History of the School

Zambia is one of the most urbanized countries in Sub-Sahara Africa.  Because of the existence of a highly developed industrial sector on the Copperbelt, there has always been a heavy concentration of population in the area.  But during the past years the population of towns and cities elsewhere in the country has risen at a very fast rate, while the population in rural areas has declined.  This movement of people has created or accentuated a number of challenges relating to the built environment and has pointed to the need for University trained specialists equipped with the skills required for dealing with the environment in a sustainable and enterprising manner.  The construction industry in Zambia, which is one of the largest employers of labor, has long felt the need for a steady supply of locally trained professionals.  These conditions have created a demand for professionally trained people in Architecture, Quantity Surveying, Building Management, Real Estate Studies/Land Economy, Civil Engineering & Construction, and Urban & Regional Planning.

This need led to a decision to establish a School of Environmental Studies (now School of the Built Environment) at the University of  Zambia at Ndola Campus (UNZANDO) – a decision which was announced in 1975 and implemented in 1981 when the School admitted its first students.  The School remained temporarily situated at the Zambia Institute of Technology (ZIT) until 1989.

On 1st January 1989, the Zambia Institute of Technology (ZIT) was integrated into a newly formed University, called the Copperbelt University (CBU).  The School of the Built Environment (SBE), therefore, increased its scope by taking on the ZIT Diploma courses in Architecture, Civil Engineering, Quantity Surveying, Land Surveying and Town & Country Planning, and Advanced Technician course in Construction.  The University begun to offer these programmes at degree level.

Today the School of the Built Environment consists of Five departments, namely, Architecture, Building Science, Civil Engineering & Construction, Real Estate and Urban & Regional Planning.  A Master of Science programme in Project Management has recently been introduced in the School as the first among other postgraduate programmes yet to be implemented.

In addition to the full-time programmes, the School runs a Project and Consultancy Section called, the Extension Services Unit.  The Unit is responsible for undertaking consultancy services in various fields of the built environment.

After successful completion of these programmes, graduates get to be employed as follows: Building Science (as Quantity Surveyors, Construction and Project Managers and Estimators); Real Estate (as valuers/appraisers, estate managers, investment bankers, development consultants and land managers); Architecture (as Architects, Design Consultants and Construction Managers);  Civil Engineering (as Civil and Structural Engineers, Design Engineers, Consultants and Project Managers); Urban and Regional Planning (as Town, City, Urban and Regional Planners, Project planners and managers).  Employment opportunities are found in government ministries and departments, Banking Institutions, Engineering and non-engineering firms.

The Mission of SBE, is to aspire for the attainment of high quality teaching and research that will contribute to the improvement of sustainable human habitat and ecological balance.

Programmes Offered