Last week, the Feuchtwangen campus of Ansbach University of Applied Sciences was all about practical insights and interdisciplinary exchange. The campus, which specializes in energy and building technology with its two Master’s degree courses Smart Energy Systems and Sustainable Building Systems, invited its students to a diverse block week. This special week offered space for topics and events that go beyond the normal everyday study routine.

The week began with a technical focus: doctoral student Thomas Haupt, M.Sc. presented the nPro software. This software makes it possible to combine different energy generators for heat and electricity and calculate their optimal configuration for buildings or districts. Using simple examples, the students were able to try out for themselves how such systems are planned. In the afternoon, SES student Mirsajad Emadi Baramkoohi shared his experiences with the Top Energy tool, which helps with the analysis and optimization of energy systems.

Tuesday was all about digitalization. Md Khalid Mustafa, M.Eng., introduced the concept of the Internet of Things (IoT), which plays a central role in modern building management. By networking devices and sensors, data such as energy consumption and indoor climate can be efficiently recorded and used to make buildings smarter and more sustainable.

On Wednesday, the focus shifted to intercultural exchange and personal development. Monica Baudracco-Kastner, German lecturer at the campus, moderated a lively dialog between students and campus staff. The “speed dating” session was about making connections and reflecting on issues such as the benefits of living in Feuchtwangen or one’s personal role in a more sustainable future. Michael Dams got the participants to think about their plans for the coming year – the next 8760 hours. He encouraged them to be determined, but also to pay attention to their own work-life balance.

A special moment was the visit of Mayor Patrick Ruh, who officially welcomed the new students who had joined since the start of the semester and presented them with the traditional StudFEU Survival Kit. At the end of the day, all participants focused intensively on the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), a global agenda of the United Nations for sustainable development. They discussed the importance of these goals and developed strategies to contribute to them.

The block week concluded with a technical module for students of the bachelor’s program in Sustainable Engineering (NIW) and the master’s program in Energy Management and Energy Technology (EMT). As part of the additional qualification to become an energy efficiency expert, heating load calculation and hydraulic balancing were among the topics covered – essential topics for sustainable energy planning.