Environmental Technology

This course will provide the student with an introduction to ecology and ecological concepts and how they apply to industrial situations. Topics addressed include ecosystem components, interrelationships of living organisms, ecosystem energy and matter cycles, and industrial ecology. Industrial case studies will be used to illustrate the various ecological concepts.

The course is an introduction to the fundamental chemical principles and is organized to show how these principles apply to the chemistry of the environment. Topics include the nature of atoms and molecules, bonding, interactions of light and matter, the kinetic and thermodynamic control of chemical and physical processes.

This course teaches basic laboratory techniques that will enable the learner to become competent in the following techniques: laboratory safety, identifying equipment, reading instruments and measuring devices, selecting and cleaning glassware, weighing, use of volumetric glassware, temperature measurement, filtration techniques, electrical conductivity, pH, extraction techniques, solution preparation, titration techniques, spectrophotometer analysis, and proper labelling and disposal of chemicals.

This course is designed to develop technical writing and presentation skills to ensure workplace readiness. Students will learn how to evaluate communication situations, analyze documents, assess research sources and develop organizational skills to apply in their work. They will learn about and practice designing, formatting and writing a range of professional documents. Students will also develop confidence (through practice) in the development and delivery of effective and engaging presentations.

Risk communication involves more than just explaining risk. It is an approach to communication that takes into consideration the perceptions and needs of the people involved, as opposed to the statistical science of risk assessment. According to the World Health Organization, “Risk communication refers to the exchange of real-time information, advice and opinions between experts and people facing threats to their health, economic or social well-being. The ultimate purpose of risk communication is to enable people at risk to take informed decisions to protect themselves and their loved ones.” This course will provide the student with an understanding of risk communication theory and the principles required for effective risk communication, its application in various stakeholder communication settings, and practical experience in risk communication situations.

This applied computer course provides students with critical electronic communications, data and file management skills, along with a strong focus on using common productivity applications to format, calculate, analyze, visualize, and present or report data and information.

Equivalents:

• COMP 264

The course provides an introduction to statistical methods. Topics to be covered include organizing, presenting, comparing and summarizing data, basic data distributions, sampling theory, inference tests on paired data; linear curve fitting (regression) and correlation analysis.

Pre-requisites:

• MATH 237

This course explores the petroleum, mining and exploration, agriculture, and pulp and paper industries, with a focus on Industry in Alberta. The approach is to divide each industry into the processes involved and to discuss methods of pollution control and environmental mitigation.

Equivalents:

• CHEM 330

This course will provide learners with the basic terminology of both organic and biochemistry as they relate to the environment. Topics will include structure and bonding, the identification and naming of organic molecules, and the classification of physical and chemical properties based on functional group analysis. Examples will be taken from our everyday lives, industry, living organisms, contaminants and the environment in order to illustrate these points.

Equivalents:

• ENVS 245

This course in Environmental Law and Regulation is designed to provide the student with an enhanced awareness and understanding of the development of environmental law and the practical application of federal and provincial environmental legislation. Emphasis will be placed on those laws that pertain to environmental activities in the Province of Alberta.

This course will teach the students the key elements of an environmental impact assessment, environmental assessment techniques, and development process for an environmental impact assessment. The course will implement extensive use of case studies.

Provides environmental technology students with a broad introduction to field hazards, safety problems and safe practices which would be encountered in the various industries during day-to-day fieldwork. Hydrogen Sulfide Safety(ENFORM H2S Alive) and First Aid course (all current Red Cross and St. Johns Ambulance First Aid courses include CPR) are offered as optional extras as required.

This course will provide the student with an introduction to air pollution, effects of air pollution, pollution measurement methods, control technologies and regulations governing air pollution in a practical manner. Use of computer sessions and field trips will provide a practical perspective on measurement methods and control technologies.

This course will focus on basic risk concepts that apply to health and the environment. It will go through the process of risk assessment with identification and assessment of risk characterization and management. The components of a cost benefit analysis will be identified and toxicology and epidemiology will be discussed. Case studies will be used to illustrate and summarize main points and relate them to actual problems.

Equivalents:

• ENVS 240

This course will explore the theoretical basis and application of techniques used for sensing, recording, analyzing and displaying the effects of the interaction of electromagnetic radiation with the Earth’s surface features. The approach is to develop an understanding of what kind of information can be extracted through remote sensing, and most importantly, what the limitations are for a range of environmental design problems.

Equivalents:

• ENVS 244

This course applies stoichiometry, thermodynamics, and kinetics to physical and chemical changes that affect environmental water, Antarctic stratospheric ozone, and ground level air chemistry.

Pre-requisites:

• CHEM 213

Societies face enormous clean-up costs and public health issues as a result of site contamination. Choice of remediation strategies depends on several technical and social issues. ENVS 300 will provide you with a fundamental understanding of how to conduct a vadose system investigation.

This course provides the student with the knowledge and techniques relating to environmental management systems (EMS) and EMS auditing. Topics to be covered include: the benefits of an EMS and EMS auditing, a description and discussion of the various ISO standards, the main elements of an EMS, and EMS auditing (audit principles, elements, tools, and techniques). Industry examples and case studies will be used to illustrate the key points.

Equivalents:

• ENVS 223

As the focus towards the environment increases, the need for accurate data also increases. Unless a sample submitted for analysis truly reflects the environment from which it was obtained, the results of any analytical tests are meaningless. This course will teach the student sampling techniques that are accurate, precise and that maintain sample integrity. Students will also use a variety of analytical instrumentation in an analytical laboratory to analyze environmental samples.

