MScSustainable Building Design
- 1 year full-time
- 2 years part-time
Solent’s MSc Sustainable Building Design course is the ideal way for students from a wide range of academic backgrounds to pursue a career in this exciting and important sector. By providing you with a thorough understanding of both theory based and practical skills, you’ll graduate from this course as a specialist designer with the education and vision required to help create a sustainable future for the construction industry.
Throughout the CIAT accredited course, you’ll be encouraged to develop a holistic approach to reducing the carbon footprint created by buildings. Learning is centred around social, economic, and environmental aspects of design, otherwise known as the three pillars of sustainability. The curriculum introduces the essential academic theory that underpins each of these areas and explores the technical tools required to successfully plan performance-based building projects.
You’ll also be introduced to Building Information Modelling (BIM), working with an expert course team on a range of practical projects that simulate real workplace practices. These projects will help you to build a portfolio of practical work and introduce you to the essential tools and software packages used by the industry. You’ll also develop an understanding of globally renowned energy assessment methods such as BREEAM, LEED and Passivhaus.
The BRE Academy recognises the high level of real-world teaching at Solent. This means students on this course will be eligible to be fast-tracked to take the BREEAM AP qualification, and at a reduced fee. The qualifying period of three years’ work experience will also be waived.
The course benefits from extensive links with industry, formed over many years of delivering accredited courses with professional organisations (eg, CIAT, CIOB, SBID and CABE). Practitioners from a cross-section of the built environment industry contribute regularly to the academic process by providing real-world projects, guest lectures, site visits and informal mentoring sessions.
Why choose this course?
Student work
Live briefs (Sustainable Building Design)
Course features
Specialist facilities
This course has access to specialist facilities
Apply direct
You can apply direct to Solent University for this course
Further studies
After successfully completing your studies, there's an opportunity to continue your studies at Solent
Part-time option
You can study this course part-time
This course is for
Solent’s postgraduate sustainable building design programme is ideally suited to candidates from a wide range of related disciplines.
The curriculum is designed to be creative and inclusive, providing students with the opportunity to undertake a dissertation of a technical nature, or a design-based piece of final major project work.
What this course leads to
Sustainable building design is a fast-growing area, offering potential for employment in small, medium, and large companies.
- Sustainable building designer
- Sustainability champion
- Strategic adviser
- BIM manager/coordinator
- Project manager
Meet the team
The University cannot guarantee any particular members of staff will teach specific aspects of the course in the future, but will endeavour to ensure the teaching team maintains their balance of experience and qualifications.
Year one modules
Core modules
Sustainable and Intelligent Building Design
This module introduces students to the concept of sustainable buildings and enables them to demonstrate understanding of how the form, fabric, and equipment of a building affect its environmental impact. An understanding of the passive and active design principles of sustainable building will be developed through a live design project.
BIM Frameworks
This module provides an introduction to Building Information Modelling (BIM) from a holistic perspective. BIM has emerged as the dominant paradigm for Information and Communication Technology in Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC). This module covers BIM approaches, as well as the impact these have on the various AEC disciplines.
Sustainable Building Assessment
This module covers the environmental assessment methods of buildings in the UK and internationally. You will develop and demonstrate understanding of the sustainable building assessment methods like BREEAM and LEED. Post-occupancy evaluation methods will also be explained to highlight the importance of the end user.
Integrated Project
This module brings together the combination of approaches from various disciplines that are utilised for the sustainable design of buildings. Encompassing the state-of-the-art in research and practice from the breadth of architecture, engineering and construction, this module covers aspects such as environmental strategies, instant thermal analyses, and building information modelling.
Research Methods
This module develops the skills required to carry out research primarily for dissertation or design project. It aims to provide students with comprehensive knowledge and understanding of methodological approaches of research and examines a range of tools used to collect and analyse the data in order to solve complex problems.
