Building Engineering Technology: Building Systems

CampusStart DateTuition/Fees
MonctonSeptember 2020 Cost Estimate
Fredericton September 2019 Cost Estimate
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Program Overview

Building Systems professionals see four walls as the start of endless opportunities. They help design mechanical systems for residential and commercial buildings. During our two-year program and industry work experience, you’ll learn how to create architectural drawings, as well as structural and industrial designs. From electrical, lighting, heating and air conditioning, to alarms and fire and water protection services, each new building needs a systems expert who imagines the bigger picture from the starting box on a page.

Duration

The requirements for this diploma program may be achieved within two years of full-time study.

Admission Requirements

    Profile I

  • High School Diploma or Adult High School Diploma or GED Diploma of High School Equivalency
    • Pre-calculus 110
      or
      Geometry and Applications in Mathematics 112 and Functions and Relations 112
      • Total of two (2) sciences, including at least one (1) from the following:
        • Biology 112 or 122
        • Chemistry 112 or 122
        • Physics 112 or 122

      (NB Francophone High School Math Equivalencies)

      Career Possibilities

      Graduates of this program could be employed as building services engineering technologists in the following fields: architectural, structural, electrical and mechanical systems, as well as industrial plant design. You could find yourself employed by engineering companies, contractors, manufacturer’s representatives and property managers.

      Find career possibilities related to this program in Career Coach

      Specific Considerations

      Graduates of this program are able to assist in the design of mechanical systems (heating, ventilation, air conditioning, water services and fire protection) and electrical systems (power, lighting, communication, controls, heating, fire protection and alarm) for residential and commercial buildings. Graduates can also produce professional quality drawings primarily in the electrical and mechanical engineering fields, as well as architectural, structural and industrial design fields. Local campuses can provide information on courses that provide the prerequisites for technology programs at NBCC. Many universities give credits for courses completed in this program; however, assessment is normally completed on an individual basis.

      This program is a "Learning Integrated Virtually Everywhere" (L.I.V.E) program that requires the use of a notebook computer as part of the learning experience. Your notebook computer should meet minimum technical specifications to ensure the software required for your program operates effectively. See here for more information: L.I.V.E. (Learning Integrated Virtually Everywhere).

      Program Courses

      This year's courses are still under development. Showing 2018's courses for reference.

      This course is designed to provide students with the knowledge and skill to produce 2-dimensional (2D) and 3-dimensional (3D) commercial architectural drawings using computer aided design (CAD) and building information modeling (BIM) software. Students produce these drawings as part of preliminary building systems’ research and a design report based on original material.

      Prerequisites:

      • SAAL1750C

      This course is designed to introduce students to the fundamental principles and practices of manual drafting skills. Students learn the drafting styles, equipment, and procedures used in relation to oblique, isometric, and orthographic drawings. Emphasis is placed on lettering principles and linework/lineweight development in the production of residential construction working drawings.

      The course is designed to build upon the Drafting Fundamentals course from term one to further enhance manual drafting skills while also incorporating the use of computer-aided drafting. Students become more proficient in producing engineering construction drawings and shift focus from residential to commercial construction. 

      Prerequisites:

      • ARCH1014D

      This course provides students with the knowledge and skill to design electrical systems for residential and commercial buildings. These systems include power, lighting, and communication systems.

      Prerequisites:

      • ARCH1004F

      This course provides students with the knowledge and skill to analyze and design commercial fire suppression systems in accordance with national building and fire codes.

      Prerequisites:

      • PHYS1074D

      This course builds upon the knowledge and skill acquired in the Introduction to HVAC Systems course and applies it to the design of commercial heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, including system controls.

      Prerequisites:

      • ARCH1004F
      • BSSI1049A

      This course provides students with the knowledge and skill to design commercial plumbing systems. Here, students learn theoretical principles relating to fluid mechanics as well as information relating to the types, components, and layout of plumbing systems. They then apply this knowledge to design plumbing systems that meet service and code requirements. The course is taught in conjunction with the Plumbing Systems CAD Design course where students produce their plumbing system drawings using computer aided drawing (CAD) software.

      Prerequisites:

      • SAAL1503E

      This course provides students with the knowledge and skill to incorporate green building practices in a commercial building design. Here, students explore evolving sustainable and alternative energy products, systems, and technologies. They research state-of-the art automation and controls for integration with sustainable buildings. They learn of the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system and apply portions of it to a commercial building design to enhance and promote sustainable design.  

      This course provides the students with knowledge of the basic principles of heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems. Students learn the types, components, and operating principles of HVAC systems as well as the psychrometric properties of air and principles relating specifically to heating, cooling, humidification, dehumidification, and heat transfer. Students learn to calculate the heat loss for a given building and later apply this skill in the design of HVAC systems further in the program.

