MScSustainable Refurbishment
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- 1 year full-time
- 2 years full-time with placement
- 2 years part-time
Why study a sustainable refurbishment master's degree at Solent University
Sustainable refurbishment is a rapidly growing field in the UK, with increasing demand for professionals who can breathe new life into existing structures while minimising their environmental impact.
- 0thuniversity in the UK for low carbon emissions (THE 2023)
- £0minvested in our campus estate and facilities in the last five years
- Develop your skills to transform our built environment to deliver solutions to revitalise our cities and towns by turning outdated buildings into vibrant, efficient, and sustainable spaces that people love.
- You'll study in specialist studio spaces with industry-standard software. University-wide services include excellent learning resources, campus-wide wireless networking, extensive library services and dedicated student working spaces.
- Benefit from our strong industry links, offering our students a range of employment opportunities after graduation.
- This course also has a work experience placement option, forming the second year of study.
- Study on a course that prepares you for roles including sustainable refurbishment specialist, sustainability champion in design or construction companies, sustainable building assessor, sustainability consultant.
- You'll learn from industry experts. Our course team has a wealth of experience in sustainable construction management and will guide you through every step of your journey.
- Benefit from free design career consultation for life. Our careers advice service, Solent Futures is available to all Solent students and graduates for life, helping you to progress in your current career or discuss options for a change in career.
- This course is eligible for the Postgraduate Master's student loan. The loan is from Student Finance England and can be used to cover costs (ie, accommodation, tuition fees) associated with postgraduate studies (it was up to £12,167 for 2023 entry).
- You’ll be assigned a personal tutor who can assist you with pastoral support to help you make the most of your learning.
Course overview
Sustainable refurbishment is a rapidly growing field in the UK, with increasing demand for professionals who can breathe new life into existing structures while minimising their environmental impact. Solent's MSc Sustainable Refurbishment will help provide you with the skills to become a sustainable refurbishment specialist.
The course aims to produce specialist refurbishment designers with the vision and skills to improve the performance of existing building stock in UK and international markets.
During your studies, you'll develop an holistic approach to reducing the carbon footprint of existing buildings and gain essential skills in the design and production process of low-energy, sustainable refurbishments, using both passive and active strategies. You'll have access to Solent's excellent built environment facilities, working with up-to-date tools used by the building industry to achieve sustainable refurbishment, including building information modelling and globally renowned sustainability assessment benchmarks such as BREEAM and LEED.
The course benefits from extensive links with industry, formed over many years of delivering accredited courses with professional organisations (eg, CIAT, CIOB, and SBID). Practitioners from a cross-section of the built environment industry contribute regularly to the academic process by providing real-world projects, guest lectures, site visits and informal mentoring sessions.
To enhance employability prospects, a placement option is available for this course. This will enable you to apply the knowledge you've gained during your studies in a real-world industry environment.
Our suite of sustainable construction management, architecture and refurbishment courses have an international focus. Not only in the industry-led course content, but also in the student body. Our students are of many different nationalities, bringing with them a wealth of experience, meaning you'll study in a diverse, multicultural environment that reflects the truly global nature of the sustainable construction industry.
Student work
Our creative degrees allow our students to develop a critical eye for design with a knowledge of different design approaches and problem solving techniques. Take a look at some of the great work they produce.
Course features
Specialist facilities
This course has access to specialist facilities
Apply direct
You can apply direct to Solent University for this course
Part-time option
You can study this course part-time
Placement year
If you apply for this course with a placement year, you have the opportunity to undertake a year in industry for your second year.
Additional qualification
This course offers additional qualifications for you to obtain with your degree
This course is for
MSc Sustainable Refurbishment is ideally suited to architects, building technologists, interior architects, building designers, and other construction professionals who aim to specialise in designing, analysing and assessing the performances of refurbishment projects.
What this course leads to
We work with our industry partners to facilitate employment opportunities for students, and we continue to develop new relationships with the industry. We use our contacts to provide students with real-world employability skills such as guest lectures, site visits, and live briefs.
Graduates could consider roles such as:
- Sustainable refurbishment specialist
- Sustainability champion in design or construction companies
- Sustainable building assessor
- Sustainability consultant
- Environmental impact assessor
- Passivhaus designer
- BREEAM Accredited Practitioner
Meet the team
The University cannot guarantee any particular members of staff will teach specific aspects of the course in the future, but will endeavour to ensure the teaching team maintains their balance of experience and qualifications.
Facilities
Students will have access to specialist studio spaces, high-spec computers and a range of essential industry software packages.