Optional modules
Project Management
This module focuses upon the management of complex building projects in sustainability contexts using systematic approaches. It deals with both hard and soft aspects of managing projects whilst delivering value to the clients by exploring current approaches, industry standard tools and techniques using case studies.
Work-Based Project Management
The project management module is available in a work-based format designed to offer a flexible, practice-related approach to learning. Students who are already in relevant employment have the opportunity to gain academic credit for knowledge and skills gained in the workplace through a negotiated learning contract which is agreed by the student, employer and module leader.
Research Dissertation
In this module you will undertake a master's stage research project, present the body of work in a conventional dissertation and communicate the outcomes verbally through formal viva. You will explore in-depth a topic relevant to your chosen discipline to develop a significant level of expertise in the area under investigation.
Design Project
In this module, students carry out in-depth research into a topic relevant to the discipline, culminating in a design thesis and communicated via visual aids and artefacts as well as verbally.
Learning resources
At Solent, our aim is to deliver innovative, inclusive and intellectually stimulating teaching to develop self-confident and highly employable graduates. All our courses are designed with employability in mind, which makes industry-based learning a priority.
Graduates will be able to utilise and demonstrate the application of the Passivhaus standard throughout their project work. Use of the BREEAM and LEED international environmental assessment benchmarks prepare students to work on projects all over the world.
Your future
Sustainable building design is a fast growing area, offering potential for employment in small, medium, and large companies. Graduates from this course will be able to take up roles as sustainable building designers, sustainability champions, strategic advisers, BIM managers/coordinators, or project managers for environmentally led collaborative projects.
The course could also open the door for further research opportunities at PhD level.
Learn transferable skills
Students will graduate from the course having learnt a range of transferable project management, research, and presentation skills.
Tuition fees
The tuition fees for the 2023/24 academic year are:
- UK and Channel Island full-time fees: £9,000 per year
- International full-time fees: £15,300 per year
For further information, please visit our tuition fees page.
Extra course costs
While most course costs are covered by your tuition fees, some essential resources and optional extras may need to be paid for separately. These additional costs are listed below. For advice on budgeting and managing your money, please contact student.funding@solent.ac.uk.
The 2023/24 other costs are not yet available. For guidance, previous other costs have been:
Although the BREEAM AG course is free to study, students are required to pay for the course certificate if they are successful in achieving the qualification. As at 2016, the cost of the certificate is £30.
Alumni discount
Solent alumni are eligible for a 20% reduction of tuition fees if returning to study a postgraduate course.
Find out moreBursaries, scholarships and financial support
Solent University offers a range of bursaries and scholarships that provide financial assistance or waive fees for tuition or accommodation. Each bursary or scholarship has specific eligibility criteria. Check out our bursaries and scholarships pages to find out more.
Graduation costs
There is no charge to attend graduation, but you will be required to pay for the rental of your academic gown (approximately £45 per graduate, depending on your award). You may also wish to purchase official photography packages, which range in price from £15 to £200+. Graduation is not compulsory, so if you prefer to have your award sent to you, there is no cost. Extra guest tickets will go on sale after results publication and will be sold on a first-come-first-served basis. The cost per ticket is currently £15. Please note, we do not guarantee there will be any extra tickets available to purchase.
Financial information videos
Discover Solent University This video 'Discover Solent University' is available as a text transcript, with a description of visuals.
Find out what Southampton has to offer This video 'Find out what Southampton has to offer' is available as a text transcript, with a description of visuals.
Entry requirements
Please select an option below:
Key entry requirements
An honours degree at 2:2 or higher in a related discipline
- Applicants with relevant industry experience may be considered.
- Applicants may also be required to send a portfolio and may be contacted for an interview either face to face or through Skype.
- For further information about UK qualifications, please contact admissions.
Key entry requirements
Applicants may also be required to send a portfolio and may be contacted for an interview either face to face or through Skype.
If you are applying from outside the UK, find information about entry requirements, visas and agents for your country here.
For further information about UK, EU and international qualifications, please contact admissions.
