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Energy in Buildings

As part of the Energy in buildings specialisation, we provide you with the fundamental concepts of sustainable construction. The focus lies on the development and use of energy-efficient building technology systems.

Energy in Buildings is a specialisation in the Bachelor of Science in Energy and Environmental Technology degree programme.

Around half of the Swiss energy consumption is attributed to buildings. Energy efficiency measures in relation to buildings are therefore indispensable in order to preserve resources and the environment.

As part of the Energy in Buildings specialisation, you will tackle the issue of energy flows in buildings. You will learn what influence factors such as building design, materials and technique have on energy consumption.  You will gain an overview of the building regulations in the energy sector and a variety of energy and environmental standards in the building sector.

Using the skills you have acquired, you will be able to analyse existing buildings with regard to their energy consumption and plan and implement energy efficiency measures in compliance with the standards. For new constructions, you will be able to guarantee energy efficiency at the planning stage and prepare energy performance certificates in order to obtain an energy label.

The Energy in buildings specialisation is managed by the Institute of Energy in Building of the FHNW School of Architecture, Civil Engineering and Geomatics. Teaching primarily takes place in Muttenz.

"We spend most of our lives in buildings and there is a lot of potential for sustainability there. I was able to learn about this through the specialization 'Energy in Buildings'. Today, I work every day to ensure that more and more buildings in Switzerland are heated with renewable energy and contribute to saving CO2."

Esther Siegenthaler, Specialist Buildings at the Swiss Federal Office of Energy SFOE. Graduate BSc in Energy and Environmental Engineering 2019

"My goal with this specialisation was to be able to contribute to the energy development of my region and Switzerland in the future. With the specialisation "Energy in Buildings", I had a massive backpack of knowledge and tools after my studies, which optimally prepared me for my entry into professional life. This ranged from construction planning and building physics, dealing with building materials, their ecological impact on the environment, or energy-efficient lighting planning to the design of building technology systems and thermal building simulation. It was a lot of fun, very learning, and I can highly recommend the course to anyone interested."

David Eicher, Product Manager Electricity, AEW Energie AG, Graduate BSc Energy and Environmental Engineering 2018

"Switzerland's building stock is responsible for a significant proportion of energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. Thanks to the specialist knowledge imparted in the modules of the specialisation "Energy in Buildings", I now have tools to contribute to the energy transition and to achieve the net-zero target. I was also able to apply this expertise in building technology, renewable energies and energy efficiency as part of my bachelor's thesis, where I was allowed to develop an energy concept for an alpine cheese dairy."

Lukas Trümpi, Graduate BSc Energy and Environmental Engineering 2021