Solent’s MSc Sustainable Building Design course is the ideal way for students from a wide range of academic backgrounds to pursue a career in this exciting and important sector. By providing you with a thorough understanding of both theory based and practical skills, you’ll graduate from this course as a specialist designer with the education and vision required to help create a sustainable future for the construction industry.
Throughout the course, you’ll be encouraged to develop a holistic approach to reducing the carbon footprint created by buildings. Learning is centred around social, economic, and environmental aspects of design, otherwise known as the three pillars of sustainability. The curriculum introduces the essential academic theory that underpins each of these areas and explores the technical tools required to successfully plan performance-based building projects.
You’ll also be introduced to Building Information Modelling (BIM)– working with an expert course team on a range of practical projects that simulate real workplace practises. These projects will help you to build a portfolio of practical work and introduce you to the essential tools and software packages used by the industry. You’ll also develop an understanding of globally renowned energy assessment methods such as BREEAM, LEED and Passivhaus.
The BRE Academy recognises the high level of real-world teaching at Solent. This means students on this course will be eligible to be fast-tracked to take the BREEAM AP qualification, and at a reduced fee. The qualifying period of three years’ work experience will also be waived.
The course benefits from extensive links with industry, formed over many years of delivering accredited courses with professional organisations (e.g. CIAT, CIOB, SBID and CABE). Practitioners from a cross-section of the built environment industry contribute regularly to the academic process by providing real-world projects, guest lectures, site visits and informal mentoring sessions.
Students have the opportunity to become a BREEAM accredited graduate, a qualification provided by Building Research Establishment (BRE) Academy and delivered free of charge.
What does this course lead to?
Sustainable building design is a fast growing area, offering potential for employment in small, medium, and large companies. Graduates from this course will be able to take up roles as sustainable building designers, sustainability champions, strategic advisors, BIM managers/coordinators, or project managers for environmentally led collaborative projects. The course could also open the door for further research opportunities at PhD level.
Who is this course for?
Solent’s postgraduate sustainable building design programme is ideally suited to candidates from a wide range of related disciplines.
The curriculum is designed to be creative and inclusive, providing students with the opportunity to undertake a dissertation of a technical nature, or a design-based piece of final major project work.
YOUR FUTURE
Students may wish to progress their careers with a PhD.
INDUSTRY LINKS
The course benefits from extensive links with industry, formed over many years of delivering accredited courses with professional organisations (e.g. CIAT, CIOB, SBID and CABE). Practitioners from a cross-section of the built environment industry contribute regularly to the academic process by providing real-world projects, guest lectures, site visits and informal mentoring sessions.
Students will also have the opportunity to study towards becoming a BREEAM Accredited Graduate, a qualification offered in collaboration with the Building Research Establishment (BRE) Academy. The BREEAM AG scheme, which is taught alongside the main course at no extra cost to students, is a first step to becoming BREEAM Assessor.
