MSc Low Energy Building Services Engineering degree

This module will provide you with an understanding of the factors that influence the environmental quality of the indoor environment and occupant wellbeing. There will be a particularly focus on those associated with occupant thermal comfort, visual and acoustic comfort and air quality in both domestic and non-domestic buildings.

Topics covered may include:

• wellness and the indoor environment
• human thermal comfort: human heat balance, thermal comfort indices, measurement of thermal comfort and adaptive approaches to thermal comfort
• visual environment: physiology, the nature of light, design criteria and daylight measurement
• aural environment: physiology, the nature of sound, design criteria and noise measurement
• indoor air quality: pollutants and health, sources of pollution, ventilation design criteria and ventilation measurement.

This module will develop your understanding of the principles of building thermal loads and the design and operation of heating, ventilating and air conditioning systems for medium to large buildings. You will explore the elements of a building energy balance and the process of estimating building thermal loads, the design of hydronic heating and air distribution systems, and the design and psychrometric analysis of heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems.

Topics covered may include:

• the building energy balance
• heat transfer theory and building fabric steady state and dynamic performance, building sensible and latent heat gains
• the impact of occupant behaviour on internal gains, HVAC equipment, the design and selection of systems, and properties of humid air
• psychrometric processes
• single zone (CAV) psychrometric processes, heat exchanger theory and air-to-air heat recovery, fluid flow in networks, hydronic heating system design, air distribution system design, and zoning and multi-zone system processes (VAV and Fan-coil).

This module will provide you with an understanding of the principles of building thermal modelling, building performance simulation and building information modelling (BIM). You will gain a perspective on the applications of these techniques to the design process of low energy buildings.

• BIM
• BIM to energy models
• interoperability, gbXML
• 3D geometry
• site details
• weather data for simulation
• construction and material properties
• internal heat gains
• infiltration and ventilation
• analysis of simulation outputs
• building heat transfer
• dynamic heat transfer
• time and frequency domain methods
• lumped parameter modelling finite difference techniques
• whole building thermal simulation
• information flow diagrams.

This module will allow you to become familiar with and comprehend the wide range of research methods and skills needed to investigate, understand, communicate and execute a research project. Module content will cover a wide range of research techniques, approaches and methods required in order to develop and design research projects. You will be able to critically appraise data collected by others, design and carry out field studies using appropriate instruments to collect data, compile, analyse and interpret data, and communicate your findings by a variety of means, eg report, presentation, discussion etc.

Topics covered may include:

• research process
• research approaches
• research designs
• research methods (qualitative and quantitative)
• research philosophy and methodology
• critical analysis and literature reviews
• data analysis techniques
• research ethics.

This module will develop your understanding of the principles of electrical and power distribution systems in buildings and electrical renewable generation technologies. You will explore electrical and power distributions systems in buildings, the regulations and safety issues that govern design and installation, high voltage distribution networks and renewable energy generation technologies.

Topics covered may include:

• renewable energy generation
• solar photovoltaics
• heat pumps
• electrical services theory
• electrical equipment characteristics
• electrical services regulations and standards
• low voltage building electrical power distribution systems
• cable sizing
• earthing and circuit protection
• electrical concept design workshop
• high voltage electrical distribution networks.

This module will provide you with a practical foundation in system design and analysis. It will develop your understanding of thermal plants in buildings, including air conditioning systems, district heating, combined heat and power (CHP) and systems for heat recovery.

Topics covered may include:

• an overview of the primary energy system
• integration of primary and secondary systems
• heat generation (boilers)
• heat networks generation
• second law of thermodynamics
• carnot cycle
• entropy
• refrigeration systems (vapour-compression and adsorption system performance calculations)
• solar thermal hot water systems and thermal storage
• CHP systems
• integrated heat and power
• low temperature systems optimised by electrical power
• legislation (Part L) and drivers in the selection of primary plant
• thermal storage systems
• heat pumps: technology overview and applications.

This module will provide you with experience of the process and methodology of research by defining and studying (on an individual basis) a complex problem in a specialised area relating to your master's programme. You will define a research topic and problem relating to new or emerging technologies or processes and explore this in your subsequent project. You will apply appropriate research methodology, including selecting, adapting, designing and utilising suitable tools and techniques of data capture and analysis, and you will evaluate the results in the context of the literature and implications for theory. Specific conclusions will then be drawn based upon the evidence and appropriate recommendations made.

This module will develop your understanding of the application of automatic control and smart meters in energy monitoring and commissioning. It will also examine the control problems in buildings and develop control strategies that will improve thermal comfort and building energy use.

Topics covered may include:

• local loop control (including PID control and sequencing of component operation)
• final control elements
• supervisory control (including optimum start control, control of natural ventilation and night cooling strategies)
• smart meters
• model predictive control (MPC)
• building energy management system (BEMS)
• commissioning of mechanical and passive systems
• 3M-monitoring
• maintenance and management
• fault detection
• soft landings
• POE.

This module will introduce the process and principles of low and zero energy building design, with special attention to the multidisciplinary decision making process;. It will also provide the requisite training and preparation to become a BREEAM Accredited Graduate. You will explore the role of the architect and energy consultant in building (concept) design and the design principles of low and zero energy and carbon buildings, including natural ventilation and climate responsive design. You will also be introduced to the BREEAM scheme, its application in building projects and how BREEAM can be used in a given scenario.

Topics studied may include:

• context: climate change, projected scenarios and adaptation, legislation and regulations
• process: building lifecycle, design process and procurement, engineering ethics and risk awareness.
• principles: climate responsive design and low and zero carbon technologies and strategies.
• assessments: climate analysis, carbon footprint, environmental assessment and lifecycle analysis.
• decision-making: optimisation and risk-based decision-making, and sensitivity analysis.

This module will develop your understanding of the principles of design management and the techniques for cost and value management. Lecture content will explore the design process and the techniques used to manage design in construction projects and control design costs.

Topics covered may include:

• managing the design team
• value management
• briefing
• roles and workings of conceptual, schematic and detail design phases
• process protocol
• process mapping techniques
• dependence structure matrix
• design economics.

This module will introduce you to the range of techniques and strategies for managing people and teams within the context of the construction sector. It will also allow you to apply this knowledge within individual and team-based exercises. You will explore the key fundamental management principles and theory (such as motivation, teamwork, leadership and task management) and how these can be applied to managing people within the context of the construction project environment. Module content will also cover contemporary thinking in human resource management (HRM) applied to construction projects, current theoretical approaches to people management, the importance of ethics and cultural issues, and the key factors driving HRM systems.

Topics covered may include:

• the challenges of managing people in construction
• an overview of organisation and management theory
• an introduction to organisational behaviour (individuals and teams)
• motivation
• leadership styles and skills
• teamwork and team development
• HRM theory
• strategic HRM approaches
• conflict management
• culture and ethics.

The creation, deployment and use of aggregated and integrated (level 2 and 3) models are key goals of collaboration through building information modelling (BIM). This module will deliver hands-on practical skills on the use of BIM technologies (ie design software and collaboration tools) for real-time collaboration of federated/aggregated 3D BIM models. The theories of group working, workspace awareness and shared situational awareness within design teams/processes will be explored.

Module content may include:

• theory of group working
• collaboration processes and technologies
• aggregated BIM models containing various specialty 3D content (architecture, structures and MEP)
• coordination of BIM models based on client brief, site conditions, cost targets and time constraints, and code compliance
• real-time collaboration
• clash detection/avoidance
• BIM data standards and protocols
• common data environments.