Intro

The energy that buildings consume have a major impact on the environment, driving demand for more efficient and effective energy use in buildings with minimal environmental impact. Our Energy and Environmental Performance of Buildings MSc addresses these issues across the building life cycle.

You will build the knowledge and skills needed to assess, manage and simulate building energy and performance, and develop sustainable solutions using modelling and simulation. You’ll explore current and future energy and environmental issues, practices and policies and understand how to assess and manage the environmental and financial sustainability of building projects. With this well-rounded perspective you graduate with the ability to advise clients on different aspects of their project, from design and construction through to the on-going operation of a building.

Learning with a team who are active researchers and experts in their field, you will work closely with your supervisor to undertake an independent research project that reflects your interests and career aspirations. You also have access to our specialist software and labs to support your work.

Our well-established links with industry provide opportunities for site visits as well as networking opportunities and shared insight of current industry trends from guest lecturers.

Banner image is Moulsecoomb development plan by HASSELL Architects.

Key facts

Location Brighton: Moulsecoomb

Full-time 1 year
Part-time 2 years

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Please review the entry requirements carefully and if you have any questions do get in touch with us.

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Course content

Course structure

The course consists of taught and research components. To be awarded the MSc you must obtain 180 credits. Six taught modules at 20 credits each, plus 60 credits from the dissertation. A typical 20-credit module requires a total of 200 hours of study time.

The programme is offered in both full-time and part-time modes of study:

full-time mode normally takes students 52 weeks to complete
part-time mode requires one day per week attendance at university and normally takes students two years to complete.

Students studying architectural diagrams on the computer

Syllabus

You’ll study five core modules and choose one option module, allowing you to specialise in the subjects that interest you most. The masters dissertation is an opportunity to research and write about a subject in depth.

Core modules

Masters Dissertation
Building Energy and Environmental Performance
Energy Assessment of Buildings
Sustainable Construction
Facilities Management
Project Risk and Financial Analysis

Options

Construction Law and Procurement
Digital Design and Fabrication
Introduction to GIS
Environmental Impact Assessment
Systems for Environmental Management
Environmental Policy and Law

Careers

Preparing for your career

In your career you need a combination of knowledge, skills, personal qualities and relevant experiences – and you’ll get all of this from your degree.

Develop a critical understanding of the issues of building energy efficiency and environmental performance and their application to the lifecycle of a building (ideation, design, construction/retrofit, operation and decommissioning).
Gain the knowledge and skills required to assess, manage and simulate building energy performance parameters to find optimal solutions for sustainability in buildings.
Develop advanced research, analytical, presentation and communication skills and demonstrate team working, leadership and independent solution-driven critical thinking skills.
Build the skills needed to produce realistic models that predict the energy and environmental performance of existing and new buildings.

Student and lecturer studying computer diagrams

Facilities

Your learning is supported by access to specialist facilities including:

specialist software for building and environmental performance analysis (Autodesk, IES, Energy plus) and GIS(ArcView)
building performance lab
digital construction lab
surveying studio
drawing studio
modelling lab for preparing scale building models
energy dispersive x-ray fluorescence spectrometer and sample preparation equipment
x-ray diffraction spectrometer (Panalytical X’Pert Pro)
thermal camera
3D cloud (laser) scanner and software
scanning electron microscopy facility with dedicated technicians support.

Industry links

Senior representatives of construction companies, architects and surveyors from around the region meet regularly at our industry advisory board to review our courses, ensuring they remain up-to-date and relevant to industry.

Guest lecturers from industry share their insight and knowledge with you giving you opportunities to network.

Graduate destinations

This course prepares you for careers including: energy manager, energy consultant, sustainability consultant, and facilities manager, in industries such as design, engineering and facilities management companies, government and private organisations.

Supporting your employability

Outside of your course, our Careers Service is here to support you as you discover (and re-discover) your strengths and what matters to you. We are here for you throughout your university journey as you work towards a fulfilling and rewarding career.

Connect with our careers team

Find part-time work that you can combine with your studies.
Find, or be, a mentor or get involved with our peer-to-peer support scheme.
Develop your business ideas through our entrepreneurial support network.
Get professional advice and support with career planning, CV writing and interview top tips.
Meet potential employers at our careers fairs.
Find rewarding volunteering opportunities to help you discover more about what makes you tick, and build your CV.

Whatever your career needs, we are here to help. And that's not just while you are a student, our support carries on after you've graduated.

Find out more...

Coloured background with the words Be More, Connected, Skilled, Emlployable

Entry criteria

Entry requirements

The entry requirements listed here are our typical offer for this course if you wish to begin studying with us in 2020. They should be used as a general guide.

Degree and experience
Honours degree; or other degree plus at least two years postgraduate experience in a position of responsibility; or full membership of a relevant chartered professional body.

English language requirements
IELTS 6.5 overall with a minimum of 5.5 in each element. Find out more about the other English qualifications that we accept.

