Monday, April 2, 2012

Architecture Program Offers Environmental Aspect

With today’s focus on a greener approach to living, attending an architecture program that doesn’t have an environmental focus puts you at a disadvantage. At Centennial College in Toronto, Ont. students can attend the Architectural Technology program, which takes three years to complete and places a strong emphasis on protecting the environment, energy conservation and sustainable design and construction strategies.

This architecture program at Centennial College prepares students to become architectural technologists. These professionals provide building design services and solutions and are trained in a combination of architectural technology, building design and construction. They essentially concentrate on the technology of building design and construction. In addition, they often negotiate the construction project and manage the process from conception through to completion. Most architectural technologists are employed in architectural and engineering firms, or with municipal authorities. Others provide independent professional services directly to clients.

Centennial College’s architecture program prepares students for these roles with activities that include preparing drawings for residential, industrial, commercial and institutional building types, as well as complex buildings and multi-use buildings. They are also introduced to building materials, construction methods, structural design, mechanical and electrical services, building codes, contracts, specifications and the business environment for providing design and construction services. As previously mentioned, there is a green focus to Centennial’s Architectural Technology program that is highlighted through environmental courses in all six semesters. Other architecture program courses include: Design and Computer Aided Drafting Project, Materials and Methods, Applied Physics, Mathematics for Architecture, Construction Health and Safety, History of Western Architecture, Structures, Technical Writing, Building with Municipality and many others.

To apply for this architecture program students are required to have completed at minimum an Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) or equivalent or be 19 years of age or older. In addition, they must have the compulsory English 12C or U credit or skills assessment, or equivalent and the Math 11M or U or 12C or U credit or skills assessment, or equivalent. Possession of minimum admission requirements does not, however, guarantee admission to Architectural Technology program. Stringent requirements continue as students work their way through the program. For example, in order to gain entry into the fifth semester of the program, students must maintain a 2.0 GPA. Also, students who have completed all courses in semesters one to four will have all the prerequisites requirements for courses in semester five and six.

Graduates of the architecture program may apply for the following: to become a member of the Association of Architectural Technologists of Ontario (AATO); to obtain a Building Code Identification Number (BCIN); to obtain LEED status through membership with the Canada Green Building Council (CaGBC).

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