Programme Specifications

Programme summary

1. Programme Aims

• To provide a high quality education in the field of building services engineering and associated building design disciplines; successful completion of the programme allowing students to have a progressive career within Building Services Engineering industry.
• To provide students with a critical understanding of the design of mechanical building services systems, the design and operation of building, thermal and 3D Building Information Modelling (BIM).
• To provide students with a thorough appreciation of the holistic perspective of the processes in the design and operation of building, including low temperature systems and low energy buildings.
• To develop a strong approach to problem solving and techniques for cost and value management, including the resolution of conflicting design goals.
• To provide students with the opportunity to develop their key transferable and technical skills, including skills in research and managing teams.

2. Relevant subject benchmark statements and other external reference points used to inform programme outcomes:

• QAA Benchmark statements for engineering.
• Framework for Higher Education Qualifications.
• CIBSE Competence Criteria for Corporate Membership (based on the Competence Statements issued by the Engineering Council).
• University Learning and Teaching Strategy.

3. Programme Learning Outcomes

3.1 Knowledge and Understanding

On successful completion of this programme, students should be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of: 

• The factors that influence human thermal comfort, visual and acoustic comfort and indoor air quality, and their impact on people’s wellbeing in buildings worldwide.
• The elements of a building energy balance and the process of estimating building thermal loads and their diversity.
• The design and analysis of HVAC, primary plant, including boilers, refrigeration systems, district heating networks, and combined heat and power systems.
• The elements of an intelligent building energy control system, together with supervisory, MPC and local-loop control strategies.
• Procedures for the commissioning of building energy systems, soft landings and POE: to solve the performance gap between design intentions and operational outcomes.
• The BREEAM scheme, design principles of low and zero energy and carbon buildings, including natural ventilation and climate responsive design.
• The numerical procedures used in building thermal performance models, together with an understanding of the elements of good practice methods in building thermal modelling and in linking BIM to thermal models.
• The research process: aims and objectives, critical literature review, knowledge gaps, how to develop a methodology applicable to the field of low energy building services engineering.
• Electrical and power distributions systems in building together with Renewable generation technologies and systems.
• The key fundamental management principles and theory (such as motivation, teamwork, leadership, task management) and how they can be applied to managing people within the context of the construction project environment.

3.2 Skills and other attributes

a. Subject-specific cognitive skills:

On successful completion of this programme, students should be able to:

• Analyse, critically appraise and solve both numerical and qualitative problems of a familiar or unfamiliar nature.
• Conduct appropriate designed surveys involving indoor environmental measurements alongside occupant subjective data gathering.
• Act independently, or in a group, and be able to adapt to dynamically changing situations that arise from the solution of multi-faceted and evolving building design and human thermal comfort problems.
• Evaluate the implications of HVAC equipment selection to the design of the building electrical power system and building energy performance.
• Critically analyse and balance the heating load in building using different systems including renewables and associated storage systems.

b. Subject-specific practical skills:

On successful completion of this programme, students should be able to:

• Set appropriate thermal comfort, visual and acoustic comfort and indoor air quality design criteria for specific design contexts.
• Calculate building heat loads and Identify suitable control zones for a building.
• Select primary and secondary system types that operate to meet the desired internal environmental design conditions, and with the minimum of energy use.
• Determine the thermal capacity of heating, ventilating and air-conditioning secondary systems (including hydronic heating systems).
• Complete a low energy design for a building control system, including the selection of sensors, and local loop and supervisory control strategies.
• Produce a low energy building design concept based on using a simplified 3D BIM model, work with and manage a design team to produce multiple conceptual design alternatives in response to a project brief.
• Develop procedures for thermal comfort, POE, soft landings, commissioning of building thermal systems.
• Perform short research projects, in the field of building services engineering and sustainable building energy.
• Design basic electrical distribution system in accordance with relevant standards.

c. Key transferable skills:

On successful completion of this programme, students should be able to: 

• Communicate effectively using a variety of media.
• Use information technology (IT), such as word-processors, spreadsheets, presentation packages, email, and the world-wide web.
• Demonstrate problem-solving skills, including problems where information is limited, contradictory, and/or unreliable.
• Demonstrate numeracy, mathematical skills, and computational skills.
• Undertake a critical appraisal of their work and/or that of their peers.
• Work effectively as a team member.
• Manage workloads and time effectively.
• Understand the importance of working within the relevant guidance related to ethics and confidentiality, when working with human subjects.

4. Programme structure

SEMESTER ONE

Compulsory modules

SEMESTER TWO

Compulsory modules

Optional modules

Two modules from

SEMESTER ONE & TWO

Compulsory module

5. Criteria for Progression and Degree Award

In order to be eligible for the award, candidates must satisfy the requirements of Regulation XXI.

6. Relative Weighting of Parts of the Programme for the Purposes of Final Degree Classification

Not applicable.