City engineers are working in increasingly complex urban contexts, as interdependencies between the built environment and social, economic, and ecological systems and sub-systems continue to intensify.

As a result of taking CIVL 475/598K, you are a systems thinker, aware of important environmental stewardship concepts and interventions – especially natural asset management – pertinent to urban infrastructure design and operations. You are developing insights into, and are able to contribute to, the management of complex, difficult-to-address, urban challenges that relate to urban engineering.

Together, we explore the ecosystem approach to urban design and operations, then shift to an introduction of municipal natural asset management (NAM). We next co-create knowledge of how NAM is supported by municipal engineers (usually either environmental or civil engineers).  The course ends with your submission of a technical report aimed at supporting the application of NAM by local practitioners.

In essence, you will develop your natural asset management knowledge within the context of the ecosystem approach. You will be challenged to propagate your new knowledge to others (future students, other professions).  Critically, difficult issues within the application of NAM will be uncovered.

This course is intended for the mature learner who is able to direct their learning toward personal interests related to environmental stewardship and engineering practice. 

NOTE: The Municipal Natural Assets Initiative (MNAI) is collaborating with Prof. Nesbit in the development of CIVL 475/598K.

The MNAI is a not-for-profit that provides scientific, economic and municipal expertise to local governments to support and guide them in identifying, valuing and accounting for natural assets in their financial planning and asset management programs.

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