International requirements and visas

International requirements by country
Country name
Albania
Algeria
Argentina
Australia
Austria
Bahrain
Bangladesh
Belarus
Belgium
Bermuda
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Botswana
Brazil
Bulgaria
Burma (Myanmar)
Cameroon
Canada
Chile
China
Colombia
Croatia
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Denmark
Ecuador
Egypt
Estonia
Finland
France
Germany
Ghana
Greece
Guyana
Hong Kong
Hungary
Iceland
India
Indonesia
Iran
Iraq
Ireland
Israel
Italy
Jamaica
Japan
Jordan
Kazakhstan
Kenya
Kosovo
Kuwait
Latvia
Lebanon
Liechtenstein
Libya
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Macedonia
Malaysia
Malawi
Malta
Mexico
Moldova
Montenegro
Morocco
Namibia
Nepal
Netherlands
New Zealand
Nigeria
Norway
Oman
Pakistan
Palestinian National Authority
Philippines
Poland
Portugal
Qatar
Romania
Russian Federation
Saudi Arabia
Serbia
Sierra Leone
Singapore
Slovakia
Slovenia
South Africa
South Korea
Spain
Sri Lanka
Syria
Sweden
Switzerland
Taiwan
Tanzania
Thailand
Tunisia
Turkey
Uganda
Ukraine
United Arab Emirates
United States
Uzbekistan
Venezuela
Vietnam
Yemen
Zambia
Zimbabwe

We can help you meet our English language or academic entry requirements.

Visit our language centre

For English language preparation courses.

Visit our International College

For degree preparation courses.

Visas and immigration advice

Applying for a student visa

Check out our step-by-step guidance.

Fees

Course fees

UK/EU (full-time) 6,624 GBP

International (full-time)15,156 GBP

Scholarships, bursaries and loans

We offer a range of scholarships for postgraduate students. Bursaries and loans may also be available to you.

Find out more about postgraduate fees and funding.

What's included

You may have to pay additional costs during your studies. The cost of optional activities is not included in your tuition fee and you will need to meet this cost in addition to your fees. A summary of the costs that you may be expected to pay, and what is included in your fees, while studying a course in the School of Environment and Technology are listed here.

Travel and accommodation costs are included for all mandatory taught residential field trips, but you’ll need to provide your own food and drink.
Where taught residential field trips are optional, a contribution will be required towards travel and accommodation. This will vary depending on where and how long the field trip is but you should budget approximately £1,500.
The independent mapping project is a mandatory part of the Geology BSc(Hons) involving independent fieldwork that is undertaken in the summer between years 2 and 3. The cost of this fieldwork is not included in the fee, and you will need to meet this additional cost yourself.
Some students require specialist outdoor equipment and/or personal protective equipment (PPE) and should budget up to £100.
If you choose to take an optional paid placement you’ll be expected to cover your own travel, accommodation, food and drink.
You will have access to computers and necessary software, however many students choose to buy their own hardware, software and accessories. The amount spent will depend on your individual choices but this expenditure is not essential to pass any of our courses. Find out what free software is available. from the University of Brighton
In most cases coursework submissions are electronic but students may wish to print notes which would involve an extra cost.

You can chat with our enquiries team through the Stay in touch panel at the end of this page if you require further information. Or check our finance pages for advice about funding and scholarships as well as more information about fees and advice on international and island fee-paying status.

Info

The fees listed here are for full-time courses beginning in the academic year 2020–21.

Further tuition fees are payable for each subsequent year of study and are subject to an annual increase of no more than 5% or RPI (whichever is the greater). The annual increase for UK/EU students, who are subject to regulated fees, will increase no more than the statutory maximum fee.

You can find out more about our fees in the university's student contract and tuition fee policy (pdf).

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-time 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.

Location

Local area

About Brighton

The city of Brighton & Hove is a forward-thinking place which leads the way in the arts, technology, sustainability and creativity. You'll find living here plays a key role in your learning experience.

Brighton is a leading centre for creative media technology, recently named the startup capital of the UK.

The city is home to a national 5G testbed and over 1,000 tech businesses. The digital sector is worth over £1bn a year to the local economy - as much as tourism.

All of our full-time undergraduate courses involve work-based learning - this could be through placements, live briefs and guest lectures. Many of these opportunities are provided by local businesses and organisations.

It's only 50 minutes by train from Brighton to central London and less than 40 minutes to Eastbourne. There are also daily direct trains to Bristol, Bedford, Cambridge, Gatwick Airport, Portsmouth and Southampton.

Map showing distance to London from Brighton

Campus where this course is taught

Moulsecoomb campus

Two miles north of Brighton seafront, Moulsecoomb is our largest campus. Subjects taught here include architecture, business, computing, construction, engineering, geography, product design, law and pharmacy.

On campus you will find professional-standard facilities including a flight simulator, trading room, design and digital media suites and specialist research laboratories, alongside the library, student centre, a nursery, fitness facilities and Students’ Union. There are excellent public transport links.

The Big Build
A major transformation of our Moulsecoomb campus began in summer 2018. By the time the Big Build is complete, there’ll be new halls of residence, academic building, and Students’ Union and fitness facilities – all created with sustainability, inclusivity and community in mind.

As the development grows it will provide many exciting learning opportunities for our students, ranging from live projects, placements and internships with the companies involved to guest lectures and site visits. Find out more...

Accommodation

Brighton: Moulsecoomb

All eligible students applying for 2020 are guaranteed an offer of university halls of residence.

Halls of residence
We have halls of residence across Brighton in the city centre, Moulsecoomb, Varley Park and Falmer.

You'll be prioritised for accommodation in the halls that are linked to your teaching base, subject to availability.
Moulsecoomb campus is linked to Varley Park and Moulsecoomb Place halls
- Varley Park offers a mix of room and catering options. Varley Park is around two miles from Moulsecoomb campus and four miles from the city centre. Public transport in the city is excellent, and there’s a shuttle bus between our Brighton campuses during term time.
- Moulsecoomb Place halls are all catered and are located right on campus.

Want to live independently or in a university-managed house? We can help – find out more about unihomes and unilets or private renting.