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International field trips provide opportunities for interdisciplinary or transdisciplinary learning experiences which can be transformative. Whilst these projects are becoming popular with increasing focus on internationalisation of the curriculum, tackling global challenges and encouraging student mobility, there is scant literature on the critical pedagogical approaches which support the design and delivery of transformative learning experiences. The study described herewith examined the transformative pedagogies used to facilitate learning during interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary field trips and placements. Objectives of the study included (1) evaluating the impact of two projects related to student interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary field trips; (2) identifying best practice of teaching and learning design; and (3) providing recommendations for future higher education (HE) arrangements. The findings show that transformative learning experiences must be carefully integrated into the design of international field trips, setting up pivotal learning moments and suitable challenges which enhance reflexivity, shared learning and problem-solving.

Operational building energy consumption accounts for 55% of global energy consumption. Most of this is attributed to residential buildings, as they make up the largest building type when compared to the total building stock worldwide. As the building envelope is a major contributor to building energy performance, especially the external walls, its optimisation is therefore imperative to reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions. This study set out to assess the effects of waste material additions to external walls and their effect on building energy performance. This research aimed to critically investigate the effect of rice husk ash (RHA) masonry blocks on building energy performance when compared to conventional masonry blocks in tropical climates. A mix of methods, including experimental investigation and simulation studies, were employed for this study. Three variations of RHA block samples were created for this investigation: RHA 5%, RHA 10%, and RHA 15%. Using prototype buildings from the study context, the building simulation results helped quantify the impact on building energy performance from the reuse of rice waste. The largest improvement to the building fabric was recorded with the RHA15% blocks, which resulted in a 9.9% and 11.3% reduction in solar heat gains through the external walls for the selected bungalow and duplex/storey building, respectively. This resulted in a 6.55% and 4.2% reduction in cooling loads and a 4.1% and 2.8% reduction in carbon emissions, respectively, for the bungalow and duplex/storey building. The findings of this research will prove valuable to householders, researchers, architects, and policymakers in their decision-making processes. The findings will also be useful in introducing new methods that can be adopted for similar studies, bridging the knowledge gap while promoting a circular economy through the reuse of landfilled waste. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The production of conventional construction materials such as concrete, cement and bricks, has contributed significantly to the high environmental footprint associated with the construction industry. Moreover, there is a global push to deviate from the linear take-use-dispose model to a circular economy model, which incorporates upcycling and reuse of materials. This paper reviews the application of agricultural and plastic wastes, in construction, exploring the performance of the resulting component using five key parameters: compressive strength, tensile strength, flexural strength, density and thermal conductivity. The study showed that the compressive, tensile and flexural strengths can be increased slightly by increasing waste content; however, this only occurs in a narrow range after which an increase in waste content reduces the mechanical strength. This reduced strength can be attributed to a weaker bond resulting from the increased waste content. It also suggests that components may not directly benefit from the mechanical properties of waste materials. The waste materials resulted in a lower density which has implications for lightweight applications. Similarly, both waste materials were observed to improve the thermal insulation properties which is an advantage for improving thermal comfort in buildings. Despite the reduction in mechanical strength, it was observed that components with waste materials can be used for non-structural elements, thereby reducing the quantity and cost of new materials to be used. The application of these wastes in construction offers a pathway to reducing the environmental impact of construction, avoiding reliance on landfills for waste disposal and reducing construction costs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]