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About the program

The Advanced Building Systems program is a one-year graduate certificate designed for both part-time and full-time students and is aimed at providing students with the skills and knowledge to effectively understand the principles of building services systems in relation to energy, sustainability, construction, commissioning and operation. Students will study the application of heat transfer, economics, energy modeling, project management, applicable codes, standards and controls. The program is experiential in nature with the incorporation of theories, exercises, development of schematics, basic load calculations, case studies, basic financial calculations, applicable software, and practical projects. Courses will be scheduled in the afternoon and early evening to facilitate students who wish to take the program on a part-time basis while currently employed. Courses may also be scheduled to be delivered on Saturdays.

Admission requirements

A minimum of one of the following is required:
  • A degree from an accredited university/college in Civil, Mechanical or Electrical Engineering
  • A 3-year diploma from an accredited college in Mechanical or Construction or Architectural Technology or related program
  • Previous completion of the Environmental Building Science OCGC (#1363)

Note re: admission requirements

  • Applicants with documents (transcripts) from an educational institution from a country other than Canada must have their documents evaluated for equivalency at an approved provider of credential evaluation services. Applicants to this program require a Comprehensive or Course-by-Course Report. Please see Apply to a Program for more information.
  • Applicants possessing degrees/diplomas from institutions where the language of instruction was not English will be required to provide test scores as evidence of their English language proficiency. Test scores, if required, would be a minimum of TOEFL PBT 580 with a TWE of 4.5 or iBT 88; IELTS 6.5 with no bands less than 6.0; CAEL 70 with no sub-test band scores less than 60; CAAT D AT 65%; or equivalent scores in other recognized standard tests of English.
  • We offer a language program for students whose English language skills are below the standard required for admission, but all other admission criteria have been met. You will be eligible for admission to the graduate program after completion of level 4 of the General Arts and Science - English Language Studies (ELS) program with an overall grade average of 80% and no grade less than 75%. Your placement in the ELS program is determined by scores on an in-house English language test or TOEFL or IELTS.

Admission procedures

  • Submit proof of Admission Requirements. Review Apply to a Program to learn how.
  • Final selection is made following an assessment of the admission requirements.
  • Qualified applicants may be required to meet with program personnel to assess program suitability and aptitude.

Graduate opportunities

Graduates of this program will be well suited to careers within the construction, energy modeling/audit consultants, facilities and building management industry.

For more details on related occupations, job market information and career opportunities, see the Government of Canada website: https://www.jobbank.gc.ca/home

Program outcomes

  • Identify and differentiate between diverse types of building systems being used in the industry. Using drawings and schematics in the class will enable students to review drawings and systems shown and relate to the intent of the design.
  • Apply building energy analysis and methods to implement sustainable programs to comply with latest standards and building sustainability. The carbon footprint will also be part of the energy analysis.
  • Provide building review and analysis outlining the systems being used, methods to improve performance and life cycle analysis.
  • Integrate renewable energy into building systems including solar systems, geothermal, cistern for harvesting rainwater, building automation and other applicable programs.
  • Apply methods to improve indoor air quality including implementation of modern technology similar to ultraviolet and magnetic field to deal with airborne bacteria and viruses.
  • Review and recommend methods to perform building energy analysis and simulation using market available software and government sponsored programs.
  • Perform root cause analysis to identify building systems issues and make recommendations to resolve and upgrade the systems. This will include applying technical skills, calculations and building systems principles.
  • Differentiate between commissioning and systems balancing. Methods of performing energy modeling, analysis, and review of available grants.
  • Understand the role of building management systems in controlling sequence of operation, building system automation, maintenance assistance, optimization of system operation and energy reduction strategies.
  • Apply the knowledge base in a practical project and demonstrate how the various building systems and energy optimization can be applied supported by financial analysis.

Program related resources

Continuing Education
Upcoming registrations

Mark your calendar with our registration dates, so you can plan your future.

Fall registration: Opened July 22, 2024
Winter registration: Opens November 4, 2024