Master courses

The Master’s program Building Physics and Services (BPS) contains 120 ECTS and consists of:

  • 30 Ects Core Courses
  • 30 Ects Specialization Electives
  • 15 Ects Free Electives
  • 45 Ects Graduation

Courses given by the staff of unit BPS can be seen here. There are some courses that are relevant but given by other departments, for instance, Sustainable Energy Technology courses, a list can be found here.

Information about the content of the courses can be found on Osiris. By searching on the course descriptions or codes.

For future students, who cannot sign in on Osiris, we have the descriptions of several courses for BPS. The latest information should always be taken from Osiris, since this information is only for immediate reference.

Core courses – Building Physics and Services

7LS3M0 – Sustainable buildings / Physical aspects of building materials – 5 ECTS

The sustainable building module addresses the integral sustainability of buildings, construction materials and products. This is done by considering the raw materials, the way of production, as well as the environmental and technical properties of building materials, building products and the entire construction chain, including the possibilities of their recycling or re-use. Besides this material aspect, attention is also paid to sustainable land use, water and energy systems. The student will be able to assess buildings in regard to their sustainability, make basic designs of sustainable buildings based on the functional requirements, taking account of the four themes energy, materials, water and space.

The physical aspects of building materials modules deepen the relationship between materials behavior and their sustainability and durability. To this end, the physical properties of the material on different levels of observation, namely nano-, micro- and macro-level, is studied, conceptually, experimentally and numerically.

7LY3M0 – Building Performance and Energy Systems Simulation – 5 ECTS

Given the increasing demand for higher levels of sustainability in the built environment, and the growing complexity of integrated design solutions to achieve this, there is a need for design support methodologies that facilitate efficient and effective sustainable building operation. Future engineers need to be able to make informed decisions based on a thorough understanding of the governing physical principles, and awareness of the dynamic interactions between climate conditions; building shape and structure; (renewable) energy systems; the building user; and the integration in the urban environment.

This course introduces (i) the principles of performance-based building and energy systems design, and (ii) the benefits, concepts, assumptions, and limitations of state of the art building performance simulation methods in this context. The practical work is designed to demonstrate theoretical concepts introduced in the lectures, and to gain practical “hands-on” experience in using state-of-the-art building performance simulation software for design of integrated sustainable building and energy system concepts.

7S880 – Lighting Technology – 5 ECTS

The aim of this module is to provide a fundamental scientific basis for “Lighting Technology”. In addition to the in-depth introduction of photometric, radiometric and colorimetric quantities and measurements, the course will concentrate on indoor lighting by means of daylight utilization, electric lighting, and controls. Students will get acquainted with the theory and will learn the evaluation and design of indoor lighting design in practical assignments consisting of field work and computer simulation.

7LS9M0 – Heat, Air & Moisture Transfer/CFD 1 – 5 ECTS

3D-steady state heat conduction (thermal bridges), 1D transient heat conduction in envelopes, transient moisture transfers in porous materials, convective heat and moisture transfer in envelopes.

Content practical exercises:

Experiments and computer simulations of practical problems using the content of the lecture.

The CFD course consists of three parts. In the first part, the basic aspects of fluid flow are outlined. The second part focuses on the basics of CFD, including definitions, procedure, turbulence modeling, near-wall treatment, error and uncertainties, validation and verification. The third part treats several basic examples of the application of CFD for outdoor flow, including pedestrian-level wind comfort, natural ventilation and wind energy in the built environment and indoor flow (ventilation flows, indoor contaminants).

7LS8M0 – Architectural Acoustics – 5 ECTS

Fundamentals of acoustics: Acoustic power, Fourier Transform, impulse response and transfer function, wave equation in fluids (plane waves, harmonic waves, speed of sound), wave equation in solids, intensity, acoustic energy density, sound pressure level, air attenuation, spherical waves, sound radiation.

Environmental Acoustics: Refraction, reflection, diffraction, and scattering.

