Building Engineering and Construction Management (BECM) is a new Department at Khulna University of Engineering & Technology under the Faculty of Civil Engineering. Bangladesh University Grants Commission (UGC) gave permission on September 02, 2013 to open this new department. Later on 12 September 2013, the Academic Council of KUET decided to enroll 60 students in this new department at undergraduate level from the academic session 2013-2014. As a developing and emerging country, Bangladesh needs Building Engineers coupled with construction management specialty for the development of physical infrastructures ensuring technical soundness, cost-effectiveness, and environment-friendly criterion.
The BECM graduates will play an important role in the social and economic development of the country. There was no scope to study this discipline in Bangladesh since no university has offered such department so far. In Bangladesh, for the first time, this department starts its journey only in KUET from the academic year 2013-2014. BECM coordinates the activities to facilitate the realization of a coherent integrated building solution with the planning, design, construction, operation, renovation, maintenance of buildings as well as with their impacts on the surrounding environment and thus appropriate approach to conduct all relevant activities properly. The practice of Building Engineering and Construction Management (BECM) includes the ability to define, implement and control the design process in order to provide managerial oversight for the efficient and cost-effective design of a building project for on-site production. Key competencies for a BECM Engineer include building design philosophies and management.
Building Engineering and Construction Management (BECM) is an interdisciplinary program that integrates pertinent knowledge from different disciplines: Civil engineering for building structures and foundation analysis, design, construction, and maintenance; construction safety; building codes; regulations and specifications. Architecture for building planning, designing and constructing form, space, and ambiance that reflect functional, technical, social and aesthetic considerations. Project management for specifying project objectives and plans including delineation of scope, budgeting, scheduling, setting performance requirements and selecting project participants. Earthquake engineering for seismic risk, vulnerability, analysis, simulation, design and performance of building structures. Wind engineering for dynamics, vibration control, risk, vulnerability, analysis, simulation, design and performance of building structures. Fire engineering for fire safety strategies, specific fire safety design, fire risk assessments, fire-damaged building assessments. Chemistry and biology for indoor air quality, building materials chemical compositions. Mechanical engineering for a system (HVAC), and for mechanical service systems. Electrical engineering for power distribution, control, and electrical systems; Physics for building science, lighting, and acoustics. Economics for maximizing resource efficiency through procurement of labor, materials, and equipment. The Building Design Management program is structured around these areas and aims to develop students from a range of professional and industrial backgrounds to develop careers in a management role. The learning and teaching program is studied within the wider context of the surrounding built environment and is informed by current and prospective professional practice as well as research and academic debate. The strong vocational focus aims to equip students with those personal and professional skills that are so important in gaining successful employment, whilst broadening their understanding of the changing needs of society and the concept of sustainable development within the built environment.
The importance of Building Engineering and Construction Management (BECM) for a developing country like Bangladesh can hardly be overemphasized. Urbanization has been rapid and largely imbalanced, presently around 30%, which will reach as much as 40% by 2025. A quarter of the population now lives in urban areas, while in 1960 the number was just 5%. The population has been increasing without any potential declination which demanding for housing development has got more importance in recent past. People constantly have been fighting against nature and social ordeals for survival. A well-built house protects a family from the onslaughts of nature as well as anti-social elements. It thus increases the productive capacity of the inhabitants of it. On the other hand, due to the geographical locations, the country has to face various environmental effects on structures, such as salinity, corrosion of reinforcement, inadequate soil stability, etc. Moreover, due to industrialization, industrial and commercial buildings are increasing rapidly. Hence the sound knowledge regarding building systems have crucial significance.”
Established : 02-09-2013
Head : Md. Ikramul Hoque
Location : New Academic Building
Phone : +880-41-769471~5, Ext-8700
Fax :
Email : [email protected]
No of Faculty : 8
No of Student : 60
Website: : www.kuet.ac.bd/department/BECM