Associate Professor David Lange
Course overview
- Study period
- Semester 1, 2025 (24/02/2025 - 21/06/2025)
- Study level
- Undergraduate
- Location
- External
- Attendance mode
- Online
- Units
- 2
- Administrative campus
- St Lucia
- Coordinating unit
- Civil Engineering School
This course aims to enable students to apply leading practice principles in prescriptive implementation of fire safety and fire protection technologies. This course aims to provide students with skills and knowledge to use codes and standards to deliver a "Deem To Satisfy" building. This course emphasizes design and assessment.
This course provides the basics of prescriptive solutions used for the design of a fire safety strategy applicable to any form of infrastructure or process. This includes principles for design and egress, detection, smoke management, structural fire resistance, and suppression. This course requires students to engage with real engineering projects and design for fire safety using prescriptive solutions. Students will be expected to read and analyse technical literature (e.g. codes and standards). Classroom discussions will provide an important supplement to course material and literature and students will be expected to use this knowledge in the analysis of course related problems. The student will therefore be expected to:
- analyse technical material and draw pertinent conclusions;
- draw on prior knowledge to address specific problems presented; and
- actively participate in classroom discussions directed towards establishing sources of information that help analyse and solve the problems presented.
Students will be expected to independently (individually or as part of a team) address the following specific subjects' areas:
- intent and legal context of codes and standards (Australian and International);
- limitations, assumptions, and simplifications of the codes; and
- fire safety systems for fire detection, suppression, and smoke management;
GROUP WORK:
- Students will form groups of THREE, with groups of FOUR acceptable by exception only.
- Teams can self-select, however this must be accomplished before Tutorial #1. Otherwise course staff will make assignments.
- Group re-assignments will be considered at the discretion of course staff.
Course requirements
Assumed background
Students are expected to have completed or be currently undertaking ENGG3700 or FIRE3700.
Recommended companion or co-requisite courses
We recommend completing the following courses at the same time:
FIRE3700 or ENGG3700
Course staff
Course coordinator
Lecturer
Associate Professor David Lange
Dr Anwar Orabi
Dr David Morrisset
Timetable
The timetable for this course is available on the UQ Public Timetable.
Aims and outcomes
This course will enable students to apply engineering practice principles in the prescriptive implementation of fire safety and fire protection technologies. Furthermore, the course will provide the students with skills and knowledge to use codes and standards to deliver a "deemed-to-satisfy" building. This course emphasises the design and assessment of fire safety strategies in the built environment.
Learning outcomes
After successfully completing this course you should be able to:
LO1.
Explain the legal context and general approach used to develop contemporary fire safety legislation and standards across a range of jurisdictions from local to international
LO2.
Apply concepts of ethics, liability and due diligence
LO3.
Recognize the limitations of the assumptions and simplifications in fire safety codes and standards
LO4.
Demonstrate understanding of the objectives of a building approval assessment in a prescriptive design context
LO5.
Describe the different components of systems, and identify design provisions for these
LO6.
Justify how the integration of elements work together in a fire safety strategy
LO7.
Design active and passive fire protection systems
LO8.
Develop effective group work skills
Assessment
Assessment summary
| Category | Assessment task | Weight | Due date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper/ Report/ Annotation | Report 1 - Egress and alarm | 25% |
28/03/2025 3:50 pm
Submission dates are scheduled as shown in the details. |
| Paper/ Report/ Annotation | Report 2 - active fire protection systems | 25% |
9/05/2025 3:50 pm
Submission dates are scheduled as shown in the details. |
| Presentation |
Group presentations of building design project
|
25% |
28/05/2025
Presentations dates are scheduled as shown in the details. |
| Paper/ Report/ Annotation | Report 3 - structural fire safety | 25% |
30/05/2025 3:50 pm
Submission dates are scheduled as shown in the details. |
Assessment details
Report 1 - Egress and alarm
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Paper/ Report/ Annotation
- Weight
- 25%
- Due date
28/03/2025 3:50 pm
Submission dates are scheduled as shown in the details.
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03, L04, L05, L07
Task description
There will be three (3) individually marked assignments over the course of the semester. This is the first report which covers egress and alarm.
This assessment task evaluates students' abilities, skills and knowledge without the aid of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) or Machine Translation (MT). Students are advised that the use of AI or MT technologies to develop responses is strictly prohibited and may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Submission guidelines
Assignments will be submitted electronically via Turnitin.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
The maximum extension allowed is 28 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
Report 2 - active fire protection systems
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Paper/ Report/ Annotation
- Weight
- 25%
- Due date
9/05/2025 3:50 pm
Submission dates are scheduled as shown in the details.
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03, L04, L05, L07
Task description
There will be three (3) individually marked assignments over the course of the semester. This is the second report which covers active fire protection systems.
This assessment task evaluates students' abilities, skills and knowledge without the aid of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) or Machine Translation (MT). Students are advised that the use of AI or MT technologies to develop responses is strictly prohibited and may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Submission guidelines
Assignments will be submitted electronically via Turnitin.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
The maximum extension allowed is 28 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
Group presentations of building design project
- Team or group-based
- Mode
- Activity/ Performance
- Category
- Presentation
- Weight
- 25%
- Due date
28/05/2025
Presentations dates are scheduled as shown in the details.
- Other conditions
- Peer assessment factor.
