Response To Report On Programme Validation
(Q3 Report) For ME IN Advanced HVAC Systems
Introduction
The validation event for his proposed programme took place on 20th June 2014.
Subsequently a draft report was received. The final report was received on 15th
October 2014.
1.0 Findings of the Panel
1.1 It is believed that the programme team should emphasise more the staff
achievements in relation to the development of their competencies in teaching
and learning and the use of technology to enhance student experience.
More emphasis will be placed on the staff achievements in teaching and learning
and their use of technology in this area.
2.0 Conditions
2.1 The modules in HVAC Systems for Sterile Manufacturing, Water Conservation,
Appraisal and Validation, Advanced Energy Systems should be core modules for
all students of the ME in Advanced HVAC Systems.
The programme committee agrees that these four modules should be core
elements of the programme. Upon review, the committee also feels that the
module Renewable and Low Carbon Energy Technology should also be a core
module (bearing in mind how modern HVAC engineering is developing and the
great emphasis that is currently put on energy conservation). To accommodate
the learning outcomes associated with all five of these modules, the programme
committee has revised the Renewable and Low Carbon Energy Technology
module to eliminate small areas of overlap in content.
2.2
Heat and Mass Transfer and Thermal Concepts and Processes 1 modules should
be reviewed and offered both at foundation and at advanced level. The
foundation version of these modules should be core for non mechanical or non
building services graduates. Mechanical and Building Services Engineering
graduates should not be allowed to take the foundation level modules.
There is a difficulty in dividing Heat and Mass Transfer into a foundation and
advanced level module. This module is currently taught and has been taught for
the last four years as a single level 9 module in the ME Mechanical Engineering.
This programme including this module has also been recently accredited by
Engineers Ireland, as currently delivered. It would not be possible therefore to
divide the module and retain commonality of delivery.
It is however possible to treat the modules Thermal Concepts and Processes 1
and 2 as foundation and advanced level modules with module 1 a core module
restricted to non mechanical and non building services engineering graduates
and module 2 an elective module. As Thermal Concepts and Processes 1 and 2
contain major elements of heat transfer and therefore there is some duplication
here with the existing module Heat and Mass Transfer, it is proposed that the
module Heat and Mass Transfer be removed from this programme entirely as an
elective or core module.
It would also be proposed to move the element of Heat Transfer currently in
Thermal Concepts and Processes 2 and relocate it in Thermal Concepts and
Processes 1 as being more appropriate in what would now become a foundation
module. There is a strong interest in the modules Thermal Concepts and
Processes 1 and 2 by the programme team for the MSc in Energy Management
(DT015) and it is very likely that these modules would be selected as core or
electives for this programme which would address the commonality lost by
eliminating the Heat and Mass Transfer module from the ME Advanced HVAC
Systems programme.
2.3
Students should then take the remainder of the ECTS from all the other options
available.
The four modules of Block 2 (Research Methods, Entrepreneurship for
Engineers, Innovation and Knowledge Management and Statistical Analysis for
Engineers) are designated College wide modules for all level 9 programmes in
Engineering and are currently running for all engineering programmes for a
number of years. It is not possible to change this situation. However the other
modules proposed for the programme can be electives as proposed by the review
3.0 panel. The revised module listing for the programme would then be as shown on
Appendix I.
3.1
Recommendations
The module on advanced Thermal Concepts and Processes should replace TCP2
and should remove heat transfer and refocus on thermodynamic cycles, turbomachinery and advanced HVAC applications. The inclusion of additional
advanced material should be added as appropriate.
The programme committee has reviewed the relevant modules, in light of this
recommendation and Condition 2.2, and it is now proposed to remove the module
Heat and Mass Transfer from the list entirely. In this event it would be proposed
to retain the element on Heat Transfer currently in Thermal Concepts and
Processes 2 but to relocate it in Technical Concepts and Processes 1 as suggested.
The space provided in Thermal Concepts and Processes 2 by this relocation will
allow additional advanced material on HVAC principles to be included.
3.2
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Page 13 of the Handbook should clarify that the programme leads to a Masters
