Architectural Engineering Syllabus

The curriculum differs among institutions. The following syllabus is representative and should not be presented as the official syllabus of every college.

First-Year Subjects

Engineering Mathematics: Algebra, calculus, differential equations, probability, statistics and numerical methods.

Engineering Physics: Mechanics, heat, acoustics, optics, electricity and material behaviour.

Engineering Chemistry: Construction materials, corrosion, polymers, water chemistry and environmental applications.

Engineering Mechanics: Forces, equilibrium, friction, centroids, trusses and motion.

Engineering Graphics: Orthographic projection, sections, dimensioning, building drawings and computer-aided drafting.

Introduction to Architectural Design: Design principles, space, form, scale, circulation and human requirements.

Building Materials: Stone, brick, cement, concrete, steel, timber, glass, polymers, composites and finishing materials.

Computer Programming: Basic programming, problem-solving and computational applications.

Workshop Practice: Carpentry, fitting, masonry, model making and safe tool use.

Communication Skills: Technical writing, presentations, teamwork and professional communication.

Second-Year Subjects

Strength of Materials: Stress, strain, bending, torsion, columns and deformation.

Structural Analysis: Determinate structures, trusses, beams, frames and load paths.

Building Construction: Foundations, walls, floors, roofs, stairs, openings, finishes and construction details.

Surveying: Measurement, levelling, traversing, total-station fundamentals and site mapping.

Fluid Mechanics: Fluid properties, pressure, flow, pipe systems and pumps.

Thermodynamics and Heat Transfer: Heat, energy, thermal systems, conduction, convection and radiation.

Building Services: Introduction to water supply, drainage, electrical systems, ventilation and fire protection.

Architectural Planning: Functional planning, building orientation, circulation and space standards.

Computer-Aided Design: Two-dimensional drafting, three-dimensional modelling and drawing production.

Environmental Studies: Ecosystems, pollution, resource use and sustainable development.

Third-Year Subjects

Reinforced Concrete Design: Behaviour and design of slabs, beams, columns and foundations.

Steel Structures: Structural steel members, connections, roof systems and frames.

Soil Mechanics and Foundation Engineering: Soil properties, bearing capacity, settlement and foundation selection.

Heating, Ventilation and Air-Conditioning: Thermal comfort, cooling loads, air distribution, equipment and controls.

Electrical Building Systems: Load estimation, distribution, earthing, protection, emergency power and lighting.

Plumbing and Public Health Engineering: Water supply, drainage, sanitation, rainwater systems and treatment.

Fire Safety Engineering: Fire behaviour, detection, alarms, suppression, evacuation and smoke management.

Building Science: Climate, heat, moisture, daylight, air movement and occupant comfort.

Construction Management: Planning, scheduling, resources, safety, quality and documentation.

Building Information Modelling: Digital building models, multidisciplinary coordination, quantity information and clash detection.

Fourth-Year Subjects

Advanced Structural Systems: High-rise structures, long-span systems, shells, space frames and lateral-load resistance.

Earthquake-Resistant Design: Seismic behaviour, structural configuration, ductility and code-based design principles.

Sustainable Building Design: Passive design, energy conservation, water efficiency, materials and environmental assessment.

Building Energy Modelling: Simulation of energy use, envelope performance, HVAC systems and efficiency measures.

Acoustics and Noise Control: Sound behaviour, room acoustics, insulation and mechanical-system noise.

Smart Buildings and Automation: Sensors, controls, building-management systems, monitoring and analytics.

Estimation, Costing and Valuation: Quantity take-off, rates, budgets, life-cycle cost and valuation fundamentals.

Contracts and Professional Practice: Procurement, tenders, contracts, ethics, responsibilities and dispute awareness.

Facility Management: Building operation, maintenance, commissioning, performance monitoring and asset management.

Internship: Supervised experience in consulting, construction, BIM, building services or project management.

Major Project: Integrated design or research addressing structural, environmental and building-services requirements.

Representative Semester-Wise Syllabus

Common Elective Subjects

Electives may include:

• high-rise building design;
• green-building assessment;
• advanced BIM;
• computational design;
• façade engineering;
• daylight simulation;
• renewable-energy systems;
• building commissioning;
• advanced concrete technology;
• prefabrication and modular construction;
• heritage-building technology;
• intelligent lighting;
• indoor air quality;
• hospital engineering;
• data-centre services;
• airport building systems;
• urban infrastructure;
• construction law;
• project finance;
• digital twins;
• building performance analytics; and
• disaster-resistant design.

Architectural Engineering Laboratories

Materials laboratory: Testing of cement, concrete, steel, bricks and other construction materials.

Structural laboratory: Behaviour of beams, columns, trusses and structural components.

Surveying laboratory: Levelling instruments, total stations and site measurements.

Environmental engineering laboratory: Water quality, treatment and environmental testing.

Building-services laboratory: Demonstration of pumps, ducts, electrical panels, plumbing fixtures and fire systems.

Energy laboratory: Thermal measurements, lighting studies and building-performance analysis.

CAD and BIM laboratory: Digital drafting, three-dimensional modelling and multidisciplinary coordination.

Geotechnical laboratory: Soil classification, compaction, shear strength and foundation-related tests.

Practical Training and Internship

Practical exposure may involve:

• preparing working drawings;
• producing structural layouts;
• calculating building loads;
• modelling HVAC and electrical systems;
• creating BIM models;
• conducting clash detection;
• preparing quantity estimates;
• inspecting construction work;
• reviewing material tests;
• observing fire-safety installations;
• conducting energy audits;
• preparing progress reports; and
• documenting quality or safety issues.

Students should maintain a portfolio containing drawings, calculations, BIM views, reports and project summaries. Confidential client data should not be shared without permission.

Architectural Engineering Project Ideas

Possible projects include:

• energy-efficient institutional building;
• net-zero-energy residence;
• BIM coordination of a hospital;
• earthquake-resistant school design;
• passive cooling for a hot climate;
• daylight optimisation in an office;
• rainwater harvesting and reuse;
• fire-safety planning for a high-rise building;
• acoustic design of an auditorium;
• prefabricated affordable housing;
• structural comparison of framing systems;
• smart-building monitoring system;
• life-cycle cost analysis of HVAC alternatives;
• adaptive building façade;
• construction-waste reduction plan;
• energy retrofit of an existing building;
• indoor air-quality assessment;
• green roof performance study;
• modular emergency shelter; and
• digital twin for facility management.