Curriculum

Master's in Building Energy Performance

The Master of Technology in Building Energy Performance is a unique program that aims to fill the need for a new kind of professional who can influence the design, construction, and operation of buildings to ensure a low energy use and high performance. The program uses the tropical climate as the context to prepare professionals who will tackle the challenges in the economies that are expected to grow in the next two decades. CEPT University’s focus on design and management of human habitat provides a supportive ecosystem and context for a building energy performance program. Research work done at  Center for Advanced Research in Building Science and Energy (CARBSE) at CEPT University, its net-zero-energy building, and the array of testing and metering equipment will be used in the learning environment. 24 students with a background in various disciplines of architecture and engineering will form the cohort (Please refer eligibility criteria). 

The coursework is designed to be hands-on in nature combination of lectures and studio-based learnings. In the first three semesters, students take up one 14 credits lab studio course and mandatory courses worth 2 credits. The studio courses comprise of three modules each, the semester starts with focus on core subjects’ concepts, theory and practices, digital simulations for virtual experimentations, and measurements for physical experimentations. The mandatory courses complement studio learning and widen the domain knowledge. The fourth semester is dedicated to directed research project (DRP) and industry internships.

*The courses/titles may change as a part of regular updating and improvements.

Course Summary

Passive Design and Comfort Lab (Studio)
The Passive Design and Comfort Lab addresses the fundamental aspect of building envelope optimization in the context of the energy efficiency of buildings. The building envelope plays a substantial role in determining the energy required for space conditioning. In the first half of the semester, students get introduced to a variety of topics in building physics which are essential for understanding the energy interaction of the building envelope with indoor and outdoor environments. These include climate analysis, shading analysis, heat transfer, moisture transfer, load calculations, psychrometry, etc. Simultaneously, students also learn to measure environmental variables and evaluate conditions for human thermal comfort. Additionally, students apply concepts in building physics to carry out a course project where they measure and quantify the thermal performance in relevant metrics. Finally, in the simulation module, students learn to geometrically model and simulate buildings at the envelope level with schedules for occupancy and equipment.

Key learning outcomes:
Apply physics principles of thermodynamics in the buildings to evaluate its thermal behaviour. Optimize the building envelope elements such as walls, windows, design and material for its thermal performance in given climatic context.  

HVAC Lab (Studio)
The HVAC Lab is designed to introduce the discipline of Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning within the context of energy efficiency and energy performance. Engineering concepts of HVAC include vapor compression cycles and associated thermodynamics; heat transfer, psychometrics, pressure and flow; fan/blower selection; indoor air quality/air contaminants, and filtration theory. The concepts module goes along with the hands-on experience in measurements of infiltration and ventilation rates; air pollutants; flow measurements, monitoring refrigeration cycle, power consumption. Finally, simulation of different HVAC systems is carried out and possibility of low/hybrid energy cooling systems is explored. Concepts of commissioning, best practices, thumb rules are also presented with case studies by experts in the field.

Key learning outcomes:
Apply physics principles of thermodynamics in the Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning systems to evaluate its thermal and energy behaviour.

Optimize the building Cooling and Ventilation for its thermal comfort and energy in given climatic context

Lighting, Integrated Design Lab (IDL) and Whole Building Performance (WBD) studio
This studio includes visual needs, climate response, lighting and daylighting concepts, shading analysis, technologies, strategies, and failure modes. It combines concepts and practices simulation techniques, model calibration, physical measurement, and data comprehension. This lab integrates the learning over the three semesters to explore energy code interpretation, integrated design, and whole building design. 

Key learning outcomes:
Apply physics principles of spectroscopy and lighting to evaluate building performance for lighting, daylighting and energy.  Achieve energy code compliance of given case deploying knowledge of optimization of building envelope, HVAC and lighting.

Buildings Energy and Environment (Course)
This course provides an introduction to building energy use, strategies for reducing use, and integrating renewable energy in the building stock.  It builds a larger context with an overview of the energy sector, highlighting the current status of conventional resources, technologies, supply and demand and potential of renewable energy deployment. Using case studies, exercises and class discussions, the course covers challenges and approaches to sustainable energy planning.

Key learning outcomes:
Comprehension of taxonomy of building energy efficiency, climate science and energy efficiency policies pertaining to building sector. Develop understanding of building energy code compliance processes and matrices

Business Communication for Energy Efficiency (Course)
This course introduces the basic communication for doing and getting energy efficiency work in the profession.  Students learn about techniques for reading early design documents and communicating the potential for low energy strategies, reading construction documents, and communicating errors and omissions, preparing compliance reports, and writing project proposals. 

Key learning outcomes:
Ability to communicate in written, verbal and visual for about thetechnical and economic aspects of energy efficiency, thermal comfort and associated health and wellbeing aspect of the building with varied stakeholders such as consultants, policy makers, senior management and material suppliers-manufacturers.   

HVAC Monitoring: Tools and Techniques (Course)
This course provides a fundamental understanding of HVAC performance verification, covering both theoretical concepts and practical aspects. Students will be equipped with the tools and techniques essential for monitoring the performance of Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems. This includes gaining knowledge about a variety of HVAC monitoring instruments and practical measurement approaches.

Key learning outcomes:
Ability to perform field measurement and verification of building envelop and HVAC systems for their energy and comfort performance. 

HVAC Monitoring: Measurements and Analysis (Course)
This course offers insights into measurement and verification approaches designed for assessing the performance of HVAC systems. The course aims to demonstrate how these metrics can be effectively utilized to verify that HVAC systems achieve intended performance goals and comply with industry standards and building codes. Topics include data cleansing, data analysis techniques, and key performance metrics. 

Key learning outcomes:
Ability to perform field measurements, energy audits and manage building management systems (IT in buildings)

Renewable Energy Systems (Course)
This seminar course introduces the different types of renewable energy systems and their economics.  Students do field trips to review installations, monitor the performance of an installed system, learn to assess on-site generation potential, and review integration issues for renewable technologies.

Key learning outcomes: Identify the availability and evaluate the suitability of various forms of renewable energy. Evaluate the performance of renewable energy systems.

Proposal for Evidence Based Design (Course)
This course enables students to address gaps in current design approach towards high-performance building through first data-gathering/experimentation or meta-analysis. This class provides introduction to various components of research including identifying a knowledge gap, framing a research question around the gap, doing background study and collecting data, choosing an appropriate methodology for analysis, drawing inferences and concluding the research. This course demystifies the research process with exposure to implicit assumptions and warnings against common pitfalls. The course is conducted in a seminar format with high expectations from students in terms of weekly readings, class participation and regular assignments and presentations. At the end of this course the student will be able to able to carry out literature review on a given topic, propose appropriate methodology and scope of work that can be executed within a given time frame.

Key learning outcomes:

Ability to identify and define problem statement.
Ability to Conduct review of practices and available knowledge.
Ability to fine measures / methods to solve problems, or solve problems.
Develop methodical case studies.