      This course provides students with the basic knowledge and skills required to properly use Portland cement concrete.

      This course introduces students to residential and small building materials, their design, functionality, and relationship to construction specifications and drawings. Students acquire knowledge of the materials involved in construction from initial excavation to the finished product.

      This course is designed to provide students with the knowledge to evaluate the stages of construction, the construction materials, and the associated building codes required to meet given design specifications for wood-framed residential and/or small commercial buildings.  
       

      Prerequisites:

      • BTTB1019D

      This course provides students with knowledge of construction management principles and practices. Here, students learn the standard construction process and the role of the Construction Manager in it. They learn the principles of securing a construction project and the methods used to estimate, plan, schedule, monitor, and control it. They also learn the standard documentation required of the Construction Manager and the lines/methods of communication.  Where possible, practices and methodologies are applied with the use of real-world case studies.

      Prerequisites:

      • LEGL1003C

      Students will learn to write a variety of technical documents and business correspondence suitable to a specific audience and purpose as well as learn how to conduct research and document sources.

      This course prepares students to write a formal technical report on a technical topic with sufficient technical and communication quality as to be judged capable of meeting the certification requirements of such outside agencies as the New Brunswick Society of Certified Engineering Technicians and Technologists, federal government agencies such as Transport Canada, or any other accrediting body.

      This course teaches students how to create documents that are organized, unified, and coherent.

      This course introduces students to ethical principles and codes of conduct applicable to professional practices. The subject of ethics is a requirement of many accredited programs. Therefore, successful completion of Professional Ethics is a graduation requirement for engineering technology programs.

      This course is designed to provide students with an opportunity to apply the knowledge and skill acquired in their training to a real-world environment. Under the supervision of a host agency, students work at a level commensurate with their knowledge and abilities at this stage of their academic development. Students are assigned a practicum supervisor with whom they meet during their placement and to whom they submit a written report outlining their practicum experience.

      Work hours may vary, depending on the work location.

      This course provides students with knowledge of the Canadian laws and specifications associated with construction contracts. It introduces industry associations and standards such as the Construction Specifications Canada (CSC) and the Canadian Construction Documents Committee (CCDC). It addresses the legalities throughout the project cycle from project conception and initiation through to execution and closure. Knowledge is applied through the use of mock ups and case studies.
       

      This course provides students with a sound mathematical foundation in preparation to higher level mathematics (calculus) and other technology courses.

      Building on the foundation of Mathematics Fundamentals, this course is designed to provide the student with the necessary mathematical skills to better manage differential calculus.

      Prerequisites:

      • MATH1089

      This course, built on the foundation of Pre-Calculus Mathematics, is intended to familiarize the student with the fundamental operations of differential and integral calculus. These skills will be applied to the solution of technical problems.

      Prerequisites:

      • MATH1158

      This course provides an introduction to the meaning of community service.  Students learn how community service can enhance a student’s educational experience, personal growth, employability, and civic responsibility. Students participate in one day of volunteering to enhance their understanding of civic responsibility and to help the New Brunswick Community College realize its vision of transforming lives and communities. 

      This course is designed to strengthen students' problem solving skills through the application of physics and mathematics to solve real-world engineering problems. Students analyze and resolve engineering problems as they relate to the static equilibrium of structures. They apply the principles of forces and force systems acting on structures and to calculate the resultant reaction forces at structure supports.

      In this course, students are introduced to the skills and strategies necessary to present themselves and ideas to others in an effective manner. The course focuses on the goal of obtaining employment while developing presentation skills sought by potential employers.

      This course reinforces the computer aid drafting (CAD) skills acquired in year one and applies them to the production of commercial structural drawings. It supports the ‘Introduction to Structural Steel Design’ course where students learn to design steel structures to withstand given loads. Here, students produce 2-dimensional (2D) using CAD and 3-dimensional (3D) drawings using building information modeling (BIM) software.

      Prerequisites:

      • STRC1013G
      • SAAL1750C

      This course is designed to build upon the knowledge and skill acquired, as well as the drawings produced, in previous design courses. Here, students use Building Information Modeling (BIM) software to produce 3D models of mechanical and electrical systems. They use previously developed 3D structural and architectural drawings and add the 3D mechanical and electrical components to these.

      Prerequisites:

      • SAAL1504C
      • BSSI1020E
      • BEEB1189B
      • BSSI1006E

      This course provides students with the knowledge and skill to apply computer applications commonly used in engineering tasks. Here, students use spreadsheet software to compile and analyze data. They build upon computer-aided design (CAD) skills in the creation of 2-dimensional (2D) drawings and are introduced to the basics of 3-dimensional (3D) design software.

