Concentrations

Demolition and Restoration Management in the Built Environment

Not all construction work is new construction. As buildings age, as new products and techniques are adopted, and as disasters occur, a specific set of skills is needed for safely taking down structures or restoring them.

You will examine the common lifecycles of structures and learn new skills that will be critical for disaster restoration after natural or man-made disasters. You will gain a broad exposure to construction management topics while focusing on these highly specialized areas. Your courses will expose you to project management skills, and your capstone course will allow you to apply your new skills to a well-integrated demolition and disaster restoration project management process and solution. This built environment degree plan of study includes technical and managerial concepts for reconstruction interwoven throughout the coursework.

Healthcare Construction Management

Building any state-of-the art healing facility requires knowledge of special regulations and technical requirements. From complex research hospitals and cancer treatment centers to urgent care buildings and assisted living facilities, healthcare construction projects all include systems that are vital to the success of the facility’s operations.

With the rapid growth of technology in the healthcare and hospital construction industry, as well as the increased specialization of the work, it is important for you to understand the regulations and risks associated with these healthcare-related projects. For example, all hospitals have strict regulations for mechanical, electrical, security and medical gas systems. Once you understand the unique issues and components, you will view a hospital design differently than an office building design.

Many healthcare-related construction projects are additions or renovations to existing facilities that must remain operational during construction. Careful and detailed scheduling is another special consideration for professionals in this field.

While the focus is healthcare construction, your courses will also expose you to construction methods and project management skills that can be applied to all construction projects.

Infrastructure Construction Management

Most construction curriculum focuses on “vertical construction”—buildings in both residential and commercial contexts that go upward rather than outward. The Infrastructure Construction Management concentration brings “horizontal construction” to the table. This is done by offering a complete picture of construction in industrial contexts, from the manufacturing facilities themselves to the transport lines that spread out horizontally across the U.S.

The Midwest specializes in heavy equipment, chemical production, and the automotive industry—three businesses with a great deal of material coming in and out of the facilities. Infrastructure Construction Management teaches students how to plan and build these facilities, but also how to transport the necessary resources that make them tick.

Students who want to build things for industry need to know how to design the required facilities—whether that industry is refining steel or creating chemical compounds for pharmaceuticals. They also need to know how to import the raw materials, and how to export them once they have a completed product—whether that’s done through roads, railways or some other means. Infrastructure Construction Management provides students with the tools to build both of these critical structures for industrial businesses.

Mechanical and Electrical Construction Management

What you can’t see behind a building’s walls is what makes it hum, from electrical conduit to copper pipe, and from sophisticated HVAC systems to emergency power generators. If these systems don’t work, the building doesn't either. The best construction managers must understand the mechanical and electrical systems of a project to make the overall project a success.

In this concentration you will focus on these highly specialized areas of the construction industry. You will be part of a program where you can start a construction career focused on healthcare, power, refineries or pharmaceuticals. If you need to bring liquids, gases or electricity into or out of a building, you’ll need to know the ins and outs of electrical and mechanical construction management.

It doesn't matter how large or small, or which sector of the global construction industry you work in. Every project will have some portion of work dedicated to mechanical and electrical specialties. Many times, these two specialties will comprise the largest percentage of work on a project. Understanding the supporting engineering documents, equipment and subcontractors will always give you and your company an advantage. Your instructors have years of experience in these specific areas, and you will learn in our state-of-the-art labs to put the theories into practice.

Residential Construction Management

Construction managers in the residential construction field focus on more than simply home construction. They manage schedules, market their services, and negotiate with home buyers, inspectors and subcontractors. As residential general contractors, they also build large, high-end, custom homes and develop entire subdivisions with hundreds of homes. People skills are important for these professionals in addition to understanding the building process.

When you concentrate in residential construction management at Purdue University, you will gain experience in all facets of the home-building process. From estimating to scheduling and from contractor coordination to material selection, you will build a strong foundation of knowledge to be successful in the industry. 

Your coursework will prepare you for two National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) certifications: Certified Green Professional (CGP) and Aging-in-Place Specialist (CAPS). Both designations are valuable in the residential construction world.