Building Acoustics: Waves in unbounded solids, waves in plates and bars, wave types, airborne sound insulation (single leaf and double leaf walls), structure-borne sound insulation.

Room acoustics, modes in rooms, geometrical room acoustics, impulse response, diffuse sound field, sound absorption.

7LY4M0 – Building Services and Fire safety – 5 ECTS

Building service engineering:

In the course, the production and distribution of heat and cold for building service system will be explained, from production, distribution to the end system. The fundamental principles will be explained with the theories of thermodynamics, heat transfer and control.

The production (boiler, heat pump, chiller etc.), and the end user systems (radiator, air handling etc.) are connected with a (hydraulic) distribution system. These sub-systems have to be well coordinated to get a good performance for the end user, as well a good energy performance. The use of pumps, fans play an essential role in this.

The setup and analysis of the systems will be the main topic of the course and assignments.

Fire safety engineering:

Besides the building codes, there is a specific regulation about fire safety. The more important goal is to get an understanding of the elementary physics behind the regulations. Starting from simple physical models, we can practically apply knowledge for the building design process. Subjects;

  • Risk determination of fire
  • Fire brigade, where can you count on
  • Fire and smoke development in buildings
  • Evacuation, escape routes
  • Heat smoke ventilation system
  • Fire aspects Atria
  • High rise buildings and fire safety

Specialization elective – Building Physics and Services

7LS0M0 – BPS masterproject, design – 10 ECTS

Design research on physical aspects of the level of environment, buildings, rooms, constructions, materials or HVAC systems. The building physical aspects are acoustics, light, heat, air and moisture. Elements of the design research may be performing measurements in the laboratory or in situ, use of building physical simulation programs, writing a design research or advice report or publication. The results may be a contribution to existing design research programs, e.g. Ph.D. research or advisory or consultancy research studies for others.

7LS1M0 – BPS masterproject, research – 10 ECTS

Physical aspects on the level of construction, research. Doing research on building physical aspects of constructions or materials. The building physical aspects are light, heat, moisture, air and acoustics. Elements of the research can be performing measurements in the laboratory or in situ, use of building physical simulation programs, writing a research or advice report or publication. The results may be a contribution to existing research programs or advisory research studies for others.

7LS2M0 – BPS masterproject B, research – 10 ECTS

Research on physical aspects of the level of environment, buildings, rooms, constructions, materials or HVAC systems. The building physical aspects are acoustics, light, heat, air and moisture. Elements of the research can be performing measurements in the laboratory or in situ, use of building physical simulation programs, writing a research or advice report or publication. The results may be a contribution to existing research programs, e.g. PhD research or advisory or consultancy research studies for others.

7LY5M0 – Intelligent Buildings – 5 ECTS

Introduction to the application of ‘artificial intelligence’ and software agents in the built environment.

A brief hands-on course on to the basic concepts of OO programming (object oriented)

System modeling of applications with SysML; system modeling language.

Intelligent Agents, multi-agent systems (MAS), autonomous operation of agents, BDI set up.

7LY6M0 – Materials Panorama – 5 ECTS

This course proposes a design- and profession-based insight in the relationships between the domains of materials science, including new scientific developments, and the domains of architecture and innovational design of buildings and building parts.

The core business of the course is to provide and let generate ‘bridging insights’ on selected topics, such as:

  • the building blocks of construction materials: how they relate to each other in fundamental ways
  • the direct link between the structure of a material at nano- and micro- level and its macro properties
  • quality definitions and assessment methods;
  • design solutions and materials-based advice or design methods;
  • the two-way interaction between the material and the environment
  • judging new sustainable developments.

Design solutions are defined here as geometries or methods of application, both form architecture and materials engineering. New scientific developments refer to the invention of new materials or as existing materials which are newly applied, i.e. in a very new context.

