Undergraduate Programmes

BUILDING SERVICES ENGINEERING / INNEALTÓIREACHT SHEIRBHÍSÍ FOIRGNÍOCHTA DT005

Qualification awarded: BEngTech (BUILDING SERVICES ENGINEERING) Level 7 / BEngTech (INNEALTÓIREACHT SHEIRBHÍSÍ FOIRGNÍOCHTA) Leibhéal 7
Duration of programme: 3 years
Type of programme: Ordinary Degree
Number of places: 45 approx.

What is Building Services Engineering?

Imagine yourself in the most fabulous building in the world. Now take away the lighting, heating ventilation and cooling, the lifts and escalators, the IT systems, the water supply, power supply and control systems....... and you’ll find yourself in a cold, dark, and uninhabitable space! All the systems inside a building which make it safe, make it work and make it a great place to be come under the title of ‘Building Services Engineering’.

These engineering systems are also responsible for the energy that goes into running a building. Buildings are responsible for an astonishing 40% of all energy used today. This is the challenge that modern building services engineers must face and solve; How do we design buildings that consume much less or even no energy at all?

A building must provide an environment where people can live, work and achieve, but with clever design to minimise energy consumption.

This course will suit students who have an interest in technology, in solving problems and in buildings. The efficient use of energy and its effects on the environment are also central to building services engineering.

Students are assessed by a combination of examinations at the end of each semester and continuous assessment projects.

What will I study on this programme?

A summary of the modules of study in years 1 to 3 is included below in the module listing. All years of study combine academic, practical and project work. As well as studying science and physics in the first year, you will learn about building services engineering and undertake mini project work.

Projects also form an important part of the second and third years of study encouraging and developing the practical application of what you learn during lectures. A strong emphasis on achieving low energy design solutions is a common theme throughout all years of the course.

Recognition by professional bodies

Those who have successfully completed the programme satisfy the academic requirements for the Associate Engineer (A. Eng) Membership grade of Engineers Ireland.

Module listing

Year One

Engineering Mathematics
Engineering Science
Energy & Building Services Engineering
Computing & Engineering Graphics
The Built Environment
Fabrication Technology
Engineering Design and Communication

Year Two

Engineering Mathematics
Applied Energy Systems
Applied Electrical Technology, Controls & Instrumentation
Management Studies
Design of Heating & Ventilation Systems
Design of Refrigeration, Air Conditioning Systems, Water and Drainage Systems
Projects in Heating and Ventilation Systems Design

Year Three

Engineering Mathematics
Low Energy Technologies
Electrical Distribution and Control
Major Design Project
Dissertation
Built Environment
HVAC & Industrial Services Design
Management Studies

Entry Requirements

Minimum no of		Minimum Grade in
Subjects	Honours	Maths	English/Irish
5		OD3	OD3

What are my career opportunities?

One area that achieves continued growth, year on year, is in the energy performance of buildings. There is a need for building services engineers who are experts in improving the energy performance of buildings. New opportunities also exist in the expanding and exciting field of Low Energy Systems and utilising Renewable Energy from Solar, Geothermal and Ambient Energy sources.

Traditionally, career opportunities are found in the design, supervision of installation, commissioning and maintenance of HVAC (Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning) Systems in Industrial, Commercial, Healthcare, Educational and Domestic Buildings.

Past graduates are to be found working with Irelands’ foremost engineering consultants, contractors and high technology manufacturing companies such as ARUP, BDP, Project Management Group, Mercury Engineering, Intel and Hewlett Packard. Many DIT graduates in building services engineering have successfully found work further afield in the UK, America and Australia.

What other options do I have after completion?

Students who have reached the appropriate level in final examinations and meet certain subject prerequisites have the opportunity to join the third year of the building services engineering honours degree programme within DIT and elsewhere in Higher Education.

Many of the Departments best students graduating from the honours degree have started their studies on the BEng Tech in Building Services Engineering.

Students who successfully complete year two of this programme and who do not wish to progress to the third year will receive a Higher Certificate award.

Are there study abroad opportunities?

The School has links with a number of Erasmus partner institutions, currently in France, Germany and Finland. These allow students the opportunity to undertake an Erasmus exchange abroad. To discuss study options that are available as well as the application procedures and deadlines for the Erasmus mobility programmes, contact the Erasmus Coordinator of the School of Civil and Building Services Engineering.

What our students say!

Paul Sheridan, now in the final year of the honours degree: “The ordinary degree in building services is a very practical course, with great project work. It gave me the opportunity to move up onto the honours degree, something which wasn’t possible when I was first looking for a place at college”

Shane Toolan, second year BEng Tech: “I wasn’t completely sure that building services was what I wanted to do at first but I find the BEng Tech course very interesting. We’re in the middle of our second semester project at the moment, which should be good preparation for the larger third year design project” .

Further information

School of Civil & Building Services Engineering
T: 01 402 3711

Dr Ben. Costelloe, Head of Department,
E: ben.costelloe@dit.ie
T: 01 402 3826

Mr Chris Montague, Course Head,
E: chris.montague@dit.ie
T: 01 402 3833

School Administration
E: cbse@dit.ie