ABPL20036 Environmental Building Systems
University of Melbourne · Level 2 · 12.5 points · Runs in 2026: Semester 1.
- No final exam: all coursework
- About 4 class hours a week
- 35% group work
Is ABPL20036 hard?
ABPL20036: About average. Makes it easier: No final exam. Makes it harder: Reviewers say it takes a lot of time, 1 other hurdle task. The easier and harder points roughly balance out.
What you learn
How buildings use energy, water and air over their life: solar access, ventilation, envelope and services.
After it you can
- Explain the physics of building comfort
- Estimate a building's environmental performance
- Propose design changes to cut energy use
What you need first
ABPL10005
What it leads to
- ABPL20033 Architectural Technologies 2: Analyse
- ABPL30044 Industry Partner project Studio
- ARCH30002 Design Studio Epsilon
- ARCH30003 Environmental Design- Commercial
- ARCH30004 Environmental Design in Housing
Can’t be taken together with
Careers
Helps toward: Architect, Landscape architect, Interior Designer
How it’s assessed
Assignments 100%
Student reviews and ratings
Summarised from 4 students on StudentVIP (2016–2020)
- Reviewers liked the content and the enthusiastic, well-organised teaching team.
- The workload is heavy, especially the major assignment in the first half and the weekly pre-reading; staying on schedule matters.
- The final exam was described as straightforward if you kept up with tutorials.
A summary of public reviews, not scored here.
Taken this subject? Rate it anonymously (difficulty, workload, marking, would you recommend it) and leave a tip for next year's students. Rate ABPL20036
Quick answers
- When is ABPL20036 offered?
- Runs in 2026: Semester 1.
- What do I need before taking ABPL20036?
- Needs ABPL10005.
- Does ABPL20036 have a final exam?
- No, there is no final exam. Assessment: Assignments 100%.
- Is ABPL20036 hard?
- From 4 student reviews on StudentVIP: Reviewers liked the content and the enthusiastic, well-organised teaching team.
- What do students say about ABPL20036?
- Reviewers liked the content and the enthusiastic, well-organised teaching team. The workload is heavy, especially the major assignment in the first half and the weekly pre-reading; staying on schedule matters. The final exam was described as straightforward if you kept up with tutorials.
- How many class hours a week does ABPL20036 have?
- 4 h a week in class
- Can I take ABPL20036 as breadth?
- Yes, for: Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Biomedicine, Bachelor of Commerce, Bachelor of Design, Bachelor of Fine Arts (Acting), Bachelor of Fine Arts (Animation), Bachelor of Fine Arts (Dance), Bachelor of Fine Arts (Film and Television), Bachelor of Fine Arts (Music Theatre), Bachelor of Fine Arts (Production), Bachelor of Fine Arts (Screenwriting), Bachelor of Fine Arts (Theatre), Bachelor of Fine Arts (Visual Art), Bachelor of Music, Bachelor of Science.
- What can I take after ABPL20036?
- 5 subjects need it first, for example ABPL20033, ABPL30044, ARCH30002, ARCH30003.
- Can I rate ABPL20036?
- Yes. If you've taken it, rate it anonymously on this page (difficulty, workload, marking, would you recommend it) and leave a tip for next year's students. Averages show once 3 students have rated it; tips are checked before they appear.
Source: University of Melbourne Handbook 2026
Always confirm in the official Handbook.
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