Building Services Engineering Higher National Certificate

Our full-time or part-time Higher National Certificate (HNC) in Building Services Engineering (Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning) enables you to build up your knowledge and practical skills in building services to become a vital professional in this rapidly growing sector. Building services engineering includes all aspects needed to make buildings work for humans and includes the lighting, heating and ventilation, lifts and escalators, acoustics, plumbing, power supply and energy management systems, plus the security and safety systems. This course produces highly-skilled assistant building services engineering technicians with the skills, professional competencies and capabilities to become successful building services designers across a range of projects. The course is suitable for those working for contractors, consultants and client organisations. Ultimately, around 40% of all the UK’s energy is used within buildings, so good design for energy efficiency can make a real difference to our carbon emissions and energy costs. As a building services engineer, you can play a genuinely important role in helping to make our lives more sustainable, sustainability and the drive to net zero being crucial to the role of building services engineers.

Please refer to the University College Birmingham course page for specific entry requirements.

You will study eight units from the list below in one year (full-time) or split over two years (part-time). Unit 1 - Construction Design Project Unit 4 - The Construction Environment Unit 8 - Mathematics for Construction Unit 9 - Principles of Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning Unit 15 - Principles of Alternative Energy Unit 18 - Principles of Electrical Design and Installation Unit 22 - Scientific Principles for Building Services Unit 26 - Digital Applications for Building Information Modelling

Teaching A wide variety of teaching methods will be used to ensure you gain the appropriate skills and knowledge, including lectures, practical sessions, workshops, tutorials and group study sessions. Face-to-face classes will be combined with practical research activities in our state-of-the-art construction facilities, while you will also conduct independent and online learning.

You will be advised prior to the course what equipment and materials will be needed.

Assessment occurs through a combination of assignments and projects with a focus on the holistic development of practical, interpersonal and higher-level skills. Many modules will require a demonstration of skills, while others will require you to carry out your own research and analysis, working independently or as part of a team. You will also need to commit around 20 hours per week for individual study time. Assessment for this course will be 100% coursework.

Completing this HNC will give you the opportunity to move onto the second year of the Construction Management BSc (Hons) course with us. Or you can persue a career in electrical, buidling services or mechanical roles.