Building Services Engineering MSc

Overview

Building services engineers are involved with virtually every aspect of a building’s interior environment. They design, install and maintain electrical and mechanical services - heating, cooling, lighting, water, lifts, and telecoms - and advise on issues of health and safety, security, sustainability and energy efficiency.

In short, they help buildings work, whether for residential, educational, commercial, industrial or cultural purposes.

Brunel's Building Services Engineering MSc gives graduates with engineering or technology backgrounds the technical, design and management skills they need to excel in this lucrative and multi-faceted profession.

You'll get a solid grounding in core subjects of heat transfer, energy conversion, acoustics, electrical services and lighting design as well as in the practicalities of building management, fire and smoke control, waste disposal and lifts and escalators.

Additionally, as there is a growing demand for a new generation of environmentally responsible buildings, you’ll also examine energy efficiency and sustainable design.

You can choose to study 1 year full-time at Brunel or the distance learning programme over 3 years.

This course is accredited by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE), the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE) and the Energy Institute (EI), which means your degree will put you on course to gain Chartered Engineer (CEng) status in the UK.

Throughout your studies you’ll have use of our state-of-the-art laboratory facilities and 24-hour access to industry standard specialist software for engineering design at dedicated computer clusters on campus, so you’ll have the opportunity and equipment to explore ideas and tackle problems.

With the growing complexity of engineering services in modern buildings and the significance of energy conservation and emissions control, the role of the building services engineer is becoming increasingly important. Your Brunel engineering master’s will give you the technical, creative and managerial expertise that lead to excellent career opportunities.

Course content

The course is design to give graduates the technical and managerial training they need to pursue careers in building services engineering.

Work for your Building Services Engineering MSc degree consists of compulsory modules and a 15,000-word dissertation.

Year 1

Compulsory

Energy Conversion Technologies
This module aims to provide familiarisation with the principles and practice of modern energy conversion technologies, and to consider local energy conversion and utilisation in buildings.
Electrical Services and Lighting Design
This module aims to provide the essential appreciation and understanding of electrical services design in building services applications, with particular reference to safety requirements, and to explain and illustrate the principles of lighting design in building services applications.
Building Heat Transfer and Air Conditioning
This module aims to familiarise the students with principles of heat transfer, to develop the principles of building heat transfer, to examine the dynamic thermal behaviour of buildings, to reinforce and apply the principles of psychrometrics, and to provide an overview of the characteristics of air conditioning systems, design requirements and criteria for system selection.
Acoustics, Fire, Lifts and Drainage
This module aims to introduce the design principles of noise control, fire safety, public health and vertical transportation in buildings.
Building Management and Control Systems
This module aims to provide an appreciation of the theoretical basis of control and communication systems and their application to building services plant, in particular through the use of building management systems.
Design of Fluid Services and Heat Transfer Equipment
This module aims to introduce the principles and concepts underpinning the movement of fluids and the transfer of heat in building service equipment, and to develop and apply principles to typical and practical design problems in building services.
Building Services Design and Management
This module aims to provide experience in the evaluation of building internal environment and the effect of building services design solutions, to introduce the principles and expose students to the practice of engineering services design for buildings, and to develop an understanding of the way in which assets are managed within business.
Dissertation
The dissertation aims for students to complete and report on a soundly executed and constructed programme of investigation, analysis and research containing original work.

This course can be studied undefined undefined, starting in undefined.

Please note that all modules are subject to change.

Read more about the structure of postgraduate degrees at Brunel

Careers and your future

Our graduates work in building services and construction-related consultancies such as Hoare Lea, Arup, BuroHappold, AECOM, Cundall, BRE, ChapmanBDSP, Atkins, WSP Group, Faber Maunsell and Hilson Moran.

Other employers include county councils within their building management and environmental departments, EDF Energy, Skanska, Trend Control Systems and Honeywell Control Systems.

You can also progress to academic research.

UK entry requirements

A 2:2 (or above) UK Honours degree or equivalent internationally recognised qualification in Mechanical, Building Services or technology subject. Other qualifications and relevant experience will be assessed on an individual basis.

Entry to this programme requires all students who are not nationals of the European Economic Area (EEA) and have temporary immigration permission to remain in the UK to obtain an ATAS certificate. If you are made an offer to join this course and you are not an EEA national, you will be required to obtain an ATAS certificate as a condition of your offer.

