About this course
- Entry year: 2012/13
- Course code: HH36
- Level: Undergraduate
- Tariff points: 280
- Department: Construction and Property
- Campus: Frenchay
- Duration: Three years full-time, five years part-time
- Delivery: Part-time and full-time
- Programme leader: Martin Longhurst BSc, Cert Ed, CEng, MCIBSE, MIOA
- Key fact: Engineers with the BEng can progress to the Chartered Engineering status accredited by the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE) by taking further study. Engineers with Chartered status are more likely to obtain rapid career advancement.
Introduction
Most modern buildings rely on building services for the quality of the internal environment, and building services account for a large proportion of the cost of many of today's major building projects. Achieving quality involves not only excellent design but also an understanding of the integration of building services into the building process, and their contribution to the energy and running costs of the facilities.
This course integrates building services design with the overall building concept. It also considers the implications for production and installation processes, and facilities management.
The course is designed for students who aspire to the higher grades of membership of professional bodies or who intend to progress their career in a consulting engineering role. Engineers with the BEng can progress to Chartered Engineer (CEng) status, after top-up postgraduate study. Chartered Engineering status is likely to bring rapid career advancement.This course is distinctive from the BSc (Hons) Building Services Engineering in having a more rigorous approach to quantitative analysis, and in the design and environmental modelling project in the final year.
Structure
Content
The course considers a broad spectrum of building services from both mechanical and electrical services. You will be introduced to environmental science and materials, mathematics, services engineering, buisness administration and economics. You will apply these to a range of contexts including mechanical and electrical system design, acoustics, energy and facilities management. CAD methods will be integral to a significant part of the design of building and engineering systems, underpinned by a thorough grounding in the analytical processes of evaluating the performance of sustainable systems.
Final year modules call for the application of knowledge and principles to the solution 'real-world' problems related to the production and operation of sustainable, low energy buildings. Working in multi-disciplinary teams, you will need to apply environmental modelling techniques and cutting-edge technologies in the completion of design-related tasks. This course shares a number of modules with the 4 year BEng (Hons) Architecture and Environmental Engineering.
Teaching and learning
The course is delivered through a range of formal lectures, tutorials, workshops, projects and presentations. Laboratory work is important to the development of practical investigative skills, and are a requirement of several of the 'technology' modules. A number of modules include external site visits to engage students in real-world engineering experience. Some learning objectives will be achieved through group activities designed to encourage attributes of interpersonal co-operation and leadership, and case studies will be used to examine and emphasise current good practice. Inputs to the course from external practitioners will ensure that pragmatic insights relating to contemporary issues are included in the studies.
The teaching staff provide a friendly, enabling environment for learning. They are also actively engaged in research or professional practice, ensuring that you learn directly from the latest academic and business developments.
Assessment
Assessment varies between modules, but will include formal examinations, technical and laboratory reports, essays, presentations and vivas.
Special Features
Professional accreditation
We will seek accreditation, by CIBSE and the Institute of Energy, that this course provides the exemplifying levels of understanding, knowledge and skills for professional competence at Chartered Engineer level. On graduation from the BEng, a period of further learning and experience will be necessary to attain full membership of the professional body - CIBSE or the Institute of Energy - and registration with the Engineering Council as a Chartered Engineer.
What will I study?
Stage 1 comprises a range of introductory topics covering mechanical and electrical engineering principles and applications, project management and economics, some of which are common to a number of other programmes. Subsequent subjects will extend your ability to examine the behaviour of building and design sustainable engineering services
Study facilities
A range of specialist facilities is provided by the Department. A suite of computer rooms supports software for wood processing, data analysis and spatial enquiry. They provide access to e-mail and internet, including Faculty and University websites which enable you to use a vast number of specialist electronic journals and publications, and resources provided by lecturers to support their modules. A Project Room provides space for you to work on individual and group assignments, together with a range of materials and equipment. An audio-visual group provides support for photography, digital imaging, filming and sound recording.
There are well equipped laboratories for concrete and environmental services, environmental physics, earth sciences, and surveying technology, each with specialist technicians supporting both teaching and research.
The Department is based in a large modern building, to which a new set of studios and teaching rooms (designed by a member of the Department) have recently been added.
Student representatives sit on a wide range of committees from University to course level, where they influence discussions and decisions which affect your learning experience.
Careers/further study
Graduates from this course are likely to take posts in research, design consultancies, specialist contractors, facilities and energy management roles. Demand for well-qualified engineering graduates has traditionally been very strong in this field, and those with the BEng who undertake the further learning needed to progress to CEng status within CIBSE are likely to obtain rapid career advancement to senior positions.
Graduate destinations
Find out what our graduates are doing six months after graduating- includes examples of careers, employers and further study. Download a PDF from graduate destinations.
Key employer partnerships
Our degrees can lead to a wide variety of career choices. To ensure that our degrees make you as employable as possible we work closely with seven major partner employers in our construction consortium.
Creating employable students
UWE places strong emphasis on employability and skills development at every level. Through work placements, volunteering, study abroad and UWE initiatives which nurture talent and encourage innovation, students gain valuable real world experience and graduate with diverse career opportunities and a competitive place in the job market.
See great graduate prospects for further information.
Be inspired
Read about some of the key jobs in construction and property.
Useful links
UWE - careers in engineering
Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE)
The UWE careers service provides guidance and support throughout your studies in addition to useful resources, CV checks, career coaching and details of current job vacancies.
Entry
Typical offers
- Tariff points: 280
- GCSE: Maths, English
- Specific subjects: Specific subjects: Maths A level grade C or above. IB Maths (Higher level) grade 5. Acceptable BTEC National Level 3 Maths units are Further Maths for Technicians (PASS); Maths for Technicians (MERIT); Further Maths for Construction and Built Environment (PASS); Maths for Construction and Built Environment (MERIT)
- Access: Access: Achievement of an Access to HE Diploma; achievement of a level 3 credit in Maths - please contact us to discuss the Maths you need to cover. This course is accredited by the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE) which sets the national minimum entry requirements for all the programmes it accredits which may limit the numbers of Access learners who can study this programme in any one year. The Department of Construction and Property can advise and guide students who wish to study this programme. Please contact us regarding the Maths requirement.
Advice on typical offers
In addition to the 'typical offer' given here, please read the general information about entry requirements.
Fees
Fees and funding for full time students
For more information on fees please visit our money matters page.
Fees and funding for part-time students
The fees for the academic year starting in September 2012 for part-time students are £280 for each 10 credits. Credits are the measure of an amount of study, and part-time students will normally study around 60 credits in the first and second years, 75 credits in the third and fourth years and 90 credits in the fifth year.
You pay the fees one year at a time. You can pay all the fees at the start of the year or you can pay in instalments over the first three to six months each year. For more information on payment of fees please visit our money matters page. You can also now take advantage of the fees loan from the Government.
You or your employer can, if you wish, pay some of the fees with the rest coming from the Government fees loan. If you decide to do this, we recommend that you apply for the maximum fees loan as early as possible, because it can take a while to be processed and it is easier to reduce the fees loan later (when you know how much you or your employer wish to pay) than it is to increase the fees loan.
For further information
Page last updated 14 December 2011