About the course
This course is aimed at professional engineers aspiring to increased management responsibility in the building services sector or who have reached a stage in their careers when they are carrying increasing management responsibility.
It caters to the worldwide demand for building services engineering managers who have a sound knowledge of engineering and management principles – and the ability to apply this knowledge to complex situations.
Management modules cover engineering finance and accounting, people management, business organisation and facilities and contract management.
Aims
Building Service Engineers help buildings to deliver on their potential by working with architects and construction engineers to produce buildings that offer the functionality and comfort we expect, with the minimum impact on our environment. They design the lighting appropriate for the space, the heating, cooling, ventilation and all systems that ensure comfort, health and safety in all types of buildings, residential commercial and industrial.
Building services engineering is an interdisciplinary profession. It involves the specification, design, installation and management of all the engineering services associated with the built environment.
With the growing complexity of engineering services in modern buildings and the significance of energy conservation and pollution control, the role of the building services engineer is becoming increasingly important.
As an interdisciplinary profession that involves the specification, design, installation and management of all the engineering services associated with the built environment, comfort and function also need to be combined – which calls for engineers with a wide range of knowledge and skills.
This MSc programme is for:
Recent engineering and technology graduates, moving into building services and related disciplines.
Established engineers and technologists, working in building services and faced with the challenge of new areas of responsibility.
Engineers who want to develop technical understanding and expertise across the multi-disciplines of building services engineering.
Managers and designers, who need to broaden their experience and require updating.
Lecturers in higher education, moving into or requiring updating in building services engineering.
Others with engineering and technology backgrounds, perhaps working in advisory or consultancy roles, who wish to familiarise themselves with building services engineering. However, choice of course will be dependent upon the type and extent of knowledge and skills required.
Course Content
Modes of Study
3-5 Years Distance Learning
The distance learning programme is designed to enable you to conduct most of your studies at home, in your own time and at your own pace.
There is no requirement to attend lectures at Brunel University and there is no set timetable of lectures, instead you follow a structured programme of self-study at home or at work. This gives you the freedom to arrange a work programme to suit yourself and you should usually allow about twelve hours each week for study.
There are set submission dates for assignments but we have tried to design the programme so that they are well-spaced, giving you the maximum flexibility in your study plans.
You can take between three and five years to complete the course. The average is three years, with students taking four modules in the first year, four modules in the second year and the dissertation in the third year. However, depending on your other commitments you can take longer up to a maximum of five years.
You are supplied with a study pack in the form of textbooks and CD-ROMs; you have assignments to submit and exams to sit each year.
Examinations can be taken either at Brunel University or in the country you are resident in. We have an extensive network of organisations (universities, colleges and British Council offices) throughout the world who will provide invigilation services.
The cost of invigilation away from Brunel is your responsibility. Examinations are held in May each year.
Compulsory Modules
Building Heat Transfer and Air Conditioning
Electrical Services and Lighting Design
Acoustics, Fire, Lifts and Drainage
Engineering Finance and Accounting
Management of People in Engineering Activities
Organisation of Engineering Business
Management of Facilities and Engineering Contracts
Dissertation
Students should choose one of the two themes below:
Theme A - Traditional
Energy Conversion Technologies
This element provides a broad introduction to the principles of energy conversion and thermodynamic machines and demonstrates their application to energy conversion and management in buildings. Emphasis is placed on refrigeration plant, energy conversion plant and energy management.
Refrigeration covers the basic principles and components of vapour compression systems, heat pumps and absorption systems.
Energy Conversion considers power cycles, combined heat and power, combustion processes, boiler plant, thermal energy storage and environmental impacts of plant operation.
Theme B - Renewable
Renewable Energy Technologies
This element includes: energy sources, economics and environmental impact, energy storage technologies, the role of renewables, solar thermal, solar electricity, wind power generation, hydro, tidal and wave power, biofuels, building integrated renewables.
Special Features
There are several advantages in choosing Brunel's Building Services programme:
Award-winning courses: Building Services Engineering courses at Brunel have been awarded the Happold Brilliant Award for teaching excellence by the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers.
Relevance: it is well established within the building services industry, with sponsors of students that include major design and contracting organisations, area health authorities, local authorities and the British Council, as well as several national governments.
Applicability: emphasis on applications enables students and employers to benefit immediately from the skills and knowledge gained.
Responsiveness: Brunel's proximity to London, where large and innovative building developments have been taking place over the last decade, enables rapid infusion of new ideas and technological innovations into the programme content.
Excellent facilities
We have extensive and well-equipped laboratories, particular areas of strength being in fluid and biofluid mechanics, IC engines, vibrations, building service engineering, and structural testing. Our computing facilities are diverse and are readily available to all students. The University is fully networked with both Sun workstations and PCs. Advanced software is available for finite and boundary element modelling of structures, finite volume modelling of flows, and for the simulation of varied control systems, flow machines, combustion engines, suspensions, built environment, and other systems of interest to the research groups.
Accreditation
The course is approved by the Chartered Institute of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE) and the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) as appropriate additional academic study (further learning) for those seeking to become qualified to register as Chartered Engineers (CEng).
Teaching
Students are supplied with a study pack in the form of text books and CD-ROMs; you have assignments to submit and exams to sit each year. Examinations can be taken either at Brunel University or in the country you are resident in.
We have an extensive network of organisations (Universities, Colleges and British Council Offices) throughout the world who will provide invigilation services. The cost of invigilation away from Brunel is your responsibility. Examinations are held in May each year.
Assessment
Each module is assessed either by formal examination, written assignments or a combination of the two. Cut-off dates for receipt of assignments are specified at the beginning of each stage. Examinations are normally taken in May.
Successful completion of the taught modules allows the student to proceed to the dissertation stage. To qualify for the award of the MSc degree, the student must submit a satisfactory dissertation.
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