- Learning outcomes
- L05, L06, L08
Task description
Groups must deliver an Oral Presentation based on the work developed to complete the project. A formal briefing in regards to the presentation format and contents will be given during contact hours and made available on Blackboard.
Students will be assigned individual marks based on their contribution to the group presentations, as well as on their ability to pose and response to questions during a Q&A held after the presentations.
Marks for the presentations will also be subject to anonymous peer assessment.
Identity Verified Assessment is used on this course during the presentation. This assessment task will be recorded.
This assessment task evaluates students' abilities, skills and knowledge without the aid of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) or Machine Translation (MT). Students are advised that the use of AI or MT technologies to develop responses is strictly prohibited and may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Submission guidelines
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
The maximum extension allowed is 28 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.
Late submission
You will receive a mark of 0 if this assessment is submitted late.
Report 3 - structural fire safety
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Paper/ Report/ Annotation
- Weight
- 25%
- Due date
30/05/2025 3:50 pm
Submission dates are scheduled as shown in the details.
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03, L04, L05, L07
Task description
There will be three (3) individually marked assignments over the course of the semester. This is the third report which covers the structure.
This assessment task evaluates students' abilities, skills and knowledge without the aid of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) or Machine Translation (MT). Students are advised that the use of AI or MT technologies to develop responses is strictly prohibited and may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Submission guidelines
Assignments will be submitted electronically via Turnitin.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
The maximum extension allowed is 28 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
Course grading
Full criteria for each grade is available in the Assessment Procedure.
| Grade | Cut off Percent | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 (Low Fail) | 0 - 19 |
Absence of evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: As for the grade of 2 and the student fails to complete the assessment for the course. |
| 2 (Fail) | 20 - 44 |
Minimal evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: The student fails to demonstrate sufficient knowledge or understanding of the underlying concepts. Much of the information provided is inaccurate and irrelevant. |
| 3 (Marginal Fail) | 45 - 49 |
Demonstrated evidence of developing achievement of course learning outcomes Course grade description: Some knowledge of the subject is evident but the student demonstrates a limited understanding of the underlying concepts. A substantial part of the information provided is inaccurate or irrelevant. |
| 4 (Pass) | 50 - 64 |
Demonstrated evidence of functional achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: The student demonstrates sound knowledge and at least partial understanding of the underlying concepts. Has some correct and some incorrect information. Students need to achieve a grade of 4ﾠor higher in the presentation in order for a pass grade to be awarded for the whole course. |
| 5 (Credit) | 65 - 74 |
Demonstrated evidence of proficient achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: The student demonstrates sound knowledge and a sound understanding of the key concepts. |
| 6 (Distinction) | 75 - 84 |
Demonstrated evidence of advanced achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: Key concepts are understood. There is a demonstrated ability to solve previously unseen problems. There are only minor factual inaccuracies and there is little irrelevant information. |
| 7 (High Distinction) | 85 - 100 |
Demonstrated evidence of exceptional achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: Key concepts are understood and can be used to solve previously unseen problems.ﾠThere is evidence of critical analysis and an ability to synthesize information from different aspects of the subject. There are insignificant factual inaccuracies and there is very limited irrelevant information. |
Additional course grading information
Grade cutoffs and hurdles
Final (total) marks will be rounded up to an integer value prior to applying hurdles or grade boundaries.
Supplementary assessment
Supplementary assessment is available for this course.
Learning resources
You'll need the following resources to successfully complete the course. We've indicated below if you need a personal copy of the reading materials or your own item.
Library resources
Find the required and recommended resources for this course on the UQ Library website.
Additional learning resources information
Codes and Standards
- Australian standards are available to students electronically via the library (https://guides.library.uq.edu.au/how-to-find/standards/databases).
- When other standards are necessary and not available via the library, summaries of the relevant information will be made available for download via the course BlackBoard site.
Learning activities
The learning activities for this course are outlined below. Learn more about the learning outcomes that apply to this course.
Filter activity type by
Please select
| Learning period | Activity type | Topic |
|---|---|---|
Multiple weeks From Week 1 To Week 13 |
Not Timetabled |
Self directed learning activities Recorded and pre-prepared material covering each week's content will be made available via edX. Australian standards are available to students electronically via the library (https://guides.library.uq.edu.au/how-to-find/standards/databases). When other standards are necessary and not available via the library, summaries of the relevant information will be made available for download via the course BlackBoard site. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L05, L06, L07, L08 |
Tutorial |
Tutorial sessions General tutorial sessions for the purpose of demonstrating application of content covered in lectures and/or group discussions on project activities. Solutions to the tutorial sessions will be made available for download via the course BlackBoard site. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L05, L06, L07, L08 |
|
Lecture |
Lectures Support course notes are available.ﾠThese will be made available for download via the course BlackBoard site. Copies of selected slides from the lecture presentations are available to assist students in preparing their own course notes during lectures. These will be made available for download via the course BlackBoard site. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L05, L06, L07, L08 |
Policies and procedures
University policies and procedures apply to all aspects of student life. As a UQ student, you must comply with University-wide and program-specific requirements, including the:
- Student Code of Conduct Policy
- Student Integrity and Misconduct Policy and Procedure
- Assessment Procedure
- Examinations Procedure
- Reasonable Adjustments - Students Policy and Procedure
Learn more about UQ policies on my.UQ and the Policy and Procedure Library.
School guidelines
Your school has additional guidelines you'll need to follow for this course: