Organisation profile
Atlantic Technological University (ATU) is one of the largest multi-campus universities on the island, serving a diverse group of learners, staff, communities and organisations from our region and further afield.
Training aim
The programme aims to afford advanced experience, knowledge and training to fulfil, in part, the onerous and challenging roles, duties and responsibilities associated with Part B, Fire Safety, in the built environment regulations, in the Irish Construction Industry. The programme aims to determine, critique and defend through in-depth training and experience an intimate knowledge of both the legislation and compliance requirements, and then synthesis newly acquired learning through project-based learning. The completion of a Fire Safety Certificate application and submission forms part of this programme.
Learning objectives
Module 1: Fire Safety (Part B Dwelling Houses)
1. Investigate, determine and inform their knowledge, skills and experience relating to Part B Dwelling Houses B6: Means of warning and escape, and B11: Definitions, Health and Safety and best practice requirements in the Irish built environment, in a reasonably practicable way.
2. Investigate, determine and inform their knowledge, skills and experience relating to Part B Dwelling Houses B7: Internal Fire Spread (Linings), Health and Safety and best practice requirements in the Irish built environment, in a reasonably practicable way.
3. Investigate, determine and inform their knowledge, skills and experience relating to Part B Dwelling Houses B8: Internal Fire Spread (Structure), and Supplementary Guidance to Technical Guidance Document B (Fire Safety), Health and Safety and best practice requirements in the Irish built environment, in a reasonably practicable way.
4. Investigate, determine and inform their knowledge, skills and experience relating to Part B Dwelling Houses B9: External Fire Spread, Health and Safety and best practice requirements in the Irish built environment, in a reasonably practicable way.
5. Investigate, determine and inform their knowledge, skills and experience relating to Part B Dwelling Houses B10: Access and Facilities for the Fire Service, Health and Safety and best practice requirements in the Irish built environment, in a reasonably practicable way.
Module 2: Fire Safety (Part B Buildings Other than Dwelling Houses, and FSC)
1. Investigate, determine and inform their knowledge, skills and experience relating to Part B, B1 Means of escape in case of fire (including an overview of commercial stairs TGD K, B, M), Health and Safety and best practice requirements in the Irish built environment, in a reasonably practicable way.
2. Investigate, determine and inform their knowledge, skills and experience relating to Part B, B2 Internal fire spread (Linings), Health and Safety and best practice requirements in the Irish built environment, in a reasonably practicable way.
3. Investigate, determine and inform their knowledge, skills and experience relating to Part B, B3 Internal fire spread (Structure), Health and Safety and best practice requirements in the Irish built environment, in a reasonably practicable way.
4. Investigate, determine and inform their knowledge, skills and experience relating to Part B, B4 External fire spread, Health and Safety and best practice requirements in the Irish built environment, in a reasonably practicable way.
5. Investigate, determine and inform their knowledge, skills and experience relating to Part B, B5 Access and facilities for the fire service, Health and Safety and best practice requirements in the Irish built environment, in a reasonably practicable way.
6. Investigate, determine and inform their knowledge, skills and experience relating to the application of and submission thereafter of a Fire Safety Certificate for a building other than a dwelling on the NBCO BCMS.
Course outline
This certificate is designed for a multidisciplinary cohort across the built environment disciplines e.g. Architecture, Engineering, Building Surveying, Architectural Technology, and Construction Management, among others. A multi-disciplinary cohort will be beneficial to the programme as it will provide a cross-pollination of ideas, shared experiences and appreciation for each other’s roles and responsibilities in the Built Environment.
The programme is designed to meet the postgraduate and continuing professional development needs of these disciplines, to develop competence in the specialist area of Fire Safety by facilitating knowledge gained through training and applied experience.
It will be particularly beneficial to new entrant graduates who have recently entered the work force in the last one to three years. It will also be beneficial to lifelong learners and more experienced professionals as Continuing Professional Development, up-skilling, retraining, and as a refresher course. Furthermore, the programme can be undertaken on a module-by-module basis, if so desired, by accumulating credits.