qualification but that students may in exceptional circumstances seek to exit with
a PgCert or PgDiploma. The Panel recommends that the programme
management carefully review the title of the PgCert award.
3.3
The Handbook will be amended to clarify that the PgCert and PgDiploma are
intended as exit awards for those who, due to unforeseen circumstances, are
unable to complete the full 90 credits of the ME programme. As stated on page
13 of the Handbook only those who complete “an approved selection of 6 taught
modules” will be awarded the PG Certificate and this requirement will ensure
that only those who have completed modules in the HVAC area will be awarded a
PG Certificate in Advanced HVAC Systems.
The Panel recommends that a section related to the strategy on
internationalisation be included in the programme documentation.
Page 9 of the Supporting Document contains a section on International/Non EU
applicants. The strategy on international students is handled directly by the
International Office, part of Central Services, and to a lesser extent at College
level and through the Head of Engagement. Further detail on this aspect will be
included at 1.5.4 in the Supporting Document.
3.4 The programme learning outcomes should be revised to be more broad-based
and there should be a clear alignment between the module learning outcomes and
the overall programme learning outcomes.
Through the annual quality assurance processes and reviews, the programme
committee will ensure that each module learning outcome contributes to the
achievement of one or more programme outcomes.
3.5 In order to facilitate integration, commonalities and synergies between modules
should be evident within module descriptors.
As many of the modules within the programme are shared across multiple
programmes it would not be appropriate to make specific references to other
modules, particularly when no prerequisite or co-requisite modules have been
defined. However, the lecturers will make commonality and synergies explicit to
the students, in addition to specific applications relevant to each programme.
The module descriptors template is a DIT wide standard document and does not
have a field for showing commonalities and synergies between modules. However
it is clear in the document that many modules are complementary to each other
as indicated below: (1) Dissertation and Research Methods and Statistical Analysis and Design and
Analysis of Experiments and Engineering Optimisation, and Appraisal and
Validation of Dynamic Simulation Modelling.
(2) Thermal concepts and Processes 1 and 2 and Advanced Energy Systems and
Renewable and Low Carbon Energy Technologies and Design and Analysis of
Experiments.
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(3) Environmental Noise Assessment and Water Conservation Harvesting and
Reuse.
3.6
(4) Final Element Analysis and Computational Fluid Dynamics and HVAC
Systems or Sterile Manufacturing and Thermal Concepts and Processes 1
and 2.
(5) Entrepreneurship for Engineers and Innovation and Knowledge
Management.
The Programme Team should ensure that students will develop particular skills
(eg project management, understanding of tendering contracts, EU legislation
etc) upon the successful completion of the programme.
It is intended as described in Section 5.1 of the Supporting Document that the
module listing is not fixed or static but will develop on an ongoing basis to meet
emerging needs by way of developing new modules or by deciding to adopt other
appropriate level 9 modules from among those currently being delivered in other
programmes. The Project Management (PM) area would be one such area
should it become evident that incoming graduates are not already skilled in that
area through work experience or their undergraduate studies, most of which
(including the BE Building Services Engineering) have a PM module at level 8.
3.7 The Student Handbook should clarify the requirement for student self-directed
learning as part of the modules.
All the detailed module descriptors in the Handbook specify for each module the
extent of the self directed learning required. Details are given in pages 44-46 of
the Library physical and electronic resources and databases available to facilitate
students with self directed learning. The major element of the self directed
learning which the student will engage in will be the 30 credit Dissertation. Very
extensive information is given on this in pages 35-39 and pages 103-105 of the
programme Handbook, on the requirement for students self directed learning.
3.8 The language within the module learning outcomes should be reviewed to ensure
that it reflects the relevant NQF award descriptors.
Through the annual quality assurance processes, the programme committee will
review the appropriateness of the module learning outcomes in the context of the
level 9 programme outcomes and Engineers Ireland requirements.
3.9 The Programme Team should review the assessment strategy, in particular the
