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Unit of Study: DESC9151 - Introduction to Building Services

The objective of this unit is to provide students with sufficient knowledge of the principles of operation of the various services systems in buildings of larger than domestic scale in order to be able to contribute competently to the decisions that have to be made about these systems and to be aware of the implications of these decisions upon building design.At the completion of this unit the student is expected to: understand the principles involved in the functioning of the systems (these principles should remain relevant in the future even if the technology changes); know about the technology currently available, and understand the issues involved in deciding between competing solutions (not necessarily to make a final choice but to contribute competently to a discussion about that choice); and be aware of the implications the system has on the planning of the building. This usually means the space occupied, the need for access for maintenance and the effect on floors below and above. In the case of lifts, escalators and stairs, the pedestrian traffic patterns created should be considered.Topics covered include: strategic planning for services; air conditioning and ventilating systems; lifts and escalators; hydraulics systems; fire services; electrical services, lighting, security systems.

Unit coordinator: A/Prof Richard de Dear

Classes: 5 day intensive

Assessment: Assignments

Courses this subject is available in

This unit of study can be undertaken as a part of the following degree programs:

Graduate Certificate in Design Science (Audio and Acoustics)

Sound is a constant throughout our lives - involving, informing and profoundly shaping our experience of communication, entertainment and architectural spaces. This degree is unique and challenging, giving students a solid foundation in the design, measurement and theory of audio and acoustics. From this foundation students can choose to specialise in their area of interest including acoustics, audio systems and audio production.
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Graduate Certificate in Design Science (Building Services)

Building Services is a degree aimed at giving a broad knowledge of all areas of this discipline. This includes all of the environmental systems that make a building usable – such as ventilation, air conditioning and heating, and lighting. It also embraces the supply and distribution of water electricity and communications; the provision of fire detection and fighting equipment; lifts and escalators – essential, but largely unseen.
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Graduate Certificate in Design Science (Illumination Design)

Lighting design concerns the creation of interior and exterior spaces for work and pleasure. It is a vital part of architecture and interior design.
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Graduate Certificate in Design Science (Sustainable Design)

Sustainable design is concerned with both the process and outcomes of creating buildings to meet needs of a world that is growing increasingly conscious of the large impacts made by buildings on the worlds ecological systems and on human kind. As the world shifts to a more sustainable form of development in the coming millennium the task facing designers is uniquely challenging and different from previous eras.
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Graduate Certificate in Facilities Management

Every organisation uses buildings of some sort and their occupation requires recurrent resources for rent, rates, cleaning, energy, water, security, etc, amounting in time to more than the capital cost of creating the buildings in the first place. Facility Managers look after the Infrastructure of Business and have the responsibility of ensuring that their employers’ premises assist them in fulfilling their core business objectives, retain their capital value through appropriate maintenance, as well as obtaining value from their day-to-day operating costs.
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Graduate Certificate in Heritage Conservation

The Heritage Conservation Programs primary aim is to develop skills in the care and conservation of traditional and modern buildings, the latter a growing concern of contemporary conservation practice.
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Graduate Certificate in Interaction Design and Electronic Arts

The Interaction Design and Electronic Arts (IDEA) program is the first of its kind in Australia to prepare students in the skills and knowledge of interaction possibilities offered by modern computing technologies.
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Graduate Certificate in Urban and Regional Planning

The Urban and Regional Planning program teaches strong foundations in urban and regional planning, with the opportunity for students to develop more specialised knowledge in emergent areas, such as environmental design, planning for better structured cities, and sustainable management.
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Graduate Certificate in Urban Design

Cities are the most complex of human inventions and their design rests on knowledge that spans from philosophy and aesthetics to ecology and the technologies of waste disposal. They are also intensely cultural. In recent times, the professions of architecture, landscape architecture and urban planning have been the most conspicuous contributors to the shaping of cities. Urban design is at the nexus between these professions. The ability to perform in the field rest on additional layers of knowledge and understanding of the built form in its cultural and ecological complexities at urban scales of resolution.
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Graduate Diploma in Design Science (Audio and Acoustics)

Sound is a constant throughout our lives - involving, informing and profoundly shaping our experience of communication, entertainment and architectural spaces. This degree is unique and challenging, giving students a solid foundation in the design, measurement and theory of audio and acoustics. From this foundation students can choose to specialise in their area of interest including acoustics, audio systems and audio production.
more...

The course information displayed is applicable to currently available courses and is updated annually in October. Please use as indicative only as online information is subject to change without notice. Please refer to handbooks for further course information.


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