After successful completion of the course, students are able to:

• name important phenomena of the urban metabolism.
• define and classify “resources”.
• apply the method of “Material Flow Analysis” (MFA) and interpret the results.
• use the MFA software STAN.
• constitute the relevance of waste management for the urban metabolism and outline the legal situation.
• estimate the material occurrence in the building sector.
• describe technical-scientific assessment methods.

Survey of the most important phenomena of urban metabolism, regional input, storage and output of goods and substances. Supply and disposal are discussed as connected units. Waste management is analysed as a part of the metabolism of the antroposphere. Problems of and solutions for the metabolism of modern urban regions are demonstrated and discussed. The students apply the gained knowledge in short, tailor-made exercises.

• Lecture with discussions
• Introduction in the STAN software
• Exercises in TUWEL
• Question & answer to exercises

Additional information

If, due to the requirements of the federal government or the TU Wien, it is not possible to hold the course and the examination or parts of the course in attendance, the format will be switched to online. When switching to the online format, the following methods and modes apply:
Method when switching to online format:
Recordings in TUWEL, zoom meetings
Exam mode when switching to online format:
Written, Multiple-Choice-Examen, under supervision (Zoom Meeting)
Assessment scheme for the online exam:
See “exam modalities”; no change by switching to online format
Required technical equipment for participation in the course and examination:
Device with internet access (notebook, PC, tablet, smartphone)
Certificate of achievement:
See “exam modalities”; no change by switching to online format

Assessment criteria:

• The maximum number of points is 80. This number comprises of the:
• 3 exercises - with 20 points.                  25%
• 1 Multiple Choice exam: 60 points.       75%
• To positively complete the course (VU), it is necessary to reach a total score of >40 points. Therefore, it is not required to positively complete the written exam AND the exercises.

Information on the issuance of the certificate:

1. The exercises (consisting of 3 individual exercises) can only be passed (or repeated) in the course (VU) of the respective summer semester (so once a year). Only the points of the most recently completed exercise/s (for an indefinite period of time) are considered for the calculation of the final grade. The obtained points will be valid for the period of 2 semesters after completing the lecture. After that, you will need to repeat the exercise/s.
2. Subsequent to any passed exam, a certificate will be issued. The final grade consists of the points of the recently passed exam and the points of the recently passed exercise/s (if existing).
3. Exams can be completed/ repeated 3 times per semester (according to the offered exam dates).
4. ATTENTION: If the exercise/s get/s repeated, the exam has to be repeated too (if the exam has already been passed)! This means that a negative exam grade cannot be improved with a renewed completion of the project work!

Exam arrangements:

• Multiple Choice exam
• With the acceptance of the test papers, the evaluation of the test is the consequence.
• (Please write legibly and clearly, otherwise points will be deducted.)
• It is not allowed to use mobile phones, pencils or programmable pocket calculator.
• The duration of the exam is 40 minutes (online 30 min).
• Insight into the completed exam is only possible with an appointment.

Exercise arrangements:

• The exercises are operated in TUWEL.
• Questions concerning the exercises will only be answered in the "Questions & Answers" classes.
• Delayed submissions will be assessed with 0 points, if no serious reason is notified in advance of the submission date.
• The calculation processes must be comprehensible and complete.
• The preparation of the exercises is not a group work. Identical exercises will be graded with 0 points.

• Plagiarism checks may be carried out on submissions, so particular emphasis is placed on the correct citation of sources.

Brunner, P,; Rechberger, H., Practical Handbook of Material Flow Analysis, Lewis Publ., NY, 2004.

Baccini, P.; Brunner, P.H., Metabolism of the Anthroposphere - analysis, evaluation, design, MIT Press, Cambridge, MA, 2012.

ÖNORM S2096 „Stoffflussanalyse - Anwendung in der Abfallwirtschaft (Teil 1 und 2)“

SFA-Software STAN, freeware for download from: download.