-to-satisfy solution.

Focus on utilities that are common to all building sites, slope analysis and management, building platforms, retaining walls, and site drainage.

Discuss footings, such as isolated systems and continuous systems. Construction process of slabs (Stiffened Raft Slab and Waffle raft slab) and concrete pouring, finishing, reinforcement, and formworks will be discussed.

Discuss the suspended floor design, elements, material selection (timber and concrete), and construction considerations.

Describe the wall elements, design considerations, and construction methodology. Roof shapes, terminology, pitched roof and trussed roof will also be discussed.

Identify common building enclosure materials, design considerations, construction specifics, cladding options, roof fascia, roof gutters, downpipes, and waterproofing in buildings.

Discuss first fix (electrical and plumbing), interior linings, stairs, kitchens, and bathrooms. Final fit off (electrical and plumbing), painting, flooring, and commissioning will also be covered.

Identify and describe soft and hard landscaping elements, landscape plans, construction sequence, critical issues, coordination, maintenance, and external plumbing.

Practice construction drawings such as site plan, floor plan, roof plan, elevations, sections. Recognise construction symbols, acronyms, and abbreviations.

Approved on: Aug 14, 2024. Edition: 5.12
Last updated: Aug 15, 2024
Copyright © Bond University
In the spirit of reconciliation, Bond University acknowledges the Kombumerri people, the traditional Owners and Custodians of the land on which the university now stands. We pay respect to Elders past, present and emerging.

CRICOS Provider Code 00017B | TEQSA Provider ID PRV12072