Non-governmental organizations such as utilities providers, and operators of plants, both processing and manufacturing, typically engage in facilities engineering and management such as included in this course. The material covered is multi-disciplinary and the student will gain an understanding of facilities and systems across engineering specialty areas. Sustainability, resilience and life-cycle considerations are included. Students will develop and deliver presentations and case studies to demonstrate both understanding and communications skills.

Prerequisite

Graduate standing with an undergraduate technical degree.

Course Objectives

Upon completion of this course students will be able to:

• Explain the basics of facilities engineering and facilities management systems and differentiate between the two.
• Outline typical scope and functions of a public works/facilities engineering department and explain the methods of accomplishment of those functions by both the in-house work force, and contract.
• Distinguish between categories of work on physical assets, whether vertical construction, horizontal construction, utilities systems, electrical systems, environmental systems.
• Demonstrate the ability to perform inspection and engineering assessment of facilities and systems components.  Additionally, students will be able to articulate how the results of such condition assessments would be used in budget formulation and the role of engineering principles in risk ranking and prioritization across disciplines. 
• Interpret provisions of environmental laws, what types of activity these laws regulate, and the responsibilities of the facilities engineer in operations to ensure compliance with the laws and regulations.  This includes the ability to explain aspects of sustainability as related to energy, environment, effects on the community, and affordability.
• Demonstrate application of lessons learned and suggested best practices for safety in the work place, to protect both the trades performing the work, and the occupants of the space.
• Explain facilities engineering related to work force specialties in wet and dry utilities, both outdoors and within buildings and facilities.  The importance of integrated control systems, and of cybersecurity to protect the operational integrity and safety aspects of such systems, will also be understood.

Course Topics

• Assessment of Facilities and Infrastructure
• Multi-year plan for maintenance and repair founded on engineering criteria
• Case studies to evaluate causes of failures, both engineering and operational, related to an infrastrucuture systems (specifics vary by semester)
• High voltage transmission and distribution systems
• Liquid utilities systems
• High energy systems such as hydraulic and steam systems
• Central HVAC systems
• Physical Security and Cybersecurity
• Environmental topics, both “planning” laws such as NEPA, and operational compliance laws such as Safe Drinking Water Act, Federal Water Pollution Act, Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, et.al.
• Optional field trip to NCSU central utility plant
• Guest speaker typically the NCSU head of facilities, or other facilities engineer

Course Requirements

In order to demonstrate mastery of the course material, there will be a series of three or four quizzes throughout the semester. The material in the course builds upon itself; thus, the student may need to be familiar with material from the earlier quizzes in order to successfully complete material on the next quiz.
Each quiz will be either open book with access to the internet and notes, or closed book, with no access to notes or the internet. Communication between students, will not be permitted thus no mobile phones will be permitted on the student’s desktop during the quiz.
The overall course numerical grade will be calculated based on a weighted average as follows:

Assignment	Number	Percentage
Student attendance and participation – minus only		10%
Individual assignment	(1)	5%
Individual and/or team assignments	(4)	40%
Quizzes	(3 or 4)	55%

Textbooks

• The Facility Management Handbook, Fourth Edition, Professors Kathy O. Roper and Richard P. Payant; AMACOM, 2014. ISBN-10: 0-8144-3215-8 | ISBN-13: 978-0-8144-3215-0 $79.95 list.  Use of this text is permitted in all exams.
• The instructor will provide specific, targeted readings excerpted from the Facilities Engineering and Management Handbook (Commercial, Industrial, and Institutional Buildings), Paul R. Smith, P.E., Anand K. Seth, P.E., Rober P. Wessel, P.E., David L. Stymiest, P.E., William L. Porter, FAIA, and Mark W. Neitlich, B.Ch.E, MBA; McGraw Hill, 2001.
• Public Works Department Management Guide, Naval Facilities Engineering Command, 2008. Note: This text will be provided electronically to the students at no cost. It is in the public domain.

Updated: 6/12/2025