Renewable and Sustainable Energy Technologies MSc
2 Years Full-Time | September & January Start

You will learn about powerful new and emerging tools for modelling building energy systems and control. You will develop skills for simulating energy systems of relevance to buildings as well as modelling air flow in and around buildings. You will learn how to build dynamic energy, ventilation, and comfort models for multizone buildings.
You will investigate building thermal response including comfort, energy, interzone air movement and future weather modelling of multizone buildings.

Training in research methods provides researchers with an understanding of the “do’s” and “don'ts” that are associated with employing particular approaches to the collection and analysis of data. Awareness of research methodologies and methods will enable researchers to practise appropriate techniques and to implement methods accurately. The primary aim of the module is to inform and sensitise you to the choices that are available when planning to undertake a research project. This includes making you aware of a selected range of qualitative and quantitative research methods that can be employed to collect and analyse primary and secondary data arising from studies using these methodological paradigms. Such awareness will enable you to make appropriate choices when executing your research investigation. Of equal importance, the module will also introduce you to a range of academic skills that will support you during your programme of study in addition to the execution of your research project.

This module will develop your understanding of the fundamentals of sustainable and ethical development for engineering practitioners, requiring your consideration of role and responsibility of the engineer within society. You will explore the fundamentals of sustainable development as they relate to decision making in engineering, for example consideration of; legislation, economics, energy, materials, environment and society.

During your study you will consider the challenges engineering activities present society and the future of our planet and seek solutions through the use of various techniques and tools such as the triple bottom line, stakeholder analysis, the circular economy, carbon footprint, material and energy supply chains and risk, the ethics of sustainable development and software tools for eco audit and life cycle assessment.

You will learn how to present a rational argument for sustainable solutions using both qualitative and quantitative data sources and tools using a wide range of published literature and also from your own experience.

You will learn about technologies for the utilisation of renewable and sustainable energy sources for heat and power production using heat engines and other types of converters, such as: Solar, biomass, hydrogen and waste thermal energy resources, internal and external combustion engines, solar thermal energy, geothermal and hydrogen technology. You will explore energy conversion system theory and their application through practical classes where you will also be able to develop skills important to your future engineering practice.

You will learn about current design techniques and concepts in engineering and optimisation methods, such as; direct and inverse design, integrated design within a multidisciplinary design context. You will be guided to develop your understanding of design processes; for example the use of; conceptual/system-level/detail design, design decision support systems, multi-criteria decision analysis, uncertainties in engineering design, deterministic and robust design, design sensitivity analysis, Monte Carlo and Taguchi methods.
Your learning about design and optimisation techniques will be illustrated by case examples which incorporate aspects such as design for reliability: fault and failure, reliability analysis, fail to safe design or fault tolerated design as appropriate.

You will learn about the theory and technology of renewable energy conversion systems, specifically about the followings:

• Renewable resources, their characteristics and stochastic modelling
• Wind turbines: components and performance measures, conceptual design, structural loads, blade and tower structural design considerations, operation and control
• Aerodynamics of wind turbines: blade element momentum theory, blade aerodynamic design
• Photovoltaic: conversion theory and technology, sizing and design considerations
• Storage systems: power and cost modelling
• Hybrid systems: power, cost and reliability/availability analyses and system architecture design for various configurations including wind, PV, battery, diesel and fuel cell

Academic skills when studying away from your home institution can differ due to cultural and language differences in teaching and assessment practices. This module is designed to support your transition in the use and practice of technical language and subject specific skills around assessments and teaching provision in your chosen subject area in the Department of Architecture and Built Environment. The overall aim of this module is to develop your abilities to read and study effectively for academic purposes; to develop your skills in analysing and using source material in seminars and academic writing and to develop your use and application of language and communications skills to a higher level.

The topics you will cover on the module include:

• Understanding assignment briefs and exam questions.
• Developing academic writing skills, including citation, paraphrasing, and summarising.
• Practising ‘critical reading’ and ‘critical writing’.
• Planning and structuring academic assignments (e.g. essays, reports and presentations).
• Avoiding academic misconduct and gaining credit by using academic sources and referencing effectively.
• Listening skills for lectures.
• Speaking in seminar presentations.
• Giving discipline-related academic presentations, experiencing peer observation, and receiving formative feedback.
• Speed reading techniques.
• Discussing ethical issues in research, and analysing results.
• Describing bias and limitations of research.
• Developing self-reflection skills.