heavy weighting on the final written examination in the majority of modules.
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The table beneath indicates the breakdown of the marks between course work
and written examinations in the programme as shown in pages 50-53 of the
Handbook Document. As shown this breakdown shows that 63.3% of the marks
for the programme are allocated to continuously assessed elements and 36.6% of
the marks to written examinations. While the programme committee will review
the balance of the allocation between continuous assessment and written
examinations is currently of the view that any further favouring of continuous
assessment over written examinations would allocate even more of the available
marks to continuous assessment. It should also be noted that the degree
classification is determined on the basis of a credit weighted average as is normal
and described in page 13 of the Handbook, and this favours continuous
assessment over written examinations on a 2:1 ratio, with the current allocation.
Block
1
2
3
4
Modules
ECTS
Credits
Dissertation
4 Common Modules
(all required)
3 Modules from the
Common Elective List
5 Modules from the
Discipline Specific
Elective List
Total
Percentage
Marks
Exam
Total
30
20
Course
Work
600
230
0
170
600
400
15
120
180
300
25
190
310
500
90
1140
63.3%
660
36.6%
1800
100%
3.10 Further clarification of the continuous assessment/coursework element of
module assessment should be provided as necessary.
The following is given for the continuously assessed elements of the programme:
(1) The marks allocated for continuously assessed elements (pages 50-53 of
the Handbook).
(2) An extensive typical course work assignment briefing document Appendix
3 Handbook (pages 106-109).
(3) The major continuously assessed element is the 30 credit Dissertation. For
this module extensive information is given on pages 35-41 and pages 103105 of the Handbook document.
An assignment brief will be issued for all assignments when the assignment is
being issued to students. Appendix III of the Handbook is included as a typical
example of this.
Detailed general information on all the coursework assignments is given in pages
27-31 of the Handbook document in Section 15 - Coursework Assignments.
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Extensive information on all modules is given in the detailed module descriptors
in pages 55-105 of the Handbook document. All these module descriptors apply
3.11 to the assessment of the module by continuous assessment as well as by written
examinations (where there is one).
Assessment criteria should be included within the Student Handbook, in
particular in relation to the dissertation.
A detailed list of the assessment criteria for the Dissertation is given in page 36
of the Handbook. Detailed information on the assessment process is given in
pages 39-40 of the Handbook. Detailed information is given on the breakdown
of marks for the Dissertation in page 41. Typical assessment criteria and marks
is shown in pages 106-109 of the Handbook. The Assessment Regulations and
3.12 penalties for late submissions are given in page 19 and the procedure for
assessing written examinations is given in pages 20-27 of the Handbook.
Module reading lists should be reviewed and brought up-to-date as appropriate.
In certain modules significant revision is necessary, eg the essential reading list
in the module Appraisal and Validation in DSM.
Generally the reading lists range from 2000 to 2012 and are kept up to date.
The exception to this is often where a fundamental text is being dealt with and
where a particular text has proven itself to be invaluable in teaching practice
over many years and where there is no single contemporary substitute for the
approach and scope of the text (e.g. Paul O’Callaghan - Energy Management
(1993) and WF Stoecker - Design of Thermal Systems (1989)). In both of these
cases other (but often less effective) texts with publication dates of 2009-2014 are
also given. It should also be noted that as mentioned in the programme
documents extensive use will be made of contemporary journal and current
standard specifications, as being the most likely source of emerging information.
A list of current electronic and hard coy holdings held in the Library is given in
page 46 of the programme Handbook.
With regard to the module Appraisal and Validation of Dynamic Simulation
Modelling the reading list dates from 1999,2000, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009 and
2012. A selection of essential work in the field by Loutzenhiser Manz, Strachan
and Jankovic is dealt with.
3.13 Module descriptors and syllabus content should be reviewed to indicate their
relevance to HVAC and their application, for example the Environmental Noise
Assessment module.
The modules in Block 2 and Block 3 as presented are common modules with
other ME programmes. These modules while not specific to HVAC engineering
are relevant to the field particularly as a means of broadening and deepening
