MSc in Renewable Energy and Architecture
The course was established in 1997 and is offered full-time over 12 months or part-time over 24 months. Registered part-time students are strongly recommended to be resident in Nottingham during the autumn and spring semesters.
It is a multi-disciplinary course for world-wide integration of renewable energy and sustainable energy technologies into site plan and building form, fabric and services with focus on climate and human comfort, using architectural and engineering techniques and powerful computer and laboratory simulations.
The course has been attended by students from over twenty countries in Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia and Latin America.
At the end of the course, students gain useful and technical knowledge and experience on the subject and also learn how to communicate with each other and how to present themselves and their projects to an audience.
Distinguishing Features
The course is carefully structured to accommodate the interests and skills of those who are related to building design and technology and building energy and environmental performance. It is open to applicants from various backgrounds including architecture, engineering (mechanical, civil/structural, electrical and building engineering), town planning, physics and environmental sciences.
The course addresses such issues as sustainable building design and construction, energy use and global warming, new and renewable energy technologies, novel materials and their influence on buildings and occupant comfort. It is designed to stimulate and encourage novel and imaginative solutions to the challenging task of designing sustainable, energy efficient and environmentally responsible buildings and cities worldwide.
Course Structure
MSc students must successfully complete a total of 180 credits (120 credits of taught modules and a 60-credit dissertation). In the autumn semester, students are given a good background on the subject and on the use of a number of powerful computer programs (eg Fluent, Ecotect). In the spring semester, students undertake laboratory work and design and simulation projects related to the course area and also learn how to write computer programs using Visual Basic. In the summer term, students conduct their dissertation research, which could be related to their own country's climate and architectural style.