Applicants who will need an Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) Certificate. To find out if you will need an ATAS certificate, please visit this webpage: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/find-out-if-you-require-an-atas-certificate#when-you-need-an-atas-certificate.

The deadline for Admissions to make offers to applicants who will require an ATAS certificate is 5 August 2024. This is to ensure any offer holders who need an ATAS certificate have plenty of time to obtain the certificate before their course starts.

This course is now closed to new applications for September 2024 from visa requiring applicants who will need an ATAS certificate to study the course. This is because there will not be enough time to obtain the ATAS certificate and apply for a student visa before the start of the course.

EU and International entry requirements

Select your country

English language requirements

IELTS: 6 (min 5.5 in all areas)
Pearson: 59 (59 in all sub scores)
BrunELT: 58% (min 55% in all areas)
TOEFL: 77 (min R18, L17, S20, W17)

You can find out more about the qualifications we accept on our English Language Requirements page.

Should you wish to take a pre-sessional English course to improve your English prior to starting your degree course, you must sit the test at an approved SELT provider for the same reason. We offer our own BrunELT English test and have pre-sessional English language courses for students who do not meet requirements or who wish to improve their English. You can find out more information on English courses and test options through our Brunel Language Centre.

Please check our Admissions pages for more information on other factors we use to assess applicants. This information is for guidance only and each application is assessed on a case-by-case basis. Entry requirements are subject to review, and may change.

Fees and funding

2025/26 entry

UK

£14,435 full-time

International

£26,250 full-time

If you are a Distance Learning student, costs for 2024/25 are made up of:

£1145 per 15 credit module
£4580 for a 60 credit dissertation

More information on any additional course-related costs.

Fees quoted are per year and are subject to an annual increase.

See our fees and funding page for full details of postgraduate scholarships available to Brunel applicants.

Scholarships and bursaries

Teaching and learning

How the course will be delivered

Distance Learning students

You're not required to be on campus. All study materials will be accessible from your current location providing you with the flexibility you need to complete your course.

All other students

To ensure you receive the maximum support and have the greatest opportunity to reach your full potential the expectation is that you enrol on these programmes; attend in-person all teaching activities including examinations that are scheduled on campus. This will be the majority of all activities. However, where for pedagogical reasons alternative methods of delivery are used for activities you'll be notified and expected to engage with the activity at the time of delivery.

Laboratory Support

For modules with practical learning content, these will be delivered in-person on campus in the laboratories.

Assessment

Traditional examinations will be taken in-person on campus.

Access to specialist software

You'll have access to relevant engineering software on campus. You're also able to install software on your own personal laptop and connect to the Brunel License server through a VPN connection. This provides continued access to all services.

Required equipment

Access to a laptop or desktop PC is required for joining online activities, completing coursework and digital exams, and a minimum specification can be found here.

We have computers available across campus for your use and laptop loan schemes to support you through your studies. You can find out more here.

How you'll learn on your course

Our staff have national and international reputations for their research, publications and applied work. Many carry out their research in the fields of solid and fluid mechanics and energy and environment and in collaboration with leading industrial firms and governmental laboratories. This means that your education will be at the forefront of scholarship and practice, covering the most up-to-date industry knowledge.

Your course will consist of combinations of lectures, seminars, tutorials, laboratory and practical sessions, coursework and group work.

Distance learning students are supplied with a study pack of text books and CD-ROMs.

MSc dissertation projects are normally carried out over four months for full-time students or one year for distance learning students.

Our Building Services Engineering courses have been awarded the Happold Brilliant Award for teaching excellence by the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers.

Should you need any non-academic support during your time at Brunel, the Student Support and Welfare Team are here to help.

Modes of study

1 year full-time

The taught element of the course takes place from September to April. From May to September, you’ll conduct an individual project and prepare your dissertation.

3 years distance learning

The self-study distance learning programme enables you to conduct most of your studies at home, in your own time and at your own pace.

You have up to five years to complete the course, though the average is three years, with students taking four modules in the first year, four modules in the second year and writing their dissertation in the third year.

You should allow about twelve hours each week for study.

You can sit your examinations either at Brunel University London or in the country where you are resident. We have an extensive network of organisations (universities, colleges and British Council offices) throughout the world that can provide invigilation services.

Assessment and feedback

Modules are assessed by combinations of formal examination and written assignments. Examinations are normally sat in May.

Successful completion of the taught modules allows you to proceed to the dissertation stage. To qualify for the award of the MSc degree, you must submit a satisfactory dissertation.