Module Descriptors – Master of Science in Sustainable Design of the Built Environment

Climate and Comfort

The primary focus of this module will be the analysis of the thermal, luminous and ventilation performance of buildings within the built environment context. The module examines the basic scientific principles underlying these phenomena and introduce students to a range of technologies and analytical skills for designing comfortable indoor environments. Students are challenged to apply these skills and explore the role light, energy and air can play in shaping a Built Environment.

Renewable and Sustainable Resources

The module emphasises the interconnections between sustainability, improved performance, and resource management through the use of renewable resources. The module addresses reuse, recycling, and renewal, exploring material, energy, and water consumption as well as waste throughout a building’s life cycle. The module also emphasizes a wide range of renewable energy technologies, their economics, and the influence of policy and regulation on promoting the implementations of such resources.

Investigations in the Built Environment

This module emphasises the importance of evaluation, feedback, and critique in advancing sustainable design. Students will learn a range of quantitative and qualitative research methods, including surveys, simulations, experiments, interviews, and measurements, considering both physical and human aspects of the built environment. Practical training includes using handheld instruments to assess indoor environmental quality, while assignments and feedback enhance learning. The module also covers engineering economy to evaluate cost-effectiveness of sustainable design solutions.

Sustainable Built Environment

This module explores the interrelationship between ecology, culture, and technology in shaping sustainable development of the built environment. Students will learn principles such as minimizing environmental impact, conserving resources, preserving cultural patterns, and promoting biodiversity. The module introduces tools to assess the environmental, social, and economic impacts of urban development while addressing the limits of current technology and society. It also examines key issues in contractual procedures and construction law.

Skin and Space

This module focuses on the building skin as the separator between conditioned and unconditioned environments, central to comfort and energy efficiency. Students will study innovative facades, chilled/heated surfaces, and mixed-mode ventilation systems, drawing on emerging research in building design. The module highlights the need for architects, planners, and engineers to share a common understanding of principles and techniques for integrating environmental performance across the envelope, enclosure, and interior spaces.

Sustainable Urban Design

This module focuses on the design of urban areas and cities, aiming to enhance community quality through innovative design and theoretical research. Students will explore urban form, place-making, transportation, landscape, conservation, and regeneration. The module also covers urban design theory, sustainable urbanism, and emerging technologies, addressing the opportunities and challenges of creating healthy, attractive, and sustainable cities in response to rapid urban growth

Sustainable Indoor Environmental Quality

This module examines the role of Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) in creating sustainable indoor environments, emphasising its influence on health, comfort, productivity, and energy use. Students will explore the key components of IEQ including air quality, thermal comfort, lighting, and acoustics, along with relevant standards, common challenges, and strategies for improvement. The module also introduces field testing tools and techniques to evaluate IEQ parameters, equipping students with practical skills to design healthier, more comfortable, and energy-efficient indoor spaces.

Advanced Engineering Materials

The module explores issues related to the sustainability of building materials and sustainable construction.  It provides an advanced knowledge of cladding, moisture control, and building finishes, fire performance, and construction robotics. It discusses construction issues related to complex structures and high-rise buildings.  It explores 3-D printing technologies and how construction robotics affect the architectural design of buildings.

Selected Topics in the Sustainable Built Environments

This module is intended to cover recent topics and/or trends related to the sustainable built environment beyond what is covered in the core module of the programme. Topics could include new technologies, materials, practices, and policies. The details of each offering of this module will be made available to the students before the start of the term in which the module will be offered in.

Dissertation

This module focuses on the design, development, and completion of a research dissertation as partial fulfilment of the master’s degree. Students select an approved topic related to sustainability, allowing them to investigate in depth and build skills as independent researchers. They will learn key research techniques and expand subject knowledge. Assessment consists of a written dissertation of 20,000–30,000 words (excluding references/appendices) and an oral viva, including a 15–20 minute presentation followed by jury questions.