Energy and Resource Audits

Course aim

To equip future engineers with the skills to analyse, design, and manage high-performance buildings that minimize energy use while safeguarding indoor comfort and health.

Short description

The course provides an interdisciplinary perspective, bridging building envelope design, technical building systems, and energy management. Students will learn the principles of building energy balances and calculation methods, explore state-of-the-art energy efficiency technologies, and understand how to implement optimal energy management solutions in both design and operation phases of buildings. graduates of this course will be prepared to design sustainable, nearly zero-energy buildings and to optimize existing buildings through effective energy management and retrofit strategies.

Learning outcomes

Knowledge-based outcomes

Students  will be able to:

-        Explain the principles of heat transfer, energy balances and indoor-climate physics that govern building performance.

-        Describe current EU/national energy-performance requirements, nearly-zero-energy (nZEB) targets, certification schemes (EPC) and key indoor-climate standards.

-        Identify the roles of building-envelope elements, HVAC subsystems, controls and renewable technologies in overall energy efficiency.

Skill-based outcomes

Students will be able to:

-        Calculate a building’s annual energy demand (heating, cooling, ventilation, lighting, DHW) using both manual balance methods and simulation tools.

-        Conduct a structured energy audit: gather data, analyse loads, detect inefficiencies and use measurement equipment/software where appropriate.

-        Design and size envelope upgrades or HVAC/control solutions that reduce energy use while maintaining indoor comfort.

-        Perform economic assessments—payback, NPV, LCC—for alternative energy-saving measures and rank them by cost-effectiveness.

Competency-based outcomes

Students will be able to:

-        Integrate building physics, systems design and economic appraisal to propose coherent energy-management strategies for both new and existing buildings.

-        Critically evaluate multiple retrofit or design options, balancing energy, comfort, sustainability and cost to reach sound engineering decisions.

-        Communicate findings and recommendations clearly in professional reports and presentations, demonstrating teamwork and project-management responsibility.