KA5055 - Building Environmental Science and Services

You will learn through a range of teaching methods including lectures, workshops and practical sessions. The Lectures will offer you opportunities to develop your knowledge of Mechanical and Electrical (M&E) Building Services Systems and the role of the building in modifying the external weather conditions to create pleasant and productive working and living environments.
The workshops are used to develop your understanding of how Construction Management is impacted by the choice and design of M&E and the building standards required. These sessions will use authentic real world problems to help you to think through the implications of various common design solutions and what they could mean to you as a Construction Manager. They will also develop your confidence in discussing these ideas with the correct terminology.
The practical sessions will include visits to a range of the Universities’ buildings and plant areas so that you can see the M&E installations first hand to learn more about how they work, and what the challenges each present during the installation phase, for ongoing maintenance and ultimately to the demolition or refurbishment of the project.
You will be set directed reading to complete ahead of each topic which will allow you to engage in the lectures by asking relevant questions and in the workshops by actively participating in small group discussions. Through the module, you will learn the importance of understanding the linkage between the multiple issues discussed. You will receive regular formative feedback during the workshops to help you build confidence in your opinions and your reasons for holding them.
The summative assessment is an individual report detailing your study and conclusions about an authentic industrial challenge. Your learning will also be supported by the use of technology. You will have electronic access to the reading list and also to some of the key resources. The Universities’ electronic learning platform (eLP) will provide you access to all the teaching material for the module and also be your route to submit your work and later to receive your summative feedback. All of this is designed to make your study efficient and effective.

Your tutors will work actively to provide you with quality academic support in class, via the module eLP site and either drop-in sessions or responses by email. A discussion board on the module eLP site will allow you to seek additional guidance and to engage in relevant discussions with your tutor and classmates.
The feedback you receive prior to submitting your work (formative feedback) will help you to correct misunderstandings and to build confidence in your academic progress. Feedback provided following the submission of your work (summative feedback) is designed to help you improve your performance on future assessment submissions.

All modules at Northumbria include a range of reading materials that students are expected to engage with. Online reading lists (provided after enrolment) give you access to your reading material for your modules. The Library works in partnership with your module tutors to ensure you have access to the material that you need.

Knowledge & Understanding:
1. Explain and illustrate the key principles behind Passive and Low Energy building design.
2. Review and critically evaluate the key legislative and sustainability scheme drivers designed to control the environmental impact of construction industry projects.

Intellectual / Professional skills & abilities:
3. Examine and evaluate the links between the building services engineering design proposals and the construction managers options for successfully delivering the project.

Personal Values Attributes (Global / Cultural awareness, Ethics, Curiosity) (PVA):
4. Demonstrate an appreciation of the building energy technologies and techniques to identify the likely impacts upon the building’s future users, the local community and wider society.

Formative feedback will be provided in the workshop and practical sessions as you carry out exercises to develop an understanding of key issues.


At the end of the module you will submit your individual report detailing your study and conclusions about an authentic industrial challenge.

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The Building Services Engineering systems within buildings are vital in enabling buildings to be productive and energy efficient places to work and live in. With the drive to de-carbonise our UK economy, the construction sector is continually adopting new techniques and technologies to meet the carbon emissions standards necessary to comply with the UK Building Regulations. As construction managers it is essential that you are equipped with sufficient knowledge and understanding to be able to engage in conversations with other professionals about the options and their impact from a scheduling and health and safety perspective. We will develop your confidence in this area by investigating a range of current solutions, along with some that will become more common as the CO2 standards tighten further. In addition to class-based learning we will visit various buildings and plant areas to see the installations first hand and assess the installation, maintenance, and demolition considerations.