Our vibrant campus brings state-of-the-art facilities to enhance your learning and elevate your student experience. Our award-winning teaching building, The Spark is centred around students and offers a stimulating study environment with flexible learning spaces. Away from studying, why not try out the gyms, fitness studios and sports halls in our £28 million Sports Complex, or watch a blockbuster film at our student-run cinema with Dolby Atmos audio.
Year one
Core modules
Building Information Management
Through this module you will investigate the changing nature of building projects and teams and how traditional methods of information, and their management are failing to meet information requirements to maximize value of investment in built assets.
Sustainable Building - Strategies and Assessment
During this module you'll examine the role of architectural design and the current trends of building standards and benchmarks that influence a building's efficiency during its whole life cycle. You'll gain an insight into the roles of different professionals in shaping the way the built environment responds to economic, social, and environmental global challenges. You'll also cover the principles of environmental assessment methods of buildings in the UK and internationally, how and when to use these methods, and their appropriateness to different design schemes.
Sustainable Refurbishment Analysis
In this module, you'll understand the theories, standards and CIBSE guides which define net-zero sustainable refurbishment of existing building. You'll learn about the challenges and opportunities driving the agenda for sustainable refurbishment of existing buildings while acquiring skills to analyse various building systems and components to optimize solutions for net zero sustainable refurbishment. You'll also acquire knowledge and practical skills to analyse the interactions between building fabric, building services, and building users and select solutions which ensure outcomes for net zero sustainable refurbishment are realised and maintained during building operations.
Sustainable Refurbishment Project
The aim of this module is to give you the opportunity to apply sustainable design principles on, where possible, a live refurbishment project. It will enable you to demonstrate understanding of how the design methods and tools can change the function, space planning, and performance of an existing building and affect its usability and environmental impact. Passive and active design principles of sustainable refurbishment will be developed through the design and detailing stages of the project. Typically, you will use ‘real-world’ and/or client-led scenarios to devise, present and justify coherent sustainable strategies that form an integral part of the refurbishment design, construction and operation of buildings.
Optional modules
Research Dissertation
This module asks you as a design researcher to reflect on and establish a research framework and set of skills needed for conducting your research dissertation and you will be able to demonstrate a critical awareness of the industrial context where your initial research is aligned with from the early stages of the module. You will be given lectures and seminars to help establish your understanding of up to date research skills, theories on how to aquire knowledge and skills to be able to communicate complex research information for an academic audience.
Design Project
The Design Project provides an opportunity to pursue independent lines of enquiry over an extended time frame. You will demonstrate your ability to systematically develop a sustainable design solution in response to a complex brief; pursue a coherent line of investigation; and undertake a range of complex design-based investigations leading to a comprehensive visual, written and oral presentation.
Learning resources
At Solent, our aim is to deliver innovative, inclusive and intellectually stimulating teaching to develop self-confident and highly employable graduates. All our courses are designed with employability in mind, which makes industry-based learning a priority.
Graduates will be able to utilise and demonstrate the application of the Passivhaus standard throughout their project work. Use of the BREEAM and LEED international environmental assessment benchmarks prepare students to work on projects all over the world.
Learn transferable skills
Students will graduate from the course having learnt a range of transferable project management, research, and presentation skills.
Industry links
Through discussions with industry partners, it is evident there is a huge pressure on the construction industry to reduce the environmental impact of existing buildings.
Councils, housing associations, builders, and construction companies are under pressure to increase the efficiency of buildings by 2050. Councils and housing associations are obliged to improve the energy ratings of their houses to a minimum of C by 2030. This has created a skills gap in the construction industry market - Solent's MSc Sustainable Refurbishment is aimed at helping to reduce this gap by providing graduates with the skills and knowledge desired by the industry to become sustainable refurbishment professionals.
Solent Careers
The Solent Careers team is committed to getting students into great careers.
While you are studying, the team can help you with finding work experience or placements, link you with a mentor, check your CV, or offer one-to-one guidance.
If you're in your final year, we also have graduate job opportunities just for Solent graduates.
6th
UK uni for sustained employment
Longitudinal Educational Outcomes, 2022
Alumni network
As part of our global alumni community, you can take advantage of a range of benefits.
Whether it's been days or decades since you left us, or you're soon to don your cap and gown, things are constantly changing at Solent. We're always innovating, but we're also immensely proud of our heritage. And that means you.
