Training course

Overview

Building Technology for Managers is a comprehensive professional training course designed to develop the technical knowledge, managerial capabilities, and strategic understanding required to effectively oversee modern building systems, construction technologies, and facility performance. The course provides managers with a practical understanding of building science, structural systems, construction materials, building envelopes, mechanical and electrical services, fire protection, quality management, safety, sustainability, digital construction, and lifecycle asset management. It is designed to help managers interpret technical information, communicate effectively with engineering and construction teams, evaluate technical risks, and make informed decisions that support project delivery and operational performance.

This Building Technology for Managers training course examines the relationship between building design, construction methods, materials, building services, regulatory requirements, quality standards, and long-term asset performance. Participants explore architectural, structural, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, fire protection, and building automation systems from a managerial perspective, with emphasis on coordination, constructability, maintainability, energy efficiency, reliability, and lifecycle cost. Practical management tools such as risk registers, inspection and test plans, technical checklists, BIM workflows, performance dashboards, lifecycle cost analysis, root cause analysis, and maintenance planning are integrated throughout the program.

The course also develops managerial competence in building quality assurance, health and safety, environmental management, sustainability, energy efficiency, building performance, defect prevention, commissioning, handover, and operational readiness. Relevant standards and frameworks, including ISO 9001 for quality management, ISO 14001 for environmental management, ISO 45001 for occupational health and safety, BIM principles, lifecycle asset management concepts, and applicable building codes and technical standards, are incorporated to help participants understand how technical requirements translate into managerial controls. Case studies and real-world scenarios enable participants to evaluate construction and operational challenges, identify risks, assess alternatives, and develop practical improvement strategies.

By the end of the Building Technology for Managers course, participants will be better equipped to manage multidisciplinary technical teams, evaluate building technology proposals, oversee construction and refurbishment activities, control quality and technical risks, improve building energy and operational performance, and support informed capital investment decisions. The program progresses from fundamental building technology concepts to advanced management applications, including digital construction, smart buildings, predictive maintenance, retrofit strategies, sustainability, resilience, lifecycle economics, and integrated building performance. Practical exercises, case studies, technical decision-making activities, and a final integrated management capstone reinforce the ability to apply learning directly within construction, property, facilities, engineering, infrastructure, and asset-management environments.

Course Duration

10 Days (80 Hours)

Target Participants

·         Building and construction managers

·         Property and facilities managers

·         Engineering managers

·         Project managers responsible for building projects

·         Construction managers and site managers

·         Maintenance and asset managers

·         Technical services managers

·         Operations managers responsible for buildings and facilities

·         Real estate and property development professionals

·         Procurement and commercial managers involved in building projects

·         Architects, engineers, and technical professionals moving into management roles

·         Professionals responsible for building performance, sustainability, or energy management

·         Government, institutional, and corporate managers overseeing building assets

·         Senior supervisors and professionals seeking broader managerial understanding of building technology

Course Objectives

By the end of the training, participants will be able to:

·         Explain fundamental building technology concepts and their implications for managerial decision-making.

·         Interpret architectural, structural, MEP, fire protection, and building-services documentation at a managerial level.

·         Evaluate foundations, structural systems, floors, walls, façades, roofs, and building-envelope technologies.

·         Assess construction materials, finishes, durability, compatibility, and lifecycle performance.

·         Understand the purpose, coordination, and performance requirements of major mechanical, electrical, plumbing, HVAC, fire protection, and vertical transportation systems.

·         Apply quality management principles, inspection processes, testing requirements, and defect-prevention techniques.

·         Manage building health and safety, environmental risks, technical compliance, and construction-related hazards.

·         Evaluate energy efficiency, sustainability, resilience, accessibility, fire safety, and overall building performance.

·         Use BIM, digital construction tools, building information, smart-building technologies, and performance data to support managerial decisions.

·         Apply lifecycle costing, total cost of ownership, maintenance strategies, asset-performance management, and retrofit planning.

·         Manage commissioning, testing, handover, operational readiness, and transition into building operations.

·         Develop integrated technical and managerial solutions through practical exercises, case studies, and a final building technology management capstone.