It will also be possible to complete the Certificate and/or Postgraduate Diploma and/or MSc in Built Environment Regulation at some point in the future. This flexibility is designed to accommodate an adult working population. The difference between this qualification and the Masters, Postgraduate Diploma, and Certificate in Built Environment Regulation is that there is no research capstone module requirement and only Fire Safety Technical Guidance Documents, along with the relevant Irish and/or British Standards for Fire Safety are covered in the syllabus.
The programme is CABE accredited.
Trainer's profile
Andrew Macilwraith
Academic Qualifications:
• 1999 - MEng - UCC
• 1983 - BEng Civil Engineering - UCC
Membership of Professional Bodies:
• CEng MIEI Chartered Engineer, Engineers Ireland
• Institute of Structural Engineers - Member
Irene Hayden
Lecturing/Teaching Experience:
• 2005 - 2007 - GMIT Castlebar Campus
• 2007 - Present - GMIT Galway Campus
Relevant Work Experience:
• 2001 - 2005 - Atkins, Thases Water Secondment - Project Manager, Chartered Engineer
• 2000 - 2001 - Patrick J Tobins, Consultant Engineers - Engineer, Architectural Technologist
• 1999 - Kilkenny County Council - Housing - Acting Exec. Architect/Graduate Engineer
• 1997 - Niall J Kearns, Architects - Student Architect
• 1996 - 1997 - Patrick J Tobins, Consultant Engineers - Engineer, Architectural Technologist
• 1992 - Volunteer, Romaina - Student Architect
Academic Qualifications:
• 2015 - Present - Lancaster University - PhD in Higher Education: Research, Evaluation and Enhancement. Working title: An investigation into the experience of online learning using a visual building regulation pedagogy and its position in the wider professional development landscape
• 2022 - IT Sligo - Digital Badge in Graphic Facilitation
• 2018 - AIT - PG Dip Teaching, Learning and Assessment
• 2011- UU - MSc Renewable Energy and Energy Management (Distinction)
• 1999 - NUIG - BE Civil Engineering (First class honours)
• 1995 - City & Guilds - AutoCAD 2D
• 1994 - QUB - BSc Architecture
Membership of Professional Bodies:
• MCIAT Chartered Architectural Technologist, 2016
• CEng MIEI Chartered Engineer, 2004
• C Build E FCABE Chartered Fellow, 2022
• IGBC Membership
Dr Alan Duggan
Lecturing/Teaching Experience:
• ATU October 2020 to present
Relevant Work Experience:
• 2021 ByrneLooby Consulting Engineers: Senior Geotechnical Engineer
• 2016 - 2020 ByrneLooby Consulting Engineer: Senior Geotechnical Engineering
• 2011-2016 NUIG: Teaching Assistant, Tutor and Supervisor of Final Year Project
• 2010 Planning Workshop: Architectural Technician
• 2010 J.B. Barry & Partners Consulting Engineers: Undergraduate Engineer
Academic Qualifications:
• 2016: PhD in Civil Engineering (Geotechnical) - National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland
• 2011: BE (Hons) Civil Engineering
Professional Body Membership:
• Chartered Engineer with Engineers Ireland
Dr John Scahill
Lecturing/Teaching Experience:
• 2021-present, Lecturer Department of Building and Civil Engineering
• 2008-2021, Lecturer Department of Business Humanities and Technology
Lecturer and programme coordinator on Architectural Technology, Sustainable Building Technology and Climate Resilience for Business programmes.
Relevant Work Experience:
• DASBE project Manager GMIT (2021-present)
• Partner, McGann Scahill Architects and Environmental Engineers (2002-2008)
• Principal John Scahill Associates (Chartered Building Services and Environmental Engineers) 2000 to present.
Academic Qualifications:
• PhD Sustainability in Higher Education (Lancaster 2022)
• PG Certificate in Teaching and Learning in Higher Education (NUIG 2011)
• PG Diploma Environmental Engineering (TCD 2007)
• M.Sc Building Services Engineering (Brunel 2006)
• B.Sc (Hons) Biotechnology (DCU 1988)
Professional Body Membership:
• Ordinary member Engineers Ireland 2000
• Chartered member of Engineers Ireland 2014
• Previously held full membership of ASHRAE and the IEEE
Course duration
2 semesters
Assessment & certification
Each module is passed when all the learning outcomes are demonstrably passed. A module handbook will be made available for all learners which will contain further information. A continuous assessment calendar will be coordinated between all Module Leaders on the programme for full time and flexible cohorts across the master's degree programme.
