By 2016 all new domestic buildings must be carbon neutral, and by 2019 so must all new non-domestic buildings. Continuing legislation, alongside growing corporate ethics drive by public awareness, has created an increasing demand for specialists with the educational knowledge and research skills to develop future-facing sustainability solutions.
Every one of the modules on this MSc is directly related to sustainability - the balance between the needs of people for places to work and live, and the surrounding (global) natural environment. What makes this course different is our commitment to teaching around 'true sustainability', which looks not just at how much energy a building uses when it is running, but how much energy it uses over its entire lifecycle; from the extraction of its raw materials and their transport, through to manufacture and operation, and on to its eventual demolition and recycling.
Students come from a variety of backgrounds, including architecture, construction, legal, psychology and environmental, and leave with the skills, understanding and ability to deal with complicated sustainability issues which demand action. Teaching staff come from real industry to practically prepare students for real jobs, including the use of industry software such as IES.
Full-time: 1 year
Part-time: 2 years
Areas of study
Sustainability is high on the agenda of built environment professionals, driving the provision of comfortable and healthy buildings while maintaining equitable use of energy and materials resources consumed, and reducing pollution.
Core modules cover areas such as major environmental resource and pollution issues associated with construction leading to sustainable good practice; sources of sustainable energy and its utilisation in buildings; critical appraisal of energy consumption of energy in buildings and the determination of improvement strategies; and assessing the impact of buildings to the environment.
Students are then able to specialise in areas of personal interest through optional modules which include ecological principles, air quality management and geographical information systems.
The masters project is an individual research programme where students broaden their learning and develop research skills directed at critical appraisal, examine innovative solutions to the problem at hand, and are enabled to produce and defend a written thesis on a selected topic.
Syllabus
Core modules
- Sustainable Construction
- Sustainable Energy for Buildings
- Energy Assessment of Buildings
- Environmental Life Cycle Assessment of Buildings
- Masters project
Options, two from:
- Introduction to GIS
- Applications of GIS
- Ecological Principles
- Case Studies in Environmental Assessment
- Air Quality Management
- Systems for Environmental Management
- Facilities Management
Sustainability specialists are required on all new building projects, and to rate current domestic and non-domestic building infrastructure. Graduates from this course go on to roles within building design, planning, facilities management, architecture, construction, and other built environment professional or consultancy teams. Past examples of student employment include the Guinness Trust, Bioregional, and Willmott Dixon Construction.
The fees listed here are for full-time courses beginning in the academic year 2012-13. Further tuition fees are payable for each subsequent year of study.
The tuition fee you have to pay depends on a number of factors including the kind of course you take, and whether you study full- or part-time. If you are studying part-time you will normally be charged on a pro rata basis depending on the number of modules you take. Different rules apply to research degrees - please contact the Doctoral College for advice.
To help you plan for your time here we will be providing further information about what is included in your tuition fee, and any optional costs you may need to budget for, later in the autumn.
Our website wwww.brighton.ac.uk/money provides advice about funding and scholarships as well as further information about fees and advice on international and island fee paying status.
| Sustainability of the Built Environment (MSc) (Full time) | [P2BH022] |
| UK/EU (Full Time) | 4,500 GBP |
| Island Students (Full Time) | 9,450 GBP |
| International (Full Time) | 13,500 GBP |
You should not apply unless you can meet all the entry requirements for this course. Please contact the course team before applying if you are unsure about any of the specific entry requirements.
Entry requirements
For non-native speakers of English:
6.5 overall and 6 in writing.
Degree and/or experience:
Good honours degree in an appropriate subject.
01273 642380
entec@brighton.ac.uk
If you are an international student, contact us on:
+44 (0) 207 250 6749
international@brighton.ac.uk
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