Honours Project

This unit will allow students to build upon and further develop/apply the creativity, skills and knowledge gained from prior studies (e.g. foundation degree).
The students will undertake a comprehensive study through research, project definition, implementation and evaluation, with sensible conclusions and recommendations.
They are required to develop a topic which sufficiently reflects the focus of their course (i.e. Building Technology, Construction Management).

• To enable the student to work autonomously on a sustained piece of work appropriate to the programme being studied.
• To develop the student’s ability to fully manage a project, whilst synthesising ideas or information to generate novel solutions.
• To achieve a body of work or practice that is coherent and resolved.
• To enable the student to choose a project of interest and negotiate a suitable topic individually relating to their skills and abilities, whilst also identifying achievable targets.
• To be able to identify the possibility for new concepts within existing knowledge frameworks and approaches.
• To enable the student to work within a set specification to satisfy the academic, discipline and/or industry requirements.
• To enable the student to manage a sustained piece of work and monitor progress, while adhering to an overall academic timescale.
• To allow the student to reflect on their performance in delivering a project on time and adhering to the deadlines.
• To enable the student to disseminate the results of their work to a wider audience, using appropriate academic and professional conventions.

Emerging Technologies And Sustainability

With the need for the construction industry to become more efficient and the focus on improved production, together with the need for construction companies to deliver in an increasingly competitive market, the technology and policies concerned are also rapidly developing.

Particular advancements in recent years have included those in sustainable construction, BIM, remote sensing data, numerically controlled site equipment, and clash detection.

An overarching influence on construction projects, which has gained momentum across global industries, governments and the general public, is sustainability. Within construction, the energy used to construct, run and occupy our buildings represents a large proportion of UK’s overall greenhouse gas emissions.

The rate of growth of the construction industry has increased over the last decade, and is set to continue. Emerging technologies and policy developments in the area of sustainability in particular, reflect the need for construction to address these challenges.

This unit will enable the students:

• To investigate emerging technologies and processes relating to current construction methods and develop appropriate recommendations.
• To critically analyse the financial implications of the application of emerging technologies in construction.
• To gain an in-depth specialist understanding of emerging technologies in construction and related issues.
• To critically evaluate and synthesise information gathered through individual research for emerging technologies in construction..
• To judge the reliability, validity and significance of evidence to support conclusions and/or recommendations.
• To suggest reasons for contradictory data/results.
• To analyse the importance of emerging technologies in sustainability, innovative uses of energy and effects on environment, and policy changes and responses to various summits on energy and climate.

Contract Procurement And Risk Management

The aim of this unit is to engage and challenge prior theoretical and practical skills, which have been gained during the students’ course studies, towards procurement processes and risk management in real-world construction projects.

• To instil an in-depth understanding of these issues
• To inform students of the current trends and techniques
• To encourage students to experiment and apply working skills on a range of projects
• To create an awareness of pragmatic approaches to procurement.
• To permit students to advance their current knowledge and practical skills related to the procurement law and risk management, as well as risk management techniques and risk assessment in construction.

Construction Economics

Construction economics is an important element in the construction industry in ensuring that construction projects are able to deliver a profit. Construction economics deals with budget, cost and value management in construction, and is vital to the success of any project in the field.

Management, as associated with construction economics, uses the knowledge and expertise of trained practitioners to achieve the required commercial and contractual outcomes to the construction process.

This unit will enable students to advance their knowledge and understanding of construction economics, by applying critical analysis and evaluation of the related technologies and principles, within the context of the construction industry.

Construction Project Management

Appropriate project management processes are critical for the success of projects in the construction industry. Effective project management utilises knowledge and expertise of trained practitioners to achieve the required commercial and contractual outcomes for the construction process.

With the increasing imposition of heavy penalties, which form part of contracts of construction, it is important that projects are correctly managed. These penalties exist to address exceeding time and budget constraints.

This unit will enable students to further develop their knowledge and understanding of, and equip them with valuable experience in project management, by applying critical analysis and evaluation of the key technologies and principles within the context of the construction industry.

Sustainability, Environment And Construction Technology

Students studying this unit will apply their knowledge of the construction process in relation to the evaluation, investigation and analysis of land for construction.

Students will apply skills in the application of environmental, social and economic- related processes (the ‘Triple Pillars of Sustainability’) necessary in achieving a sustainable development. Further to this, students will develop skills in site investigation, which will determine various forms of foundation, substructure and superstructure, to enable the construction of low rise (and commercial buildings).

Students will identify opportunities to enhance and improve standard building practices and propose innovative solutions.

