Educational Background and Licensing Requirements
- Students interested in specializing in building environmental systems should be familiar with all the building systems and the construction processes. As elective courses they should select courses related to the building environmental systems and indoor air quality. In addition to ArE courses, students should take a mechanical engineering course in heat transfer as many environmental systems analyses are grounded in fundamental principles of the thermal sciences. Further broadening the engineer’s knowledge by taking various courses in fundamental science could be very useful for a career that includes research and product development.
- For the successful career, a Professional Engineer’s (PE) license is generally a requirement. The first step is to pass the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam, and general recommendation is to take this exam as a senior student. In most states (including Texas), after at least four years of relevant experience one can take the Principles and Practice Examination in either Architectural, Environmental, Mechanical, or Electrical Engineering, depending on the area of work specialization.
- Advanced degrees are recommended for those who want to be engaged in challenging problems earlier in their career. Many universities, such as UT, offer specialized programs in building environmental systems for students pursuing M.S. or Ph.D. degrees. Also, the University of Texas at Austin offers a unique graduate program in Indoor Environmental Science and Engineering studies for students interested in this subject.
- Students who are interested in green and sustainable buildings should consider become a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), http://www.usgbc.org/LEED/ accredited professional.
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