the students education and strengthening their understanding and knowledge of
modern techniques in thermo-fluid processes.
As explained in page 3 of the Supporting Document the programme is designed
with cross discipline appeal in response to the manifold requirements of
industry and the necessity to address viability.
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The range of skills required by those in the HVAC industry are wide,
particularly when they are members of a design team and as such usually have
the brief for all mechanical aspects. For example building design teams are not
simply involved in detailed design within buildings but are also involved in the
often more challenging aspects of design at the planning stage of a project. At
this stage of the project aspects such as the export and import of noise and other
environmental features such as CO2 and NOx generation and water related
aspects need to be considered as they are all considered in the EIS
(Environmental Impact Statement) for the project. A recent relevant example is
the running of the new Luas Green Line down Marlborough Street in Dublin.
The noise implications of this for the Abbey Theatre (which is already adversely
affected by the existing Red Luas Line on Abbey Street) have to be examined
and remedial measures developed (see Appendix II).
Furthermore HVAC engineers are not just involved in the design of buildings
per se but are also involved in the design of stadia and buildings and proposed
buildings adjacent to entertainment venues, motorways, airports, industry,
construction sites and wind turbines. In all of these areas an assessment needs
to be made of environmental noise issues.
Students entering this programme who have completed the BE (Building
Services Engineering) degree will have studied elements of acoustics within
buildings and this module aims to broaden their knowledge and education in
areas not previously covered but still very relevant to their developing
employment skills. This is one of the functions of the module.
It should also be understood that HVAC engineers are often heavily involved in
industrial projects where the design of HVAC systems is not primarily
concerned with the challenges and loads generated by the building as such, but
by the industrial and manufacturing processes themselves. The programme is
ME Advanced HVAC Systems and is not meant to be necessarily confined to
environmental control of buildings as such and this is not stated anywhere in the
Programme Documents. If for example a student wished to do their
3.14 Dissertation on HVAC systems in a train, or data processing pods, or
refrigerated transport, or even heat dissipation in concrete curing, (as the
Mechanical member of a design team) they would not be ruled out(please see
page 104 of the Handbook).
A dissertation handbook or guidelines should be developed that includes
timelines for the completion of the various stages of the dissertation.
As normal a dissertation briefing document will be prepared in due course
which will include a time line. In the programme Handbook extensive
information is already provided on this in pages 35-41 and page 103-105. This
information contains a typical sequence of events (page 40) and detailed
information on proposal, execution, submission, evaluation and marketing.
3.15 The programme documentation should be proofread and edited to ensure
accuracy and consistency throughout, eg module learning hours within module
descriptors, and other areas within the supporting documentation in relation to
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graduate attributes and distance versus blended learning.
The programme chair will review the documents to ensure accuracy and
consistency. Errors associated with module learning hours have been addressed.
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APPENDIX I
Block 1

30 Credit Research Dissertation
Block 2 College Common ME Modules (all required 20 credits)

Research Methods

Entrepreneurship for Engineers

Innovation and Knowledge Management

Statistical Analysis for Engineers
Block 3 Core Modules (25-30 Credits)

HVAC Systems for Sterile Manufacturing

Water Conservation Harvesting and Reuse

Appraisal and Validation in Dynamic Simulation Modelling

Advanced Energy Systems

Renewable and Low Carbon Energy Technology

Thermal Concepts and Processes 1 (non BSE and non Mechanical graduates
only)
Block 4 Elective Modules
 Finite Element Analysis

Computational Fluid Dynamics

Thermal Concepts and Processes 2

Environmental Noise Assessment

Design and Analysis of Experiments

Engineering Optimisation (value engineering)
Two modules must be chosen from Block 4 by non Mechanical and non Building
Services Engineering graduates. All others must take three modules from Block 4.
It is intended that Block 3 and Block 4 modules will appear as electives in other level
9 programmes in engineering such as ME Mechanical Engineering and MSc Energy
Management
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