The students will also compare and contrast construction techniques and use of materials.

• To advance students with a range of both theoretical and practical knowledge related to sustainability-related issues and construction techniques, including behaviour and use of materials.
• To consider and provide guidance with reference to an existing building, and to appropriately propose a new one, identifying methods of construction by which the building could reduce its impact on the environment, benefit society and enhance its economic performance.
• To specify materials and the most appropriate methods of construction for a new project.
• To apply skills and knowledge in the investigation, analysis and evaluation needed in site investigation for building projects.
• To identify solutions to issues that may arise on-site that would affect the building process. This can include land contamination, types of soils, water and chemicals and any associated earthworks that may be required and materials used in construction of substructure.

Academic And Computer Skills, Health And Safety

This unit introduces the key transferable skills required within academic environments and construction industries.

It provides students with the tools and strategies to improve their own learning and performance, grounding for their own continued personal development, and enables them to develop personal approaches to study by overcoming weaknesses and building on strengths.

Transferable core skills, such as those concerning written and oral communication, and specialist software packages, provide a foundation for continual learning and in helping the student to face a series of choices in work/education/training throughout life. Such skills will be broadly contextualised within a construction context, to enable students to apply to practical fields of interest.

Students will examine professional requirements around ethics, equality and diversity, and the need for commitment to these in-line with professional codes of practice.

Further to this, with the construction industry remaining a dangerous environment to work in, this unit enables students to apply and implement the appropriate knowledge and skills in order to ensure a safe and healthy working environment.

• To introduce and develop the concept of transferable core skills to students and to demonstrate their importance within the construction industries.
• To apply skills and knowledge towards the production of reports and presentations, and to identify hazards in the workplace (including the production of risk assessments and monitoring arrangements).
• To apply research skills to produce reports on the students’ understanding and use of health and safety legislation as it applies to the working environment.
• To develop skills towards the production of reviews, evaluations and monitoring reports of the effectiveness of current health, safety and welfare policies by historic analysis, investigation and evaluation.

Introduction To Construction Economics

This unit introduces key principles of economics within the UK construction industry to the students. This includes an overview of the main theories and practices, and facilitates an understanding of the wider market forces, economic activities and local and national government policies, which influence UK construction and the built environment.

• To describe the key economic principles within the construction industry.
• To explain the application of economic principles and their significance to the construction industry.
• To identify and understand business operation and commercial risk within the construction industry.
• Understand the size and economic significance of the work carried out by different sectors.
• To understand the importance of project planning, resourcing and pricing.

Project Development And Building Control

This unit introduces the principles of project development, the building control process and its relation to design/construction, and the project brief within the context of the client’s needs. This unit provides the necessary background for operating effectively in the employee development area. It also introduces the student to the building control process and the role of quality and inspection within the overall building process.

The student requires the knowledge and understanding to be able to ensure that the construction process meets the standards of building control, and identify any quality issues through inspection and rectification, and their relationship with the appropriate training.

The student needs to:

• Apply this knowledge and understanding to a range of different project scenarios.
• Demonstrate an understanding of project development, planning design processes, project briefs and identification of the client’s needs.
• Evaluate the role of building control and the legislation associated with the building process in relation to quality.
• Reviewed the interpretation of the regulations and the issues that could potentially affect a construction project.
• Interpret the impact on a construction project of failing to meet the requirements of building control (and poor quality control procedures) in relation to compliance and commissioning.

Work Based Learning A - Construction Management And Surveying For Construction

This unit introduces surveying principles, procedures and processes. It requires the student to select and use modern surveying equipment for the recording of distances, angles and heights.
The project will consist of identifying a specific aspect of, or problem with, site-surveying relating to a specific work placement, participating in devising a solution, helping to implement the solution and evaluating the implementation.

• To demonstrate the ability to describe the principles, processes and procedures of surveying and setting out and use and interpret data collected from surveying activities using a range of surveying equipment.
• To describe the use of a range of surveying equipment including electronic equipment, including cartographic detailing and the setting out of construction projects.
• To work in small groups to carry out surveying exercises using equipment to make angular, linear and height measurements for given practical situations.
• To identify appropriate work-based activities and negotiate relevant activities and learning outcomes.
• To complete agreed tasks, including re-negotiation as necessary.

Human Resource Management And Career Development

As an industry reliant on the delivery of projects and the transient nature of project teams as a result, it is important to understand approaches to effectively managing human resources in construction.

The nature of the industry also means that graduates in construction face diverse and competitive selection procedures, and careers involving constant change and continuous learning.

