Sustainability of the Built Environment – (M.Sc.)

Sustainability is high on the agenda of built environment professionals, driving the provision of comfortable and healthy buildings whilst maintaining equitable use of resources and reducing pollution.

In the UK we are currently consuming natural resources at a rate such that it would require more than three planets to satisfy our needs. We are also producing carbon dioxide, a major contributor to global warming, at a rate of approximately 10 tonnes per capita per annum.

The construction, operation and eventual disposal of buildings are major contributors to the demand for resources, the emission of greenhouse gases and the creation of waste. There is, therefore, a need for building and property professionals to take the lead and focus the industry on sustainable development.

Reducing the energy demands of existing and new buildings and supplying energy from non-fossil-based fuels can have major effect on the UK's pledge to greenhouse gas reductions through the Kyoto protocol. Many scientists believe that in fact there is a need to achieve far greater reductions in order to avert irreversible climate change and damage to our life support systems.

This course is aimed at providing professionals with the knowledge and skills to address sustainability in the built environment. It addresses the key issues of energy and materials resources consumed in buildings and their impact on the environment. Whilst focusing on the inter-relationships between the buildings and the environment students are able to specialise in areas of personal interest through optional modules which include ecological principles, air quality management and geographical information systems.

Career and progression opportunities
Graduates are able to contribute as the sustainability specialist within building design, planning, facilities management and other built environment professional teams.