Pre-requisites:

• CHEM 276

Corequsites:

• ENVS 330

Equivalents:

• ENVS 242

This course provides an introduction to field sampling and analysis methods used in Environmental Technology. Students travel to various sites in Kananaskis where they have the opportunity to apply field methods in collecting and analyzing soil samples and water samples. Students also learn to identify common vegetation and wildlife habitats found in Kananaskis and to apply this knowledge to vegetation sampling. Students learn to identify common types of scat found in the area and apply this knowledge by collecting pellet counts in the field. Data collected from this field school is used in classroom activities throughout the ensuing fall and winter terms of their program, and include statistical testing and biodiversity investigations.

Pre-requisites:

• MATH 237
• BIOL 201
• CHEM 213
• CHEM 276
• COMM 238
• COMP 261
• ENVS 222
• ENVS 252
• ENVS 251
• ENVS 254
• ENVS 260
• ENVS 344
• GEOL 230
• ENVS 250
• ENVS 219
• COMM 270

Corequsites:

• ENVS 304

This is a basic water treatment laboratory course with emphasis on environmental applications. The unit operations of coagulation and flocculation will be maximized with standard jar test procedures. The unit operation of disinfection will be studied by standard chlorine demand testing. A brine water will be analyzed, calculated, balanced, reported and commented on. Specific tests like ORP pH, buffer capacity, alkalinity, conductivity/resistivity, density, refractive index, chloride, hardness, sulphate and iron on real environmental samples will be determined. Removal of chromium at the mg/L will be studied. Partition coefficients of organic pollutants with varying hydrophobic/hydrophilic character. Kinetics of pollutants in the environment will be studied. Dissolved oxygen, biological oxygen demand and chemical oxidation demand will be determined. Determination of ammonia, chloride and fluoride by specific ion electrode. Ion exchange, distillation and reverse osmosis treatments will be studied.

Pre-requisites:

• CHEM 276

Corequsites:

• ENVS 359

This course is an introduction to GIS technology, aimed at individuals involved in the environmental field. The course is divided into three sections: GIS theory; data collection (involving positional and feature attribute data) with the use of hand held Global Positioning System (GPS) and survey equipment; and GIS mapping making use of a GIS desktop mapping application.

On completion of ENVS 354 students will be able to outline the current development models that have shaped our urban areas over the past century. Students will also be able to summarize the environmental impacts caused by our current development models. Finally, students will be able to recommend design changes required to move urban development toward sustainability.

Equivalents:

• ENVS 315

This course introduces a variety of topics in solid waste management including: the classification of hazardous waste for transport in Alberta, recycling, landfills, disposal wells, sewage management, radioactive wastes and an overview of the Swan Hills Treatment Facility.

Equivalents:

• ENVS 325

This is a basic water treatment course with emphasis on water produced for industrial, oil and gas, and municipal waters, as well as waste streams from these industries. The course focuses both on the background aquatic chemistry and the relevant aqueous analytical techniques used to monitor our water as well as approaches to modeling and predicting problems arising from produced and wastewater. The course includes a survey of problems that occur in Alberta’s waters as well as current solutions to these problems.

Corequsites:

• ENVS 343

This course is an overview of global warming giving an overview of the enhanced greenhouse effect, global and national energy use, as well as political and scientific approaches to reducing the problem.

Pre-requisites:

• CHEM 213

This course will provide the student with an introduction to project management concepts as they apply to environmental projects. Environmental projects will be used as examples throughout and specific considerations relevant to environmental projects will be discussed.

Pre-requisites:

• COMP 261

Equivalents:

• ENVS 238

This course acts as a capstone course. It will allow learners to integrate previously acquired data and information to make critical decisions pertaining to environmental and sustainability issues.

Pre-requisites:

• ENVS 330

This introductory course in microbiology takes students from foundational concepts to advanced environmental issues. The theory component highlights the complex and powerful roles microbes play in different environments. The laboratory component reviews basic skills required to safely perform microbiological procedures, with emphasis placed on techniques commonly used in environmental and industrial settings.

An introduction to basic geological principles and their influence on surface water and groundwater; topics include: aquifers, basic contour mapping, depositional environments, identification of hand specimens of common rocks, rocks and their origin, soils, structural geology, subsidence, and vertical profiles.

The hydrogeology and hydrology course will provide instruction in practical hydrogeology and groundwater development, including an overview of well construction and monitoring techniques for water investigation and supply, and investigations of contaminated sites.

Pre-requisites:

• GEOL 230

Equivalents:

• GEOL 235

Mathematics for Technologists will provide learners with concepts in algebra, trigonometry, arithmetic of complex numbers, linear algebra, exponential and logarithmic functions, rates of change and statistics. This course provides foundational mathematics skills for engineering technologists. It covers a variety of mathematical models for solving application problems.

The environmental practicum is an opportunity for learners to apply skills by completing work in the environment industry. The work may consist of tasks or a project that is relevant to the environment industry. This is a 5-day work practicum near the end of the 4th semester. The week is normally unpaid and activities during the week may include research, site visits, report writing, job shadowing, collecting field data or other tasks and activities.

Pre-requisites:

• BIOL 201
• CHEM 213
• CHEM 276
• COMM 238
• COMP 261
• ENVS 222
• MATH 237
• COMM 270
• ENVS 219
• ENVS 252
• ENVS 251
• ENVS 254
• ENVS 250
• ENVS 260
• ENVS 344
• GEOL 230
• DATA 201
• ENVS 229
• ENVS 236
• ENVS 300
• ENVS 303
• ENVS 304
• ENVS 330
• ENVS 360