Technische Universitaet Berlin

Building Sustainability – Management Methods for Energy Efficiency (MBA)

Program Background

This master’s degree program is a comprehensive, interdisciplinary course for those who plan a career in real estate project planning and management with a focus on implementing sustainability and acknowledging the relevance of different urban contexts.

The concept of the German “Energiewende” – literally, energy transition – has gained international attention. It includes a variety of measures that aim at making Europe’s largest economy free of fossil fuels and nuclear energy. In order to attain this, all areas of energy production and consumption will have to go through a transition process. Besides mobility and industry, buildings are therefore one of the key factors for a successful Energiewende.

Students and Graduates

The program addresses a broad group of professionals with varying academic backgrounds, mostly in engineering and technology, management, economics, architecture, and urban or environmental planning. However, applicants with other academic backgrounds coupled with working experience in a related field are also encouraged to apply, personal motivation plays an important role in the selection process. Class diversity is one of its greatest assets, as students will not only learn from lecturers with science and business backgrounds but also from each other.

Graduates will be able to moderate and manage complex projects in the planning, construction and real estate sector. The program provides the knowledge and skills for assessing projects from economic, ecological and technical perspectives as well as for creatively, both in teams or independently, finding solutions considering various stakeholder interests. Graduates will be able to enter the labor market (private and public sector) or continue on with postgraduate studies.

Program Content

The MBA program “Building Sustainability – Management Methods for Energy Efficiency” comprises skills, methods, and concepts to consider different approaches, to understand them, and to align them for reaching sustainable solutions. Such competencies are indispensable in every building, construction and real estate project that takes energy efficiency and other sustainability criteria as balancing economic, social, ecological and cultural aspects in responsibility for future generations into account.

In this regard, students will learn a lot from experts and from each other and hopefully enjoy the international, interdisciplinary teamwork as well as Berlin’s urban and cosmopolitan atmosphere.

The master’s degree program is taught in English over a period of three semesters.

The first semester covers the technical, economic, entrepreneurial and legal foundations for management decisions in the building sustainability sector.

The second semester deepens this view through the interdisciplinary project, management, and lecture series modules.

The third semester broadens the view while simultaneously focusing on practice according to the student’s individual interests.

All semesters include lectures, tutorials, seminars as well as company visits and excursions, online materials related to practice and extracurricular activities.

The master thesis is due in the third semester concludes the program.

Modules

Technology (9 ECTS)

In this module, students review and gain more in-depth general technical knowledge and knowledge of energy technologies and systems in the context of current developments taking into account social responsibility and sustainable development. The module also covers the most important technological insights, and the technological foundations of the subsequent modules are explained. Students will be able to define and evaluate various procedures, apply them to selected cases in the construction sector and present options for optimizing them.

Economics (6 ECTS)

This module is an introduction to economics. It covers the most important principles of economics taking into account social responsibility and sustainable development. The module engages with the latest research and encourages a critical and reflective approach in providing a foundation in economics for subsequent modules. Students are able to identify specialized knowledge and aspects of economics and to compare general and selected cases from the transport sector.

Business (9 ECTS)

This module is an introduction to business studies. It covers the most important principles of business studies taking into account, social responsibility and sustainable development. The module engages with the latest research and encourages a critical and reflective approach in providing a grounding in business studies for subsequent modules. Students will be able to define the main features of business studies, apply problem-solving skills to case studies using different fields of knowledge and, depending on the focus of their studies, present options for optimizing the construction sector.

Law (6 ECTS)

This module is an introduction to legal principles and the legal framework for real estate at an international, European and national level. Students will be able to use their own initiative to combine legal knowledge and skills in solving complex problems, evaluate cases independently and analyze and summarize legal situations.

Management (12 ECTS)

Students are able to independently identify, analyze, and design strategic approaches taking into account the consequences of environmental changes for planning, management, and controlling. They do this by incorporating interdependent technological, economic, business and legal processes in companies and organizations and taking into account social responsibility and sustainable development. Students will be able to define the main features of management in the construction sector, apply problem-solving skills to case studies using different fields of knowledge and present options for optimizing the building sector.

