„The topic of sustainability is important and on everyone’s lips, but it is not really given much attention by engineers in the current working world. It’s about quality and costs. However, I am personally of the opinion that sustainability must be added as a third aspect. In the future, we have to answer the question of how good a product is, how much it costs and how sustainable it is. Our energy demand is constantly increasing, it’s only going up, but our resources are finite on earth and even the sun can’t contribute infinitely. We have to use what we have, what the earth and the sun give us, sensibly and cleverly. And the topic of buildings and energy consumption in buildings is a very big contributor here,” says Prof. Dr.-Ing. Michael Walter, head of the Bachelor’s programme in Sustainable Engineering Sciences (NIW).

In order for graduates to be able to put their knowledge to immediate use, Ansbach University of Applied Sciences is now offering the opportunity to train as an energy efficiency expert, as part of the degree programme.

The first ten participants already started the course for the additional qualification last week. In a block course at Campus Feuchtwangen, supplementary content to the studies was taught and practical exercises were carried out. Among other things, the participants learned how to use the necessary software for calculating energy requirements. For this purpose, in small groups, self-selected example buildings were recorded and then different variants of energy measures were simulated, starting with the type and thickness of the insulation, to the replacement of components such as windows, to the installation of active ventilation with heat recovery.

Course instructor Christoph Matschi paid special attention to the ecological balance of a building, because: only through the expert selection of materials and component design is it possible to keep the energy consumption of a building as low as possible, both for its construction and operation, and even more so for its deconstruction and disposal.

Further courses will follow until the end of August, in which theoretical basics will be deepened. At the same time, the participants will work out a comprehensive energy consultation based on the selected example building. The course will then conclude at the beginning of September with the official examination to become a certified energy efficiency expert.

Applications for the Bachelor’s programme in Sustainable Engineering (NIW) for the coming winter semester 2021/22 are still possible until 30 September.

Interested parties can find more info at:
www.hs-ansbach.de/niw