HNC Construction Management for England (Construction Design and Build Technician) (HTQ)

Construction Design Project
Topics included in this unit are: project phases; construction drawing; detailing; Computer Aided Design (CAD); Building Information Modelling (BIM); schedules; specifications; bills of quantities; information collaboration. On successful completion of the unit, students will be able to analyse scenarios, make decisions and produce drawings and specifications to achieve appropriate, creative and innovative home design proposals.

The Construction Environment
In this unit, students will explore the make-up and the impact of the construction industry on the environment and society. By exploring the roles and relationships of individuals and organisations in the construction sector, students will gain an overview of the organisational and the personal ways in which the sector works to continue to improve the built environment and limit its impact on the environment, while maintaining economic sustainability and growth.

Legal and Statutory Requirements in Construction
This unit introduces the different areas of law that are relevant to the construction industry throughout the development process. This includes applying for planning approval to undertake construction activities and using building control regulations to evaluate building design and alterations at the preconstruction stage. Students will explore the laws of occupiers’ liability, trespass and nuisance to manage construction activities on-site, and the legal aspects of the sale and leasing process involved in the disposal of buildings, using the law of contract and land law. On successful completion of this unit, students will be able to apply legal and statutory requirements and processes common to the construction sector.

Financial Management and Business Practices in Construction
Topics included in this unit are: the legal status of building companies and how it impacts on raising finance; the different sources of finance and how a company manages them; contemporary management strategies; how the day-to-day management of the different resources used by a construction company have an impact on their success. On successful completion of this unit, students will be able to analyse the legal status of different types of construction companies, their business strategies and how they raise and manage their finances, and the management of the resources available to them.

Tender and Procurement
Topics included in this unit are: tendering constraints and information; the documentation needed to send out a tender; the factors that affect procurement; the procurement methods that can be used to select a contractor. On successful completion of this unit, students will be able to prepare tender documents for a client’s project, at the design stage, using a suitable procurement method. Students will also have the fundamental knowledge and skills needed to progress to a higher level of study.

Building Information Modelling
The aim of this unit is to give students the background knowledge and understanding of Building Information Modelling (BIM) in the context of the construction industry. Students will be introduced to the drivers and benefits associated with BIM, as well as the terminology that surrounds it. The knowledge and skills gained in this unit will allow students to understand the importance of BIM in the context of current roles and responsibilities in the construction industry. Students will also gain an understanding of how this may influence future choices in their professional careers.

Digital Applications for BIM
While BIM is, effectively, a process of information management through a project lifecycle, it is most often based on the use of digital applications to generate project data. In this, the model is central in the process of designing and producing information that will facilitate construction and, later, the operation of the built asset. In this unit, students will explore the key processes in using digital applications to produce data and construction information that will enable the BIM process. Through completion of this unit, students may have the opportunity to achieve vendor certification in industry-standard Building Information Modelling systems.

Construction Technology
This unit introduces the different technological concepts used to enable the construction of building elements, from substructure to completion, by understanding the different functional characteristics and design considerations that need to be borne in mind when selecting the most suitable technological solution.

Reports and Presentations 

The course is designed for people who are seeking or are already in employment in the construction industry. Students will be supported to use their experiences in the workplace to inform discussions and learning and will also have the opportunity to directly apply their learning from the course to their work, adding immediate value to their employer. 

Graduates often progress into roles such as Architectural Technician, Design & Build Technician, BIM Technician, CAD Designer, Building Services Designer, Civil Engineering Technician, Design Coordinator, etc.

Many also choose to continue to postgraduate study in the areas of Architectural Technology, Digital Design for Construction (BIM), Civil and Structural Engineering, Building Services Engineering, Construction Project Management, Sustainable Design and Construction.