  • Interactive lectures on the world of materials- from microstructures to environmental impact
  • Learning from practice by attending selected lectures of invited professional speakers.
  • Analysis carried out in assignments around the given talks, connecting these to the fundaments of materials science or materials engineering or materials based architectural design.

From a more creative and innovative perspective, this course also aims to deliver inspiration for students that want to join the ‘Platform for Materials Based Sustainable Design’ TUe.

7NN1M0 – Project integral design – 10 ECTS

The project is about the design of a deep renovation of an existing building to make it an nearly Zero Energy Building, based on a given program of requirements based a realistic design brief.

7LL7M0 – Capita Selecta Lighting Technology – 5 ECTS

The aim of this module is to provide an in-depth understanding of selected chapters of “Lighting Technology” covering the most relevant topics. The list of topics is expected to change over the years to guarantee the students an insight into current questions in building lighting.

In addition to the lectures, the students will research a lighting topic on their own with the aim of generating a set of materials on a coherent subject. The course provides both, scientific lectures as well as individual and independent research on a scientific topic.

7LS6M0 – Heat, Air & Moisture Transfer/CFD 2 – 5 ECTS

Steady-state and transient moisture transfer in porous materials, convective heat and moisture transfer in envelopes.

Content practical exercises: Experiments and computer simulations of practical problems using the content of the lecture.

The CFD part of the course consists of three parts. In the first part, advanced applications of CFD for outdoor flow, including pedestrian-level wind comfort, natural ventilation and wind energy in the built environment, and for indoor flow, including transitional ventilation flows, density-driven flows, are presented and discussed. The second part consists of two practical training sessions, in which the students are guided to perform a full CFD simulation for a certain building engineering problem. The fourth part consists of two assignments, in which the students work independently in groups of two on the CFD simulation of an outdoor flow problem, and an indoor flow problem, respectively.

7LY7M0 – Techniques in Architectural Acoustics – 5 ECTS

Experimental project: Group work on a room acoustics, building acoustics or environmental acoustics project.

Computational project: Group work on a room acoustics, building acoustics or environmental acoustics project

Internships – Building Physics and Services

7SAEW0 – Internship BPS Academic Work Experience – 15 ECTS

To establish the contents a choice must be made for:

  • a type of internship and
  • connection with the Building Physics and Services research program and/or
  • connection with one of the university’s strategic areas and/or
  • connection with one of the themes of the department.

See the scheme below.

Possible characteristics of the Internship
Type of project Design Research Combination
Research Program Building Physics and Services
Strategic Area (TU/e) Energy Smart Mobility Health
Theme (Department BE) Quality of Life Smart Living Environments Sustainable Transformation

More information on study periods, internships and research activities abroad can be found here.

Several possible internships with our sponsors can be found here.

7SRWE0 – Internship BPS Relevant Work Experience – 5 ECTS

To be specified in the Internship Plan, coherent with the learning objectives.

Free electives – All units

7KS3M0 – Practical assignment ‘Bouwkundewinkel

7QQ1M0 – Architectural expression (A)

7QW7M0 – Theory and practice of the public domain (U)

7QW8M0 – Heritage, Urbanization and Global Efficiency (U)

7KS1M0 – Masterproject Building Technology

7RC80 – Time, costs, methods and equipment (cert)

7QQ3M0 – Arts and architecture

7XX4M0 – The thinking eye

7QX8M0 – Urban Form (U)

7LL1M0 – Sports and Building Aero Dynamics

7QX7M0 – Architectural Analysis

7LY8M0 – Smart Cities

7QQ2M0 – Constructing Architecture (A)

7QX6M0 – Architecture and Philosophy

7KP8M0 – Building Methodology and Technology

7RC40 – Construction Research Skills (cert)

7ZW6M0 – History of Housing and Cities

7QX9M0 – Urban Trends (U)

7KP9M0 – Building Technology with Extreme Complexity

7RC50 – Master project Construction Plan (cert)

7KK3M0 – Design & Construct of an innovative structural object

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