Building Services Engineering

Building services engineering is the discipline concerned with the design, installation and management of the mechanical and electrical systems that make buildings function: heating, ventilation, air conditioning, plumbing, electrical power and lighting, fire safety systems, energy monitoring and the controls that integrate all these into a coherent and efficient whole. As buildings are responsible for a substantial proportion of energy use and carbon emissions, building services engineers are at the forefront of the effort to make the built environment more sustainable, energy-efficient and comfortable for the people who inhabit it.

At Glasgow Caledonian University this part-time programme was developed in partnership with the building services industry, ensuring its content reflects current professional practice and the specific competencies employers seek. You will study heating and air conditioning system design, building performance simulation and assessment, electrical systems and lighting design, and the modelling tools used to evaluate energy performance and environmental impact. The part-time mode allows you to pursue the degree while working in the industry or alongside other commitments, integrating your learning with professional experience in ways that are particularly valuable in a discipline where practice and theory are closely linked.

Graduates of building services engineering programmes work as building services engineers and consultants, environmental systems designers, energy assessors, sustainability consultants, facilities engineers and project managers across the construction industry, specialist engineering consultancies, facilities management organisations, property development companies and public sector clients. The growing importance of building decarbonisation and net-zero targets means that building services engineers with expertise in energy systems and sustainable design are in strong demand. Professional development toward chartered membership of the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers is the standard career pathway.