EGB387 Engineering Economy and Planning

Unit Outline: Semester 2 2026, Gardens Point, Internal

Overview

In addition to design competence, Engineers require a sound understanding of construction and management principles and engineering economic analysis to fully meet the expectations of employers and the broader community. This unit addressing a complete financial and economic evaluation of projects using several evaluation criteria commonly applied in the assessment of engineering project alternatives. This is a third year discipline extension unit,  developing knowledge and skills that enables future engineers to understand the decision making in a project planning and feasibility stage, as well as in economic analysis contexts. The embedded Aboriginal perspective will enhance your understanding of cultural values and their impact on future construction engineering practice. This unit builds on your prior learning in EGB273 Principles of Construction, enabling you to effectively engage in engineering planning and economic analysis for civil projects.

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit you will be able to:

1. Describe the different aspects of construction project planning, scheduling, life cycle, diversity and quality at a developed level.
2. Explain the importance of connectivity of construction project time, cost, risk and quality at a developed level.
3. Analyse the construction project alternatives using engineering economy tools at a developed level.
4. Evaluate the economic environment of construction engineering projects for future investments at a developed level.

Content

Learning Approaches

In this unit you can expect to experience the following timetabled activities:

• Formal lectures (2h per week) to give you insight into knowledge, skills, and attributes that will assist you in completing your assessments.
• Tutorial classes (2h per week) that will provide you with opportunities to collaborate with your peers on problem-solving activities and peer consultation.
• Three-hour workshops will be held during the teaching period to deepen your understanding through problem-solving tasks in engineering economic analysis.

To complement the timetabled activities and complete your learning in this unit, you will be provided online 

resources and activities on the unit's QUT Canvas site.

You are expected to:

• Engage with timetabled learning activities on campus and ask questions.
• Engage with online resources outside of timetabled learning activities. They will be available on the unit Canvas site. You will receive regular email announcements regarding the release of these resources.
• Engage in group consultation for your project.
• While there will be time during timetabled tutorial classes and workshop, you will also need to undertake independent work outside of that time as a preparation to complete assessment tasks efficiently. 
• Prepare for learning activities according to the unit schedule and follow up on any work not completed.
• Complete assessment tasks by working consistently throughout the teaching period and meeting the due dates that are published via the unit Canvas site.

Feedback on Learning and Assessment

The assessment will comprise formative assessment (to help you understand how you are progressing in this unit) and summative assessment (to grade your work against expected learning outcomes). Verbal feedback on your assessments will be given to you by your lecturer and tutors during lecture and tutorial classes, and via email and Canvas. 

Assessment

Overview

Assessment includes a group project, discussion forum (workshop based task) relevant to the content and a final exam. 

Unit Grading Scheme

7- point scale

Assessment Tasks

Assessment: Group Project

You have to work on a real world authentic project in groups to provide a Project Executive Plan  (PEP) covering scoping & schedule, value proposition, procurement, delivery methodology and stakeholders analysis, safety, Aboriginal group consideration, quality, and innovation ideas.

“Care, Share, and Respect” are the important keywords in understanding basic Aboriginal cultures.  Some discussion among these words will be introduced in the lecture and the students are required to reflect these words in the PEP.

This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.

The use of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools is prohibited during this assessment.

Assessment: Workshop

You will be assessed for your learning through an on-campus, workshop-based assessment. You will work collaboratively with your peers to solve engineering economics problems in a workshop-based discussion forum. You will engage in group discussions, compare solution strategies, and apply analytical techniques to real-world scenarios. Solution you develop as a group will be assessed in class, while your individual performance in terms of communication, group dynamics and leadership will also be assessed. This interactive approach will help deepen your understanding and strengthen your problem-solving skills.

Attendance is compulsory in this assessment. In case of non-attendance, zero marks will be awarded for this assessment. If the attendance is missed due to unforeseen personal circumstances, you can apply for special consideration with the required documentation.

The use of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools is prohibited during this assessment

Assessment: Examination (written)

Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is a commitment to undertaking academic work and assessment in a manner that is ethical, fair, honest, respectful and accountable.

The Academic Integrity Policy sets out the range of conduct that can be a failure to maintain the standards of academic integrity. This includes, cheating in exams, plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion and contract cheating. It also includes providing fraudulent or altered documentation in support of an academic concession application, for example an assignment extension or a deferred exam.

You are encouraged to make use of QUT’s learning support services, resources and tools to assure the academic integrity of your assessment. This includes the use of text matching software that may be available to assist with self-assessing your academic integrity as part of the assessment submission process.

Breaching QUT’s Academic Integrity Policy or engaging in conduct that may defeat or compromise the purpose of assessment can lead to a finding of student misconduct (Code of Conduct – Student) and result in the imposition of penalties under the Management of Student Misconduct Policy, ranging from a grade reduction to exclusion from QUT.

Resources

Resource Materials

Prescribed text(s)

Blank, Leland T and Tarquin, Anthony J (2023), Engineering Economy, Mc Graw Hill publisher, Ninth edition. ISBN 978-1-259-25329-4.

Reference book(s)

Project Management Institute (2017), A guide to the project management body of knowledge (PMBOK guide), Newtown Square, Penn., USA: Project Management Institute, Sixth edition. (Call number 658.404 197 /6)
Samson, Danny (2000), Management for engineers, Prentice Hall, Frenchs Forest, NSW 3rd edition

Risk Assessment Statement

In this unit, there are no extraordinary workplace health and safety issues associated with the components of the unit.

Standards/Competencies

This unit is designed to support your development of the following standards\competencies.

Engineers Australia Stage 1 Competency Standard for Professional Engineer

1: Knowledge and Skill Base

1. 
   Relates to: Workshop, Examination (written)
2. 
   Relates to: Group Project
3. 
   Relates to: Group Project

2: Engineering Application Ability

1. 
   Relates to: Workshop, Examination (written)
2. 
   Relates to: Group Project
3. 
   Relates to: Group Project

3: Professional and Personal Attributes

1. 
   Relates to: Group Project
2. 
   Relates to: Group Project

Course Learning Outcomes

EN01 Bachelor of Engineering (Honours)

1. Engage stakeholders professionally and communicate the outcomes of your work effectively to expert and non-expert audiences using appropriate modes.
   Relates to: Group Project
2. Display leadership, creativity, and initiative in both self-directed and collaborative contexts of professional engineering practice.
   Relates to: Group Project
3. Manage projects to solve complex engineering problems, using appropriate information, engineering methods, and technologies.
   Relates to: ULO1, Group Project
4. Deploy appropriate approaches to engineering design and quality.
   Relates to: ULO4
5. Engage with and apply regulatory requirements relating to safety, risk management, and sustainability in professional engineering practice.
   Relates to: ULO3, Group Project, Workshop, Examination (written)
6. Demonstrate coherent knowledge and skills of physical, mathematical, statistical, computer, and information sciences that are fundamental to professional engineering practice.
   Relates to: ULO3, Workshop, Examination (written)
7. Demonstrate a thorough understanding of one engineering discipline, its research directions, and its application in contemporary professional engineering practice.
   Relates to: ULO2