Civil Engineering Principles of Building

All under-graduate students in the Department of Civil Engineering undertake the module CE202 Principles of Building. The course is designed to introduce students to the basic principles of building with the aim of creating a sound fundamental knowledge. The subject matter covers the make up of the building team; planning and development acts, byelaws and building regulations; ground works, drainage and foundations, superstructures and stability; floor, wall and roof types; construction methods and the appropriate use of materials including steel, concrete, masonry and timber. Principles of building physics include heat and sound insulation, ventilation and light provision. Sanitary and other building services, architectural principles and internal and external finishes are also covered.

As part of this module, the students complete a mini-project in groups of two or three. The project is also linked to the modules CE208/ CE209/ CE214 Year’s Work in Environmental Engineering/ Project & Construction Management/ Civil Engineering: Communications. Each group researches one particular aspect of the building process that is chosen from available community-based projects. Several groups can work on a single community-based project, with each group researching a different aspect of the building process for that project. This is written up in the form of a professional report to a client, or as information for inclusion in a technical encyclopedia, or as an article for communicating with the engineering community at large. If appropriate, students in subsequent years can further develop and advance the work completed by their peers.

The objectives include:

1. Develop engineering skills through a self-directed project.

2. Develop a sense of commitment to local communities by making a contribution of time and expertise to an individual or community group.

3. Learn how engineers in-career make contributions to their communities.

4. Apply knowledge or skills you have learned in this module (and others) to a real-world context.

5. Produce a technical engineering report.

6. Deliver a high quality oral presentation on a particular subject.