Welcome to the programme Architecture, Energy and Environment of the University Master in Advanced Studies, MBArch, at the Technical Superior School of Architecture of Barcelona, ETSAB, UPC.
The main mission of this master is to grant its participants a complete knowledge of energy behaviour in architectonic spaces and its repercussion on users’ perception and comfort. Moreover, the impact of architecture and urban decisions on the environment is analysed with the aim of drawing general guidelines for the design process.
At the end of the studies, every participant should be able to reach a perfect control of the analysis of energetic environments in architecture and their aesthetic and functional compounds. In this way, it is expected to be able to experiment, with good academic foundations, new approaches in the built environment.
This master’s degree is preferably oriented to research, and gives the necessary basis for its students to access a PhD. The doctoral programme “Arquitectura, Energia i Medi Ambient” (Architecture, Energy and Environment) stablishes as a pre-requisite of access the completion of this master. In this way, the development os the investigation phase of the phd is accelerated and the opportunity of accessing to the full courses offer of MBArch master is provided.
The studies will cover the energy field in architecture through different discipline and scopes. Energy will be studied in its different forms: light, temperature, acoustics… etc, and will be used to analyse the environmental comfort of architectonic spaces. Climatic aspects will also be taken into account to be able to integrate, in a unique doctrine, different scientific fields usually disconnected and obtain a global system of knowledge and evaluation of energetic spaces in the built environment. In this context, the evaluation and integration of energy systems in architecture will be addressed as well as the constructive behaviour in architecture to finally evaluate its environmental impact.
To strengthen the theoretical knowledge acquired, analysis of real case studies will be carried on, with the aim of assessing building behaviour. Students will be expected to learn to do simulations and measurements to be able to verify tools good operation.
The learnt knowledge will be applied through two transversal approaches. Firstly, a design case study will be developed with the aim of translating into a design practice the theoretical corpus. Finally, the students will be introduced into the research process though the development of an investigation project. Concepts such as the hypothesis, investigation tools, state of the art… will be widely discussed. The final result will be the preparation and presentation of a dissertation-thesis project.
The master’s degree “Architecture, Energy and Environment” has the duration of one academic year and requires full dedication to be able to follow properly the academic contents and personal practice.