Our Building Services Engineering degree considers low carbon building design and the integration of renewable energy systems into buildings. It deals with services engineering issues, building the skills required to cope with modern construction challenges. As a conversion course, it gives a solid foundation for converting into, or accelerating, a career as a Building Services Engineer, or Technical Sustainability Consultant.
This flexible degree is aimed at graduates or experienced construction professionals with a wide range of backgrounds in addition to Engineering, such as Project Management, Architecture, the Sciences or Mathematics. Courses are taught by experts in their fields ensuring that content reflects cutting-edge knowledge in the industry. Our active Industry Advisory Panel (including the last two CIBSE Chairs) also includes senior construction professionals from local and global consultants and contractors who help us keep the degree at the cutting edge, and relevant for challenges that lie ahead.
Centre of Excellence in Sustainable Building Design
Our Architectural Engineering courses are delivered by the Royal Academy of Engineering Centre of Excellence in Sustainable Building Design. This is one of four such Centres established at UK universities that jointly form a national network to demonstrate and exchange best practice in teaching and research for the sustainable built environment. The Centre also ensures graduates from our courses will be used to working within an inter-disciplinary environment involving architecture, engineering and construction.
The online Building Services Engineering degree has been designed with flexibility in mind. It is ideal for those in employment or with other commitments, providing flexible study options that fit around work or family. Some features that our students value include:
MSc degrees can be completed between 2½ - 8 years, depending on your pace of study.
You have up to two years to complete an individual course (or module) after registering for the course.
Courses are paid for on a 'pay-as-you-study' basis, allowing you to spread the payments across the duration of your degree.
Employability
There is an increasing need for construction professionals who understand the need to mitigate against future carbon emissions, and to adapt to future climate threats and predictions: Building Services Engineers are the main provider of these initiatives in the team.
They are the professionals who understand design lifecycles and who can make appropriate material and design decisions which meet the needs of building users now, but also preserve resources for future generations, are sought in every industry sector. The ability to save money, improve sustainability and lower organisational impact is critical.
We have students from all ages, cultures, backgrounds and walks of life but there are two distinct and common motivations: Some students come to advance their existing careers. Others are from different educational or professional backgrounds and wish to enter the industry using this qualification. The degree is designed and sought after to serve both purposes.
*Price shown is for indicative purposes, please
September 2025
Online Campus
United Kingdom
Students need minimum of 2:2 honours degree or equivalent academic qualification in cognate and semi-cognate subject area, corporate (or chartered) membership of relevant professional institutions will also be considered. If English is not the applicant's first language a minimum of IELTS 6.5 or equivalent is required with all elements passed at 6.0 or above.
*There may be different IELTS requirements depending on your chosen course.
Heriot-Watt University is a world-leading institution ranked 235th in the world (QS World University Rankings 2024).