Course Content

Day 1: Building Technology Foundations, Professional Management, and Building Systems

Module 1: Building Technology Foundations, Professional Management, and Building Systems

1.      Introduction to Building Technology and the Managerial Role

2.      Building Lifecycle, Project Stages, and Technology Decision-Making

3.      Building Types, Functional Requirements, and Performance Objectives

4.      Building Science Fundamentals: Heat, Air, Moisture, Energy, and Comfort

5.      Architectural Drawings, Specifications, Schedules, and Technical Documentation

6.      Structural, Architectural, and MEP System Interfaces

7.      Building Codes, Regulations, Technical Standards, and Compliance Management

8.      Building Technology Risk Identification and Technical Decision-Making

9.      Managerial Coordination of Multidisciplinary Building Teams

10.  Practical Exercise: Technical Review of a Multidisciplinary Building Project

Day 2: Foundations, Structural Systems, Floors, and Building Frames

Module 2: Foundations, Structural Systems, Floors, and Building Frames

1.      Site Investigation and Ground Conditions for Managerial Decision-Making

2.      Site Preparation, Earthworks, Excavation, Compaction, and Ground Improvement

3.      Shallow Foundations, Rafts, Deep Foundations, and Piling Systems

4.      Foundation Risks, Settlement, Groundwater, and Structural Movement

5.      Reinforced Concrete Structural Systems and Construction Considerations

6.      Structural Steel Frames, Connections, Fabrication, and Erection

7.      Timber, Composite, Hybrid, and Alternative Structural Systems

8.      Floors, Slabs, Screeds, Raised Floors, and Structural Interfaces

9.      Structural Quality Control, Tolerances, Inspections, and Technical Acceptance

10.  Case Study: Managerial Evaluation of Foundation and Structural-System Alternatives

Day 3: Walls, Façades, Roofs, Building Envelopes, and Moisture Control

Module 3: Walls, Façades, Roofs, Building Envelopes, and Moisture Control

1.      Masonry Walls, Partitions, Drywall, and Internal Wall Systems

2.      External Walls, Cladding, Rainscreens, and Façade Technologies

3.      Curtain Walls, Glazing, Shading Devices, and Solar Control

4.      Roof Structures, Roofing Systems, Waterproofing, and Drainage

5.      Thermal Insulation, Vapour Control, Air Barriers, and Thermal Performance

6.      Moisture Management, Damp Proofing, Condensation, and Water Ingress

7.      Thermal Bridges, Air Leakage, and Building Envelope Performance

8.      Façade and Roof Defects, Failure Modes, and Diagnostic Approaches

9.      Building Envelope Inspection, Maintenance, and Lifecycle Management

10.  Practical Exercise: Building Envelope Defect Investigation and Corrective-Action Planning

Day 4: Construction Materials, Finishes, Durability, and Quality Management

Module 4: Construction Materials, Finishes, Durability, and Quality Management

1.      Concrete Materials, Mix Design, Placement, Curing, and Durability

2.      Concrete Testing, Cracking, Defects, Repair, and Performance Assessment

3.      Steel, Welding, Corrosion Protection, Fabrication, and Inspection

4.      Timber, Polymers, Ceramics, Glass, Aluminium, and Composite Materials

5.      Masonry Materials, Mortars, Adhesives, and Material Compatibility

6.      Plastering, Rendering, Flooring, Painting, Coatings, and Decorative Finishes

7.      Material Selection Based on Performance, Cost, Availability, and Lifecycle

8.      Quality Assurance and Quality Control in Building Construction

9.      ISO 9001 Principles, Inspection and Test Plans, Hold Points, and Nonconformance Management

10.  Case Study: Material Selection, Quality Failure Investigation, and Corrective-Action Exercise

Day 5: Building Services, MEP Coordination, and Technical Systems

Module 5: Building Services, MEP Coordination, and Technical Systems

1.      Building Services Management and Integrated MEP Systems

2.      HVAC Systems, Ventilation, Thermal Comfort, and Indoor Air Quality

3.      Plumbing, Water Supply, Drainage, and Sanitary Systems

4.      Electrical Distribution, Lighting, Emergency Power, and Building Electrical Systems

5.      Transformers, Generators, UPS Systems, Automatic Transfer, and Electrical Resilience

6.      Fire Detection, Fire Alarm, Fire Suppression, and Life-Safety Systems

7.      Vertical Transportation: Lifts, Escalators, and Accessibility Considerations

8.      Building Management Systems, Controls, Sensors, and Automation

9.      MEP Coordination, Clash Management, Maintainability, and Technical Handover

10.  Real-World Scenario: Managerial Review of an Integrated MEP Coordination Problem

Day 6: Quality Assurance, Inspection, Defects, Safety, and Environmental Management

Module 6: Quality Assurance, Inspection, Defects, Safety, and Environmental Management

