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To effectively participate in this program, students must have reliable Internet access and a device that meets these requirements.

About the program

Our one-year Environmental Building Sciences graduate certificate program provides you with the skills and knowledge to effectively manage indoor environmental conditions throughout the building life cycle, encompassing the identification, testing, and remediation of problems in the building environment.

You will study building sciences, sustainability, and energy management for building design and control, environmental legislation, air and water quality, assessment for communication of risk, hazardous materials assessment and abatement, sampling and testing methodologies, project management, CAD/BIM, and technical report writing.

This program is experiential in nature, incorporating exercises, case studies, and practical laboratories in building sciences. In the final term, you will participate in a major project to address a present-day building environmental issue, which will be developed in consultation with representatives from the environmental industry.

Admission requirements

  • A degree in science, engineering, a health-related field, or another related field from an accredited college or university

    OR

  • A three-year advanced diploma from an accredited college in architecture, mechanical, civil, environmental, or electrical engineering technology

  • Applicants will be ranked based on an assessment of academic performance (grades), length and discipline of degree/diploma. Preference may be given to applicants who have successfully completed a chemistry course at the post-secondary level.

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 iBT 88 (effective January 2024 with no individual skill less than 22; IELTS 6.5 with no bands less than 6.0; CAEL 70 with no sub-test band scores less than 60; PTE Academic 58; Cambridge Exams 180 with no individual score less than 170; 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 who have met all other admission criteria. You will be eligible for admission to the degree 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

  • Apply at Ontario Colleges - www.ontariocolleges.ca
  • Final selection is made following an assessment of the admission requirements

Graduate opportunities

Graduates of this program will be well suited to careers within the expanding facilities management and industrial/occupational safety areas managing the indoor building environment.

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

  • Evaluate building specifications and drawings to facilitate the design, construction and maintenance of buildings that are environmentally sound and provide a healthy indoor atmosphere.
  • Apply regulations and control processes to address the major sources of chemical, biological, and physical hazards within building environments.
  • Make recommendations to address potential hazards to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements governing the indoor built environment encompassing environmental and industrial guidelines, government codes, and standards.
  • Manage risk by identifying and assessing sources of contamination in the building environment while ensuring timely, ongoing and appropriate communications to stakeholders.
  • Provide recommendations to the design team incorporating the principles of sustainability and green architecture into building design.
  • Apply the principles of building science to achieve occupant comfort, energy management and operational objectives during the life cycle of the building.
  • Apply sample collection and field measurement techniques using appropriate testing equipment to ensure compliance with industry and government standards and guidelines.
  • Analyze and interpret results from sample collection and field measurement data in order to support recommendations for environmental improvements.
  • Solve environmental building technical problems using the principles of mathematics and science.
  • Organize data and information to prepare and deliver technical reports and specifications according to applicable standards and guidelines.
  • Manage technical projects and teams using appropriate methods and tools to support achievement of project goals.
  • Design solutions to address environmental building science problems based upon stakeholder requirements and in compliance with environmental standards.

Program related resources

Program contact

Continuing Education
Upcoming registrations

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

Winter registration: Opened November 4, 2024
Spring registration: Opens March 17, 2025