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It is widely recognised within the construction industry that there is a growing need for highly technical professional graduates who are competent in cutting edge technologies, such as Passive House Design, and Low Energy Buildings.

This unique and innovative course is a response to the more complex building standards required for compliance with European directives for sustainable and nearly zero carbon (nZEB) development.

The graduate of this programme will be technically adept and professionally competent in the newly emerging sustainable building technologies. The graduate will understand the ever increasing emphasis on energy efficiency and sustainability, and the procurement and delivery of high quality construction projects to comply with the national carbon emissions reduction targets.

In the first three years students will gain knowledge and develop skills in surveying, construction management, building contracts, sustainable building technology, building legislation, CAD and BIM, applicable to modern building construction with an emphasis on sustainable building technology.

The third year of the programme provides an understanding of the current theory and practice for sustainable building and includes a work placement in the final semester.  Students can avail of the Erasmus programme to do this work placement outside Ireland should they so desire.

In the final year the programme places emphasis on the core areas of sustainable building technology and construction project management and is centred around the completion of a substantial cross modular year-long retrofit project. The project module consists of two complementary elements, a retrofit project and a research topic on an aspect of applied construction technology that relates directly to the retrofit project. 

Construction Informatics (the use of a range of specialist software applications) is a significant part of this programme.

You will develop expertise in basic parametric modelling using CAD, specialist construction surveying software, project management software e.g. proprietary quantity estimating software such as Buildsoft, and MS Project.  Competence with these software applications will enable the graduate to optimise the delivery and management of complex construction projects.

This programme also provides the student with an introduction to the theory and practice of Building Information modelling (BIM). BIM is an advanced approach to construction project design and management and is facilitated by technological developments in CAD, databases and solid modelling.

In addition, you will understand the constantly-emerging new Sustainable and renewable Building Technologies, and also Building Energy Systems.  

The graduate will also have an in-depth understanding of a variety of management systems and techniques and their applications for construction companies.

The course contains a 6-month work placement in a relevant industry setting during year 3.

In addition, this Level 8 course comprises project and case study components which will provide a direct relevance to the management of construction projects.

Year 1

• Construction Technology 1
• Building Services 1
• CAD and IT
• Construction Management 1
• Surveying for Construction 1
• Mathematics for Construction
• Building Science and Construction Materials
• Learning and Innovation Skills

Year 2

• Construction Technology 2
• Building Services 2
• CAD 2
• Health and Safety Management
• Surveying for Construction 2
• Introduction to Structural Design
• Quantities and Estimating
• Introduction to Structural Design and Detailing
• Health and Safety Management
• Construction – The Legal Framework

Year 3

• Construction Technology 3
• Building Services 3
• Construction Informatics 1
• Construction Management 2
• Building Economics
• Work Placement (6 months)

Year 4

• Retrofit Project
• Sustainable Building Technologies
• Project Management
• Construction Informatics
• Building Energy Systems

Opportunities exist for graduates in the following areas:

• Architecture/Engineering
• Project Management
• Facilities Management
• Health and Safety
• Forensic/Defect Investigation
• Government Bodies/Local Authority/OPW
• Quantity Surveying

Students will gain a transferable qualification to a Masters Level 9 qualification in GMIT or elsewhere.

GMIT honours (Level 8) qualifications are recognised worldwide for postgraduate entry.