Integrated Urban Engineering

Start next run: October 2009 (open for registration)
Duration: 18 Months
Location: UNESCO-IHE, Delft, the Netherlands

Participant Profile

This specialisation is designed mainly for civil engineers working in municipal assemblies, government ministries, water supply companies and consulting companies dealing with water-related urban infrastructure.

It is particularly relevant to mid-career professionals (mainly engineers) from the urban sector, who are (or wish to become) involved in the provision of a variety of urban infrastructure services at the local level. These may include, for example, storm water drainage, waste water collection and disposal, drinking water distribution, and solid waste collection and disposal. It will also be relevant to mid-level mangers and administrators who require advanced training in the management of sustainable urban infrastructure services.

Learning Objectives

The focus of this specialisation is on urban infrastructure systems (e.g. water distribution, drainage and sewerage, solid waste collection and disposal). After successfully completing the Integrated Urban Engineering specialisation, graduates will be able to:

• Identify and describe the structure of major urban infrastructure systems.
• Explain and describe the interrelationships between the urbanisation processes and the demand for urban infrastructure services.
• Determine the social, economic, environmental and administrative dimensions of providing urban infrastructure services and, as a result, be able to deliver effective contributions in a multi-disciplinary environment.
• Organise and evaluate the processes of urban infrastructure services provision and formulate integrated design principles.
• Design and rehabilitate major urban infrastructure services.
• Plan operation and maintenance methods for major urban infrastructure services and describe their importance.

Course Contents

The Integrated Urban Engineering specialisation consists of seven modules:

• Integrated Infrastructure Concepts, Planning and Finance emphasises the need for an urban sensitive design process. The approach is to recognise the interactions between various urban systems (in particular water related), and the importance of the interactions in the design, control and management of these systems.
• Transport Networks consists of five subjects: the urban transport system, urban transport problems and strategies, the urban transport planning process, transport planning data collection and analysis, and urban transport plans.
• Urban Drainage and Sewerage covers six subjects: urban drainage types and characteristics, urban drainage systems, determination of inputs to urban drainage systems, hydraulics of sewer systems, modelling of urban drainage hydraulics and urban drainage design.
• Water Transport and Distribution I deals with four subjects: introduction to water transport and distribution, pumping stations, urban water demand management, unaccounted for water and leakage.
• Integrated Infrastructure Design provides a methodology for the design of infrastructure systems that is guided by the conceptual principles of urban sensitive design processes. The module elaborates on the criteria and design process of network facilities for multi-functional and multi facility corridors in urban areas.
• Integrated Asset Management Systems provides a strategic approach and analytical tools to reduce the cost of maintaining, upgrading and operating assets whilst achieving management performance and service objectives. The module covers: performance goals, asset data inventory systems, condition assessment and resource allocation decision making.

In addition, one elective module must be selected from the following:

• Water Transport and Distribution II
• Solid Waste Engineering and Management
• Decentralised Water Supply and Sanitation
• Urban Drainage and Sewerage II