Key entry requirements
Applicants may also be required to send a portfolio and may be contacted for an interview either face to face or through Skype.
If you are applying from outside the UK, find information about entry requirements, visas and agents for your country here.
For further information about UK, EU and international qualifications, please contact admissions.
Note to all international students requiring a visa
All international applicants need to be aware that the English language requirements to attend Solent University, and the English language requirements to obtain a visa from the Home Office, may be different. This means that if you meet the Solent University language requirement to gain a place on the course, you may still have to meet additional requirements to be granted with a visa by the Home Office.
We strongly advise all applicants to visit the Home Office website which outlines all the requirements for a successful visa application and to take a look at this PDF document which outlines both Solent University and Home Office requirements for a number of language tests.
An honours degree at2:2 or higher
Any questions?
Contact our admissions team!Call: 023 8201 5066Email: admissions@solent.ac.uk
Your application checklist
Applications for postgraduate courses can be made at any time prior to the start of the course. However, we strongly recommend you apply at your earliest convenience.
Please ensure you upload the following mandatory documents with your application:
- Two academic references.
- Certified transcripts of qualifications, including English language proficiency if non-UK student.
- Copy of passport.
- Copy of current visa (if applicable).
- A personal statement.
- Employer sponsor form, where appropriate.
Language requirements
Applicants who do not have English as their first language will be required to demonstrate an approved level of proficiency in the use of the English language. The agreed minimum requirements for this course are:
- IELTS minimum 6.5 overall with no component score below 5.5
- TOEFL IBT 92 with a minimum of 22 in writing and a minimum of 20 in reading, listening and speaking
- Duolingo English Language Test - 115 overall with minimum of 100 in each component or equivalent.
Qualifications are checked before enrolment, and international students must bring their original certificates or certified copies when coming to study at the University.
Pre-Sessional English programme
The University also offers a pre-sessional English programme for international students who wish to improve their level of English before starting a degree course.
Study options
Facilities
Students will have access to specialist studio spaces, high-spec computers and a range of essential industry software packages. And as Solent is an Adobe Creative Campus, all students also have free access to Adobe Creative Cloud, which includes the full suite of Adobe professional software, including Photoshop, Illustrator, XD, Premier Pro, and more.
Our vibrant campus brings state-of-the-art facilities to enhance your learning and elevate your student experience. Our award-winning teaching building, The Spark is centred around students and offers a stimulating study environment with flexible learning spaces. Away from studying, why not try out the gyms, fitness studios and sports halls in our £28 million Sports Complex, or watch a blockbuster film at our student-run cinema with Dolby Atmos audio.
Alumni network
As part of our global alumni community, you can take advantage of a range of benefits.
Whether it's been days or decades since you left us, or you're soon to don your cap and gown, things are constantly changing at Solent. We're always innovating, but we're also immensely proud of our heritage. And that means you.
Research and knowledge exchange
Research doesn't just live in publications and journals - the effects of groundbreaking research can be found everywhere you look. That's why research at Solent has always been firmly rooted in industry needs and real-world application.
Solent University prides itself on carrying out not only pioneering research, but also research that addresses real world problems. We offer opportunities to study for a Master of Philosophy (MPhil) or Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree in a number of areas.
At Solent, we want to help you achieve your best and discover new insights. Whether you're thinking about applying for a PhD, or already underway with your research studies, you'll find useful guidance and information in our research pages.
Find out moreSupport at Solent
All students at Solent University have access to a range of specialist support services. Whether you are having financial difficulty, need additional help with academic skills or want advice on setting up your own business you'll find that help is always on hand.
Most of our specialist support services are based around the Student Hub, a central space where you can access all of the information and support you may need during your time at University. The Student Hub is the first point of contact if you have any queries relating to your course, including questions about your timetable, options, and assessments and extenuating circumstances.
We work in partnership with the University to build a sense of pride and confidence in your Union, University and student experience.
Find out more
Make your application
- 1 year full-time
- 2 years part-time