Assessments can be used to ‘facilitate student learning’ (Dabbagh, Marra & Howland, 2019, p27), noting that ‘multiple measures of (authentic) assessment is simply good pedagogy’, reducing the possibility of cheating and increasing the likelihood of ‘a true measurement of competency and performance’ (Palloff & Pratt, 2009, p27).
In the taught modules a variety of assessments will be considered on a module-by-module basis:
(1) Assessment is conducted through applied project-based experiential learning using formative and summative assessment. An element of project work will be required to be submitted by all candidates. Ideally, if candidates are working on a live-project for a client, for example, they can use this for their project-based experiential learning. Students will be encouraged to use live projects from work for the project-based learning elements of assessment, if at all possible. This is reflected in the 15 credits allocated to work based-credit projects in this document. Otherwise, the project can be chosen from a selection offered to candidates by every module leader and can be chosen by candidates to suit their discipline area. Each assigned project will relate to specific learning outcomes for each module.
(2) A combination of rigorous authentic mixed (e.g. 10 questions selected from 100) MCQs after the delivery of new learning will be used to mirror the structure of the teaching and learning delivery in each taught module. Some MCQs will incorporate visuals and authentic problem- based learning scenarios. An 80% pass rate will be required from all learners for the MCQs. This is to reflect the significant importance of each and every aspect of the Built Environment Regulations and their impact on society, while also reflecting the candidates' professionalism, speciality and expertise in these areas. An opportunity to retake any MCQs which do not meet this high pass grade will be afforded to candidates by each Module Leader before completion of each module.
(3) Eaton (2016) suggests using ‘real-world settings’ by incorporating authentic applied examples to encourage engagement in blended and online learning. A similar finding is reported by Vasileska et al. (2013) in the use of visual simulation tools for teaching nanotechnology online, thus reinforcing this finding. Dabbagh, Marra and Howland (2019, p6) suggest that 3D immersive learning experiences are suitable in an online learning environment for healthcare careers. They are equally so for teaching, learning, and assessing building regulations visually. Dabbagh, Marra and Howland (2019, p45) report that a 3D simulation developed some additional pedagogical affordance such as:
1. Providing exploratory, experiential learning-by-doing
2. Providing a safe environment for trial-and-error learning
3. Providing authentic context
4. Supporting formative feedback and a personalised learning experience
A takeaway from this is that 3D Virtual Reality (VR) will be useful to depict real-world scenarios as a visual simulation tool when learning or being assessed on aspects of the building regulations and health and safety regulations, for example. This will be used in conjunction with scenario problem based-learning incorporating applied visual immersive authentic assessment practice in the face-to-face classes as group work which, with peer assessment, will produce summative and formative assessment feedback.
Who should attend
Candidates must hold a cognate level 8 Bachelor (Hons) degree with a minimum grade classification of H2.2 or equivalent, in an appropriate Built Environment undergraduate programme or equivalent. Candidates who do not meet the H2.2 performance standard in a Level 8 award will be required to pass a qualifying assignment at an H2.2 performance standard as established by the Programme Board for the programme in question and as approved by the Registrar.
In accordance with ATU policy recognition of prior learning can be used to gain access to or exemption from this programme. ATU is committed to the principles of transparency, equity, and fairness in recognition of prior learning (RPL) and to the principle of valuing all learning regardless of the mode or place of its acquisition. Recognition of Prior Learning may be used to:
(i) gain access or advanced entry to a programme at Stage 2 or higher, subject to available places
(ii) gain credits and exemptions from programme modules after admission
(iii) in award years RPL will be considered, to a 50% maximum (30 credits)
Academic Code of Practice No. 6 outlines the policies and procedures for the Recognition of Prior Learning. Guidance for applicants is provided on myexperience.ie.
English Language Requirements will be as determined by ATU as published in the Access, Transfer and Progression code. Further details on English language requirements are available at http://www.gmit.ie/international/english-language-requirements-0
Website
https://www.gmit.ie/certificate-in-fire-safety