RIAI CPD Links: M.Sc. Modules in the Environmental Design of Buildings

The Welsh School of Architecture is pleased to offer three postgraduate taught modules from the MSc in Environmental Design of Buildings, a programme which is accredited by the Chartered Institute of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE).

These modules can be taken on a standalone basis and are suitable for professional architects, engineers, building technologists, or those working in environmental design who are wanting to upskill or further their career, and who are happy to study alongside full-programme MSc students.

Please note that these three modules are available to study both locally (in Cardiff) and via distance learning:

• Earth and Society (10 credit module)
• Low Carbon Buildings (10 credit module)
• Investigation of the Built Environment (10 credit module)

Full details about each module can be found by visiting this webpage.

Date

Modules run during either the Autumn or Spring semesters.

Cost 

For the 2019-20 academic year costs per module are as follows:

• Distance Learning delivery: £430 for Home/EU students; £970 for International students

Class Size

You will be joining an existing MSc cohort for one or more modules. Typically, class size is between 25 and 65 persons.

Course Description

Earth and Society (10 credit module)

This module introduces the principal concepts of sustainability. It considers the historic development of the 'green' movement and Climate Change as an important context for sustainable development.

It identifies different sustainability positions adopted today, both at a theoretical and practical level and encourages students to question these as well as their own views.

The module demands students to develop their own sustainability position in relation to a specific development scale (from individual buildings through communities to urban scale); while including social and environmental considerations that underpin sustainability in the built environment (i.e. health and wellbeing, social justice, professional responsibility and ethics).

The module provides a structure for students to develop, discuss and formulate their personal sustainability standpoint and reflect on the role of their chosen future profession in delivering holistic sustainability.

Low Carbon Buildings (10 credit module)

This module takes a holistic approach to the energy use of a building. It will look at working with goals for building design, such as zero carbon standards, and with ways of off-setting energy consumption with renewable technologies.

The module will introduce techniques for assessing the energy footprint and sustainable performance of the building using benchmarking.

Investigation of the Built Environment (10 credit module)

This module focuses on the introduction of methods and techniques by which building designers, owners and operators can determine whether their building performs as anticipated. It introduces measurement and post occupancy evaluation.

The module looks into a number of investigative and analytical methods and techniques, including simulation, measurement, and survey. It takes into account both physical and human perspectives of the built environment and draw on methods appropriate to academic and practice-based investigations

About the Welsh School of Architecture

We are one of the top schools of architecture in the UK; for the past five years we have been listed among the top 50 schools specialising in architecture and the built environment in the QS World Rankings. ‘Architecture’ and ‘Built Environment and Planning’ are both ranked 1st in the UK for the impact our research has on society (Research Excellent Framework 2014). The School also designed and built Wales’ first low cost ‘energy positive’ house (Solcer House). 

cardiff.ac.uk/