You may interested in following a career in Building Engineering, or Architectural Engineering, but you are not quite sure what the subject covers. The first thing to realize is that architectural engineers are not architects. While an architect may be most interested in the appearance of a building, the architectural engineer will concentrate on the engineering within that building: engineering technologies and principles which he has learned to apply to the design and construction process. If you wish to follow this type of engineering career than an architectural engineering degree is an excellent qualification to achieve.
You may be confused about the difference between an architect and an architectural engineer. An architect is interested in designing buildings, and he may be more interested in the aesthetic qualities of the building rather than in its methods of construction. Whereas an architectural engineer is trained to use engineering principles, techniques and technologies to ensure that the building is fit for purpose.
The budding architectural engineer will most likely learn about those engineering techniques during his bachelor degree course. His course will cover aspects from electrical engineering, from mechanical engineering, and from civil or structural engineering disciplines. Computer aided design (CAD) applicable to the architectural engineering discipline will also be studied.
Under the topic of structural engineering the student will learn about the strengths and properties of different materials, and different structures. He will learn how to choose the best materials for his building, and how to analyze the ability of the structure to withstand the stresses faced in the environment. These will include the force of gravity (no-one will want a building which falls down under its own weight!), wind loads, and even earthquake loads.
The study of electrical and mechanical disciplines will be useful for the services which must be provided within the building: lighting, heating, plumbing, air-conditioning, elevators etc. For example the provision of heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) services will require the architectural engineer to have taken courses in electrical engineering, thermodynamics and fluid mechanics.
In the USA and in Canada architectural engineering has been recognized to be a distinct branch of engineering. Many colleges (over fifty in the US) provide degree level education in architectural engineering. Degree courses which are accredited by ABET (Accreditation Board of Engineering and Technology) will offer excellent employment prospects.
School students who are planning to study architectural engineering are advised to concentrate on mathematics and science courses. High mathematical standards are always required for students of all branches of engineering.
During your course you will probably find that your college or university arranges co-op and intern programs to help students gain real-world experience. Taking part in an intern program will give you a lot of good experience, and will undoubtedly be a good addition to your resume. This should help you get a better job when you finish your course.
Most bachelor degrees will take at least four years to complete, and anyone undertaking one should be prepared to put in a diligent effort over that time. The reward for that hard work will be that on completion of the course the student will have an interesting and well paid career ahead of him.
Want to know what you will be studying in an Architectural Engineering Degree college course? Get the inside scoop now in our comprehensive Degree in Architectural Engineering overview.
August 11, 2010 by Gregg Kell