Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology has launched a new degree programme in energy engineering, commencing in September 2009 at the institute’s Dublin Road campus.
The programme is timely in view of the ambitious targets set out in the government white paper on energy to move Ireland away from fossil fuel-based energy production to investment in renewable energy, and promote the creation of ‘green-collar’ jobs.
The B. Eng. in energy engineering will provide graduates with the core knowledge and skills of an energy engineer together with the fundamental skillsets of a mechanical engineer.
The first two years of the programme cover the fundamentals of mechanical and energy engineering and include a module on energy technologies and installations (wind, biomass, solar-thermal & PV). This module allows students to get approval as certifiers or installers of energy technologies from Sustainable Energy Ireland. Participants
have the option of leaving after two years with an award of a higher certificate in energy engineering.
The third year of the programme expands and deepens the learners’ understanding of energy engineering with modules such as thermofluids, thermodynamics systems, energy analysis and a Building Energy Rating module that will allow students to seek registration as assessors with SEI.
On completion of the B.Eng. in energy engineering, graduates can choose to progress to a one-year add-on programme to obtain a bachelor of engineering (honours) in mechanical or energy engineering.
Dr. Carine Gachon, school of engineering, said: “Job prospects forgraduates of this programme are very favourable.”
“GMIT is offering the possibility for people, who have an advanced certificate-craft in electrical installation as well as ordinary levelmaths in their leaving certificate, to start the course directly fromsecond year, from this September. People with a higher certificate in a cognate discipline can also apply.”
“GMIT has invested some €1.65m in energy systems including a dedicated undergraduate laboratory, used to enhance students’understanding of the operation of conventional and renewable energysystems.” adds Dr. Gachon.
Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology has launched a new degree programme in energy engineering, commencing in September 2009 at the institute’s Dublin Road campus.
Jeff Colley
Jeff Colley is the editor of Passive House Plus. He won the Green Leader award at the 2010 Green Awards for his advocacy work on the inclusion of energy ratings in property advertising, and a proposal to finance energy upgrades via utility bills.
He established Construct Ireland (for a sustainable future), Ireland's pioneering sustainable building magazine, in 2003. The magazine evolved into Passive House Plus in late 2012, the world's first English language magazine focused on passive house, as well as other aspects of sustainable building.
He is also a founder of Éasca, (the Environmental and Sustainable Construction Association) , an organisation set up to develop and promote a membership of approved companies offering genuinely sustainable solutions.
He writes a regular column for the Sunday Times, and has authored, co-authored and contributed to articles on sustainable building for numerous newspapers including the Irish Times, The Sunday Business Post, the Irish Examiner & the Sunday Tribune.
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