Energy Optimizations for Buildings – (M.Sc.)

Buildings in Sweden account for approximately 40 percent of the total energy consumption in the country, and energy is regarded as environmental aspect number one for buildings. Energy saving in buildings is therefore important both for the economy and for the environment.

EDUCATION

This programme will provide a sound knowledge of building technology and building services engineering (HVAC), which can contribute to reduced demand for purchased energy in buildings.

Most courses within the programme deal with applied technology, and the idea is to offer directly applicable knowledge rather than a more theoretical basis.

The programme will also provide knowledge in the realm of building physics, ventilation technology, and indoor climate. This knowledge provides a better understanding of building-related problems of various kinds and will help in the application of technologies that contribute to both energy-efficient and healthy buildings. Calculations are performed in order to evaluate different ways of saving energy, with measurements regarding building technology and building services engineering in both new and existing buildings.The learning activities include traditional lectures, but also require a lot of active self studies in connection with different kinds of projects. For students in this programme it is very important to have a good self-discipline and to take their own initiatives within a given framework.

RESEARCH

The research carried out at Mälardalen University within the areas of Energy, Building and Environment is relevant for this programme, and studies regarding energy-efficient buildings are of particular interest. One research project regarding passive houses with district heating started in 2011 in collaboration with Mimer, a large municipal housing company in Västerås.

There is also ongoing research on solar energy, transformed into both electricity and heat, with a strong connection to the energy use in buildings. One research project studies a very energy-efficient one-family house with a combination of solar cells and a bedrock heat pump, and this project is carried out in collaboration with a number of companies.

Energy research at our University is also concerned with optimization, modeling and simulation regarding, for example, power plants, energy efficiency in various industries, biogas production, and the influence of different price models on energy issues. The research takes an applied approach in most cases, and involves collaboration with a great number of companies.

FUTURE AND CAREER

This master programme has a focus on directly applicable knowledge within the field of energy-efficient buildings. Such knowledge can reasonably be expected to be very much sought after in the future. Completion of the programme will open up many possibilities to work as an energy expert at, for example, construction, consultant and real-estate companies, as well as public authorities. Postgraduate (research) studies can be another way to build on the programme.

DEGREE Master of Science (one year) in Building Engineering