1.      Building Quality Management Systems and Managerial Quality Responsibilities

2.      Inspection Planning, Checklists, Testing, Verification, and Documentation

3.      Snagging, Punch Lists, Nonconformance Reports, and Defect Management

4.      Root Cause Analysis Using Five Whys, Fishbone, Pareto, and PDCA

5.      Defect Prevention, Corrective Action, Preventive Action, and Continuous Improvement

6.      Construction Health and Safety Management and ISO 45001 Principles

7.      Work-at-Height, Lifting, Excavation, Electrical, and Machinery Risk Management

8.      Environmental Management and ISO 14001 Principles for Building Projects

9.      Construction Waste, Dust, Noise, Water, Pollution, and Resource Management

10.  Practical Exercise: Building Quality, Safety, and Environmental Risk Assessment

Day 7: Energy Efficiency, Sustainability, Resilience, and Building Performance

Module 7: Energy Efficiency, Sustainability, Resilience, and Building Performance

1.      Building Energy Performance and Energy-Management Fundamentals

2.      Passive Building Design, Orientation, Shading, Insulation, and Natural Ventilation

3.      HVAC Efficiency, Lighting Efficiency, Controls, and Energy Optimization

4.      Renewable Energy Integration and On-Site Energy Generation

5.      Water Efficiency, Rainwater Management, Reuse, and Conservation

6.      Sustainable Materials, Circular Construction, Waste Reduction, and Resource Efficiency

7.      Fire Safety, Accessibility, Universal Design, and Occupant Protection

8.      Climate Resilience, Extreme Weather, Adaptation, and Building Continuity

9.      Lifecycle Costing, Total Cost of Ownership, and Sustainable Investment Decisions

10.  Case Study: Developing a Building Energy, Sustainability, and Resilience Improvement Plan

Day 8: BIM, Digital Construction, Smart Buildings, and Building Information

Module 8: BIM, Digital Construction, Smart Buildings, and Building Information

1.      Building Information Modelling and Managerial Applications of BIM

2.      BIM Coordination, Model Review, Clash Detection, and Information Requirements

3.      4D Construction Planning and Schedule Visualization

4.      5D BIM, Quantity Information, Cost Planning, and Commercial Decision Support

5.      Common Data Environments and Digital Document Management

6.      Digital Site Inspections, Mobile Field Applications, and Technical Reporting

7.      Smart Buildings, IoT Sensors, Building Management Systems, and Connected Assets

8.      Building Analytics, Energy Monitoring, Dashboards, and Performance Intelligence

9.      Digital Twins, Predictive Analytics, AI-Assisted Building Management, and Emerging Technologies

10.  Practical Exercise: Developing a Digital Building Management and Performance Dashboard

Day 9: Advanced Diagnostics, Maintenance, Retrofit, and Lifecycle Asset Management

Module 9: Advanced Building Diagnostics, Maintenance, Retrofit, and Lifecycle Asset Management

1.      Building Condition Assessment and Technical Diagnostic Methodologies

2.      Non-Destructive Testing, Monitoring, Inspection, and Failure Investigation

3.      Building Maintenance Strategies: Corrective, Preventive, Predictive, and Condition-Based

4.      Asset Registers, Criticality Assessment, Maintenance Prioritization, and CMMS

5.      Reliability, Availability, Maintainability, and Building-Service Performance

6.      Building Retrofit, Refurbishment, Modernization, and Adaptive Reuse

7.      Lifecycle Asset Management, Lifecycle Costing, and Total Cost of Ownership

8.      Prefabrication, Modular Construction, Off-Site Manufacturing, and Productivity

9.      Emerging Building Technologies, Automation, Robotics, AI, and Advanced Materials

10.  Case Study: Developing a Lifecycle Asset Optimization and Building Retrofit Strategy

Day 10: Commissioning, Handover, Operations, Lifecycle Management, and Capstone

Module 10: Commissioning, Handover, Operations, Lifecycle Management, and Capstone

1.      Commissioning Principles, Planning, Roles, and Managerial Responsibilities

2.      Pre-Commissioning Inspections, Testing, Verification, and Systems Readiness

3.      HVAC Testing, Air Balancing, Electrical Testing, and MEP Performance Verification

4.      Integrated Systems Testing, Fire-Life-Safety Verification, and Functional Performance

5.      Handover Planning, As-Built Documentation, O&M Manuals, and Asset Registers

6.      Operational Readiness, User Training, Maintenance Planning, and Facilities Transition

7.      Defects Liability, Warranty Management, Post-Occupancy Evaluation, and Performance Review

8.      Building Performance Monitoring, Continuous Improvement, and Lifecycle Optimization

9.      Executive Reporting, Technical KPIs, Management Dashboards, and Building Investment Decisions

10.  Integrated Capstone Exercise: Develop a Complete Building Technology Management Strategy Covering Technical Systems, Quality, Safety, Sustainability, Digital Management, Maintenance, Lifecycle Cost, Commissioning, Handover, and Operational Performance