Research and knowledge exchange
Research doesn't just live in publications and journals - the effects of groundbreaking research can be found everywhere you look. That's why research at Solent has always been firmly rooted in industry needs and real-world application.
Solent University prides itself on carrying out not only pioneering research, but also research that addresses real world problems. We offer opportunities to study for a Master of Philosophy (MPhil) or Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree in a number of areas.
At Solent, we want to help you achieve your best and discover new insights. Whether you're thinking about applying for a PhD, or already underway with your research studies, you'll find useful guidance and information in our research pages.
Research at SolentTuition fees
The tuition fees for the 2025/26 academic year are not yet available. For guidance, the 2024/25 fees were:
- UK and Channel Island full-time fees: £9,675 per year
- International full-time fees: £17,065 per year
For further information, please visit our tuition fees page.
Extra course costs
While most course costs are covered by your tuition fees, some essential resources and optional extras may need to be paid for separately. For advice on budgeting and managing your money, please contact student.funding@solent.ac.uk.
The 2025/26 other costs are not yet available. For guidance, the 2024/25 other costs were:
Compulsory costs
- Stationery and local travel to industry for interest visits: £400
Alumni discount
Solent alumni are eligible for a 20% reduction of tuition fees if returning to study a postgraduate course.
Find out moreBursaries, scholarships and financial support
Solent University offers a range of bursaries and scholarships that provide financial assistance or waive fees for tuition or accommodation. Each bursary or scholarship has specific eligibility criteria. Check out our bursaries and scholarships pages to find out more.
Cost of living support
At Solent, we understand that the cost of living crisis may be of some concern. To help, we've put together some detailed information to show what support is available and how to make your money go further.
Graduation costs
There is no charge to attend graduation, but you will be required to pay for the rental of your academic gown (approximately £45 per graduate, depending on your award). You may also wish to purchase official photography packages, which range in price from £15 to £200+. Graduation is not compulsory, so if you prefer to have your award sent to you, there is no cost. Extra guest tickets will go on sale after results publication and will be sold on a first-come-first-served basis. The cost per ticket is currently £15. Please note, we do not guarantee there will be any extra tickets available to purchase.
Student finance videos
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Entry requirements
Please select an option below:
Key entry requirements
An honours degree at 2:2 or higher in a related discipline
- Applicants with relevant industry experience may be considered.
- Applicants may also be required to send a portfolio and may be contacted for an interview either face to face or through Skype.
- For further information about UK qualifications, please contact admissions.
Key entry requirements
Applicants may also be required to send a portfolio and may be contacted for an interview either face to face or through Skype.
If you are applying from outside the UK, find information about entry requirements, visas and agents for your country here.
For further information about UK, EU and international qualifications, please contact admissions.
Key entry requirements
Applicants may also be required to send a portfolio and may be contacted for an interview either face to face or through Skype.
If you are applying from outside the UK, find information about entry requirements, visas and agents for your country here.
For further information about UK, EU and international qualifications, please contact admissions.
Note to all international students requiring a visa
All international applicants need to be aware that the English language requirements to attend Solent University, and the English language requirements to obtain a visa from the Home Office, may be different. This means that if you meet the Solent University language requirement to gain a place on the course, you may still have to meet additional requirements to be granted with a visa by the Home Office.
We strongly advise all applicants to visit the Home Office website which outlines all the requirements for a successful visa application and to take a look at our 2023 course entry statement document.
An honours degree at2:2 or higher
Your application checklist
Applications for postgraduate courses can be made at any time prior to the start of the course. However, we strongly recommend you apply at your earliest convenience.
Please ensure you upload the following mandatory documents with your application:
- Two academic references.
- Certified transcripts of qualifications, including English language proficiency if non-UK student.
- Copy of passport.
- Copy of current visa (if applicable).
- A personal statement.
- Employer sponsor form, where appropriate.
Language requirements
Applicants who do not have English as their first language will be required to demonstrate an approved level of proficiency in the use of the English language. The agreed minimum requirements for this course are:
- IELTS minimum 6.5 overall with no component score below 5.5
- TOEFL IBT 92 with a minimum of 22 in writing and a minimum of 20 in reading, listening and speaking
- Duolingo English Language Test - 115 overall with minimum of 100 in each component or equivalent.
Qualifications are checked before enrolment, and international students must bring their original certificates or certified copies when coming to study at the University.
Pre-Sessional English programme
The University also offers a pre-sessional English programme for international students who wish to improve their level of English before starting a degree course.
Study options
Make your application
- 1 year full-time
- 2 years full-time with placement
- 2 years part-time