This unit is intended to enhance the students’ awareness and understanding of managing human resources in construction, and the key factors and considerations influencing career development and progression.

The students will develop the knowledge and skills to effectively manage their own careers and personal development, but also the management and development of construction personnel in delivering successful projects.

The students will examine career goals, through self-assessment linked with career exploration and a specific job study. They will undertake personal development planning to reflect on their own learning, performance and/or achievement, and to plan for their personal, educational and career development. 

The unit is part of a structured process, which is integral to higher-level learning.

This is concerned with learning in a holistic sense (both academic and practical), and is something that an individual does with guidance and support (the latter perhaps decreasing as personal capability is developed, so that it becomes self-sustaining).

This process involves self-reflection, the creation of personal records, and planning and monitoring progress towards the achievement of personal objectives. This is intended to improve the capacity of the students to communicate their learning to others (e.g. academic staff and employers).

Work Based Learning A - Managing People And Projects

This unit is focused on a specific project, which is related to people and project management in construction. The project will be represented either by a case study provided by the tutor, or an alternative project, which will be negotiated and agreed between the student, the tutor and as appropriate, a workplace mentor.
The project will consist of identifying specific aspects or problems associated with people and project management, relating to a specific case study scenario or construction industry work placement.
The student will need to assess the activities, tasks and problems involved and devise solutions accordingly, seeking appropriate support to help to implement and evaluate appropriate recommendations and solutions.

• To identify appropriate work-based activities.
• To complete a programme of work/study relating to the topic.
• To arrive at necessary team structures as related to the project.
• To assign responsibilities and construct/explain chain of communication.
• To evidence appropriate learning by producing a progressive log/project file.
• To reflect on learning progress through a progressive annotated diary.

Building Services And Project Management

In this unit the student will gain the underpinning knowledge of key aspects of Building Services and Control Systems, as well as energy conservation and the analysis of building fabric.
An exploration of systems relating to the main components of Building Services will provide students with a foundation, with which to develop the management skills required for the installation of such systems, and the costs/risks associated with services selection and installation.

• To analyse the requirements of building services, including; thermal, acoustic and illumination.
• To apply skills and knowledge of services requirements in the design layout and choice of materials for building fabric and services and control installations for domestic and small commercial buildings (water, electric, heating, gas, ICT, waste and security).
• To investigate the design and installation requirements for lifts and escalators in a range of buildings.
• To analyse the planning/management/costs of services installation and identify potential problems and solutions to the process.
• To develop arrangements for communicating and presenting the schedules developed, and making allowances for notifications to services providers.
• To understand the role of technology (Building Information Modelling – BIM) in developing integrated design solutions

Construction Contracts, Measurements And Processes

This unit introduces the student to measurement, estimating and tendering processes, and their application to the construction industry within a framework of construction contract law and procedures.
The student will gain an understanding of the commercial considerations taken when applying estimating, measuring and tendering processes, and of the legal requirements for construction projects and applications.
Students studying on this unit need to be able to apply knowledge of contracts and procedures to the construction process, via the development of a range of skills used to analyse contracts and interpret how to apply them to projects.

• To interpret the principles and procedures of law as related to construction, and investigate/apply the principles and procedures concerning legal requirements when applying contracts to projects in the European community.
• Demonstrate an awareness of English legal system; law of contract as applicable to construction.
• To describe the various contractual documents required in relation to a construction project.
• Analyse the factors affecting different procurement and contract arrangements by applying best practice, and understanding how they affect the project in relation to time cost and quality.
• To report on the roles and responsibilities in relation to procurement and contractual arrangements, and evaluate contract documents in relation to standards/quality of work.
• To apply measurement techniques to construction projects and produce bills of quantities for measured work using relevant methods.
• To collect information required for the production of tenders and to describe the standard methods of measurement and codes.

Building Technology

This unit builds on the knowledge gained from other units. Students further explore building technology and the underpinning aspects of construction techniques.

Students will need to be able to apply knowledge of the construction process in relation to the building structure of both domestic and commercial buildings.

Students will develop the appropriate skills needed to analyse a range of materials and construction techniques for the development of medium to high rise buildings.

• To understand and apply further concepts of residential building technology.
• To understand and apply further concepts of technology for larger buildings.
• To evaluate the characteristics of the various construction techniques and materials, and their effect on energy conservation and building production.
• To apply skills and knowledge in the investigation, selection and design of frames and key building systems.
• To identify suitable internal and external finishes.
• To understand the role of technology (CAD and in particular Building Information Modelling – BIM and COBIE) in developing integrated design solutions.