Lecture Series (6 ECTS)

The students will be able to follow and identify key facts from expert presentations on the technological, economic, social, and environmental dimensions of problems in energy-focused planning and construction processes in individual buildings and across neighborhoods.

Interdisciplinary Project (12 ECTS)

This module combines a number of subject-specific competencies in one project. The students will be able to evaluate and analyze buildings from an energy and economic perspective and implement new and innovative concepts in improvement and optimization strategies. This module offers insights into the planning, implementation, and operation of technologies (software, communications, and hardware) in building monitoring, control, and automation, with a particular focus on energy management.

Students will gain a basic understanding of flexible and smart energy management in modern living environments.

With the view of achieving a holistic energy balance, the students will develop a detailed knowledge of internal factors such as building configuration, user/usage, monitoring, control/automation, and decentralized generation. From the perspective of a smart building, they will also understand the relationship with external factors such as energy procurement, (regenerative) energy supply, legal and market frameworks for construction and operation.

Students will also gain a basic understanding of the thermophysical principles of HVAC systems and the role they play in the energy management of a building. Graduates will be able to identify and assess the energy efficiency impact of options for smart building design and implementation, and compare these with other measures (e.g. smart heating compared with changes to the building envelope).

Compulsory Electives

Two of the following modules must be selected:

User-Centered Business Model Innovation & Research (6 ECTS)

The User-Centered Business Model Innovation & Research module is an interdisciplinary project that awards 6 ECTS for one semester. The course offers theoretical input sessions on innovation management, project management, team building, user-centered business model development and methods of business research. Using innovative design thinking and lean startup methods, the students apply this knowledge independently to the development of their business idea. With an entrepreneurial spirit, the teams work with various interest groups (industry, government, and startups).

Energy-Efficient Societies (6 ECTS)

The goal of energy-efficient buildings is embedded in specific socio-economic discourse. As a result, the idea of energy efficiency can be understood differently in different social and cultural contexts. This module examines different understandings of energy efficiency and its implications for project managers (i.e. students in this master’s degree), other building and energy experts, users and society. In addition, it imparts knowledge and skills to deal with different target groups and to reflect on own projects that were developed in other courses or presented in practice-oriented series of lectures.

Integration of Renewable Energies (6 ECTS)

This module repeats and deepens knowledge about energy technologies and systems in the context of the current changes. Students gain a basic understanding of the applicability and limitation of renewable energy sources in a building environment. In this context, the students develop academic research skills in the field of designing building and district-related energy supply systems based on renewable energy sources and their interaction with conventional or fossil sources.

Alternatively, students may also choose from an elective offered by the Energy Management (MBA) or Sustainable Mobility Management (MBA) programs.

Master Thesis (18 ECTS)


About the EUREF-Campus

The main location for lectures, seminars, and activities is the European Energy Forum (EUREF). The Campus around the historical Gasometer in Berlin-Schöneberg is a cluster of mobility and energy start-ups and companies pushing forward the energy transition and smart city concepts. It serves as a testing ground for new technologies and innovative business ideas based on the philosophy of sustainability. The Campus achieved already in 2014 the CO2-climate targets of the German Federal Government for 2050.

The classrooms at the EUREF-Campus offer an excellent learning environment where students learn in close cooperation with leading enterprises and institutions to become acquainted also with practical projects in the field of energy, infrastructure, and mobility.


About Technische Universitaet Berlin

The internationally renowned Technische Universität Berlin (TUB) is located in Germany's capital city at the heart of Europe. The academic activities are focused on achieving sharply-defined goals: building a distinctive profile for our university, ensuring exceptional performance in research and teaching, providing our graduates with excellent qualifications and a modern approach to university administration.

The TU Berlin strives to promote the dissemination of knowledge and to facilitate technological progress through adherence to the core principles of excellence and quality. Strong regional, national, and international networking with partners in science and industry is an important aspect in these endeavors. The internationally renowned research-intensive university is dedicated to promoting science and technology for the benefit of broader society and committed to the principle of sustainability.


Other courses offered by Technische Universitaet Berlin

Energy Management (MBA)

Master in European and International Energy Law (MBL)

Sustainable Mobility Management (MBA)