      Prerequisites:

      • SAAL1750C

      This course provides students with the knowledge and skill to produce commercial plumbing system drawings using computer aided design (CAD) software. It is taught in conjunction with the Plumbing Systems Design course where students learn the theoretical principles, constructs, and standards associated with plumbing system design. Here, the focus is on applying their plumbing systems design knowledge in the CAD environment.

      Prerequisites:

      • ARCH1004F
      • SAAL1750C
      • BSSI1020E

      This course provides students with the knowledge and skill to draw heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems as well as electrical systems using computer aided design (CAD) software. It is taught in conjunction with the HVAC Systems Design and Electrical Systems Design courses where students learn the theoretical principles, constructs, and standards associated with these systems. The electrical systems include power, lighting, communication, and controls.

      Prerequisites:

      • BSSI1020E
      • SAAL1503E
      • BSSI1049A
      • BSSI1006E
      • BEEB1189B

      This course is designed to provide students with knowledge and skill in computer-aided design (CAD) software. Students apply CAD techniques to create digital two-dimensional drawings.

      Prerequisites:

      • ARCH1014D

      This course provides students with the knowledge and skill to produce process-piping drawings. They learn the types, components, and applications of process piping systems and how to represent these in a computer aided design (CAD) environment.

      Prerequisites:

      • SAAL1750C

      A safe and healthy workplace is the responsibility of the employer and the employee. This course introduces students to the importance of working safely and addresses how employers and employees can control the hazards and risks associated with the workplace. Students will also learn about the roles and responsibilities of key stakeholders including WorkSafeNB, the employer and the employee in ensuring workplaces are safe.

      This course is intended to increase student awareness of safety issues relevant to the Building and Civil Engineering Technology industry.  It addresses a range of topics such as roadwork safety, rigging, fall arrest, excavation safety etc. and is delivered in a variety of fashions such as guest speakers, workshops, on-site visits etc. PLEASE NOTE: Safety topics and delivery methods may vary from year to year depending on available subject matter expertise therefore, the number of course competencies achieved may also vary.

      This course is designed to provide students with the knowledge and skill to perform basic strength calculations in the analysis and design of structures for: compression, tension, shear, moment, & bearing.

      Prerequisites:

      • PHYS1074D

      This course provides students with the knowledge and skill to analyze and design structural steel components for the gravity loads of simple steel building structures. It covers the selection of the steel deck and open-web steel joists (OWSJ) from manufacturer’s catalogues as well as the design of beams, girders, columns, and column base plates of simple structures for gravity loads based on the CISC Handbook of Steel Construction and the National Building Code of Canada.

      Students are assigned an individual term project consisting of the design and selection of all structural components for a simple two-storey steel building.

      Prerequisites:

      • STRC1012E

      Students are provided with the knowledge and skill to perform fundamental field operations and data recording. Working in groups, students carry out surveying techniques in the field and record this data for future analysis.

      This course is designed to build upon the knowledge and skill acquired in 'Surveying Fundamentals' to apply more advanced surveying techniques and field methodologies to collect 2D and 3D data. Working in groups, students carry out fieldwork, process data, determine the quality of the results, and produce a field report.

      Prerequisites:

      • SVAR1017G

      NOC Codes

      2232 - Mechanical engineering technologists and technicians
      2241 - Electrical and electronics engineering technologists and technicians
      2253 - Drafting technologists and technicians

      Articulation Agreements

      Institution: UNB Fredericton
      Articulation Period:
      Information: Qualified graduates and students of NBCC will be guaranteed appropriate transfer credits in the Civil Engineering program at UNB.

      Institution: Cape Breton University
      Articulation Period: 2009-2014
      Information: Graduates receive two to three years full credit toward a Bachelor of Engineering Technology degree or a Bachelor of Technology degree depending on the engineering diploma they hold from NBCC and the engineering or technology option they wish to pursue at Cape Breton University.
      Institution: Griffith University
      Articulation Period:
      Information: Griffith University will grant up to 1.5 to 2 years of advanced standing of related Griffith University undergraduate Bachelor degree on completion of an NBCC diploma.

      Griffith University will grant up to 1 semester of advanced standing of related Griffith University post graduate Masters degree on completion of an NBCC Postgraduate Certificate where entry into the program was by undergraduate degree.
      Institution: Marine Institute of Memorial University of Newfoundland
      Articulation Period:
      Information: Civil Engineering graduates can transfer to the 4th year of the Bachelor of Technology Degree program.
      Institution: University of Moncton
      Articulation Period:
      Information: NBCC Engineering program graduates receive up to 30 credits in the Bachelor of Engineering (Civil Engineering) program at University of Moncton.

      Disclaimer: This web copy provides guidance to prospective students, applicants, current students, faculty and staff. Although advice is readily available on request, the responsibility for program selection ultimately rests with the student. Programs, admission requirements and other related information is subject to change.

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