IRMGR42718 Materials for Energy Efficient Buildings (Autumn 2025)

The course is connected to the following study programs

Master in Green Energy Technology (Compulsory in Materials for Energy Technology profile). 

Recommended requirements

Materials for Energy Technology (10 ECTS).

Lecture Semester

Third semester (autumn).

The student's learning outcomes after completing the course

Knowledge:

The student

• has advanced knowledge regarding materials for energy efficient buildings

• is able to analyze scientific problems of materials for energy efficient buildings

• has advanced knowledge regarding the energy efficiency of buildings from a life cycle perspective

 

Skills:

The student

• is able to conduct computer simulations to evaluate how different material strategies influence the embodied energy of the building

• is able to conduct computer simulations of buildings containing use phase materials

• is able to plan and conduct a limited research project under supervision

 

General competence:

The student

• is able to collaborate and contribute to team projects

• is able to present results from a research project in writing and discuss the project orally.

Content

The students will learn about how different materials can be utilized to enhance the energy efficiency of buildings, keeping in mind the life cycle assessment of the building and environmental considerations. The students will learn how to utilize models and simulations to predict the energy efficiency of buildings and building materials.

 

The following topics will be covered:

• Energy efficiency in buildings from a life cycle perspective

• Use of Life-Cycle Assessment for choosing materials with low embodied energy

• Optimizing the choice of heat insulating materials in a lifecycle perspective

• New materials with extremely good heat insulation properties based on nanotechnology

• Materials for airtight structures in buildings for reducing heat loss

• Reduction of building temperature fluctuations by utilization of materials with high thermal mass and with phase change materials

• Computer simulations of the energy efficiency in buildings, including the use of phase change materials (PCM) as one of the components

• Utilization of BIM (building information models) to register and control the use of different building materials.

Forms of teaching and learning

• Lectures

• Project work in groups

• Screencasts

• Supervision

 

The students will conduct two projects working in the same groups.

Project 1. Computer simulation of the energy saved during the operative phase by including phase change materials (PCM) in a building material. The computer simulations will be conducted utilizing measured parameters of the material. The project is research-based, and accordingly each group will conduct simulations that should result in new knowledge. The groups will conduct several computer simulations, either varying different aspects of the material, or examining the effects of different outdoor conditions (daily temperature variations, seasonal temperature variations, different climatic zones, variations in solar radiation, etc).

Project 2. LCA analysis of the materials utilized in Project 1, including the energy efficiency aspects.

 

The results from the two projects should be presented into two different reports. The students can choose whether they deliver a classical project report, or a report in the form of a research article. This reports are part of the exam in the course.

Workload

250-300 hours.

Coursework requirements - conditions for taking the exam

• Approved results from computer simulation of Project 1

• Approved results from LCA analysis of Project 2

Required coursework must be approved before the student can take the exam

Examination

This exam consists of two components:

• Component 1: Group project report on the combined results from projects 1 and 2.

• Component 2: Individual oral exam, 30 minutes. The students will be examined in both the theoretical part of the curriculum and regarding the content of the project report. 

In order to take the oral exam, the group project must be passed.

The students will receive one final grade for the course as a whole; grades on sub-evaluations will not be shown.

Grades from A to F, where A is the best grade, E is the lowest passed grade, and F is failed.

Examiners

Two internal examiners.

Conditions for resit/rescheduled exams

If the student fails the oral exam, they can re-take this exam maximum two more times. The students do not need to deliver a new report in order to re-take the oral exam.

If the project report is graded as failed, the students will be given one more chance to improve the report.

Course evaluation

The course will be evaluated by a standardized electronic form.

Literature

The current reading list for 2023 Autumn can be found in Leganto