Introduction to Building and Infrastructure Construction

Overview

This unit aims to introduce students to various forms of building and infrastructure construction, the associated materials and technologies and relevant environmental considerations.

Teaching periods

Location

Start and end dates

Last self-enrolment date

Census date

Last withdraw without fail date

Results released date

Semester 2

Hawthorn

03-August-2026
01-November-2026

16-August-2026

01-September-2026

22-September-2026

08-December-2026

Learning outcomes

Students who successfully complete this unit will be able to:

Review building and infrastructure plans and identify key elements, materials and components for construction
Explain the process involved in the preparation, organisation and management of a construction site
Determine requirements of Australian Standards, National Construction Code (NCC), planning permits and other regulatory process in construction
Apply basic principles of building science to assess stability and function of buildings
Identify the various professional roles and describe their respective responsibilities throughout the construction process

Teaching methods

Hawthorn

Activity Type	Hours per week	Number of weeks	Total (number of hours)
On Campus Class	2	12 weeks	24
Online Lecture	2	12 weeks	24
Unspecified Learning Activities Independent Learning	8.5	12 weeks	102
Total			150

Assessment

Type	Task	Weighting	ULOs
Assignment 1	Individual	30-40 %	1,2
Assignment 2	Group	30-50 %	3,4
Test	Individual	20-40 %	1,2,3,4,5

Content

Construction drawings
Site preparation, excavation, cut stability, dewatering, civil works
Construction codes, permits/approvals and consultations for construction projects
Structural concepts
Stakeholder engagement, professional roles and responsibilities in construction

Study resources

Reading materials

A list of reading materials and/or required textbooks will be available in the Unit Outline on Canvas.