Resource-efficient and Sustainable Building M. Sc.
Global challenges, such as climate change, environmental degradation, resource scarcity and demographic change, require a reorientation of the building sector.
In this master's program, we provide knowledge and methods on how to sustainably redesign our cities, neighborhoods and buildings, and to reduce CO2 emissions, the use of soil, materials and water, and adapt the built environment to rapidly changing economic and social conditions.
Your profile
Graduates in the fields of architecture, civil and environmental engineering, building services engineering and related courses (e.g. supply engineering) are eligible as the target group.
As an applicant, you must be able to demonstrate basic knowledge in the areas and issues of sustainable and resource-efficient planning and construction, especially in the fields of structural and civil engineering and infrastructure. This knowledge includes, for example, the basics of the planning and design process, the basics of building construction, the basics of energy concepts and technical building equipment and the sequence of construction processes.
The ability to work in a scientific or basic and method-oriented manner is assumed, as is a general understanding of engineering science.
What you´ll learn
The Master Resource Efficient and Sustainable Building programme graduates are to be able to think holistically and offer their services in resource efficient, sustainable construction as particularly well-qualified engineers, architects and planners.
During their studies, students learn the necessary skills in drafting and planning at the scale levels of buildings, neighbourhoods, towns and cities as well as regions. They will also have detailed knowledge of the skill areas of construction physics, building services engineering, structural design and life cycle analysis that are relevant to resource efficient, sustainable construction. They will be familiar with the interactions and synergies of these fields, and will be able to apply the knowledge that they have gained in planning and implementing resource efficient buildings and neighbourhoods.
As "interface specialists", they have both the necessary abilities to optimise the resource requirements, taking account of aspects that are relevant to sustainability such as ecology, economics and sociocultural factors, as well as being able to communicate both with creative architects and planners and with analytically- and technically-orientated engineers, and to communicate their knowledge in a goal-driven and effective manner.
The Master’s programme in Resource Efficient and Sustainable Building creates an independent activity profile of a sustainability expert in the construction sector who is able to close the gap between classical civil engineers, environmental engineers, architects and building services engineers. Graduates from the Master’s programme in Resource Efficient and Sustainable Building will be able to analyse connections and insights related to all aspects of sustainable design and building in order to develop solutions that implement resource efficient, sustainable buildings at the interdisciplinary interface between man, buildings, infrastructure and the environment.
The first semester of the degree programme serves above all to provide fundamental knowledge in the four skill areas :
- Architecture, city and landscape
- Building services engineering and renewable energies
- Building physics and energy efficiency
- Building technology and life cycle engineering
The obligatory and elective modules offered here ensure that all of the programme’s graduates have the core skills forming the basis for resource efficient, sustainable construction. In preparation for the interdisciplinary project, graduates of the Bachelor’s programme in Architecture attend the module entitled “Physical principles of energy-efficient construction”, and graduates with a Bachelor’s degree in engineering attend the module entitled “Aspects of sustainable urbanism”.
The above core skills are expanded upon in further obligatory modules in the second semester of the degree programme. The central element of this programme is the “Interdisciplinary Project”, in which the skills obtained so far are implemented and expanded in teams with an interdisciplinary composition (e.g. B.A. AR, B.Sc. BI and B.Sc. UI) in a design-orientated project. The focus here is placed on the interaction between the analysis, for instance of the life cycle-based resource consumption of alternative solutions, and on the synthesis in the context of the design-orientated development of energy concepts in the energy retrofitting of existing buildings and construction of new ones. In this context, the obligatory module entitled “Application of a life cycle analysis” is also part of the second semester of the degree programme, which is directly connected with the application-orientated development work carried out in the “Interdisciplinary project” (IDP). The work carried out in the IDP is highly practical in its orientation. In addition to expanding specialist skills, imparting social skills (e.g. teamwork and team leadership, visual, verbal and non-verbal communication, etc.) in preparation for the IDP is a major element of the first semester of the degree programme and, along with the project, also forms a component of the second semester.
Because of the long list of options available, the third semester of the degree programme offers students the opportunity to expand their specialist knowledge in a targeted manner. Moreover, the third semester offers an opportunity to both obtain and contribute specialist knowledge while spending time at other Universities abroad.
The fourth semester of the degree programme focuses on the Master’s thesis and the Master’s colloquium.
In the Master's programme in Resource Efficient and Sustainable Construction, stays abroad can be undertaken after the second semester. Students can apply for the Erasmus programme, which allows them to study abroad in Europe at various partner universities. The programme includes a stay abroad of one to two semesters. Another option for a semester abroad is the TUMexchange programme. Here, a stay abroad for one to two semesters at partner universities in non-European countries is possible. The work done abroad can be recognised if it is equivalent to the modules at TUM.
All the information about study abroad options can be found in wiki, ERASMUS + (SMS) – TUM School of Engineering and Design – TUM Wiki and ERASMUS + (SMS) Partneruniversitäten – TUM School of Engineering and Design – TUM Wiki .
This degree program does not encompass a compulsory internship nor is an internship a requirement for admission. However, it is recommendable, as a rule, to gain practical experience as soon as possible.
Further information on internships can be found in the Studies Wiki under Internship Office.
The online application is made via the application portal TUMonline.
Selection takes place through an aptitude assessment procedure. Aptitude assessment is a two-part procedure after the submission of an official application to a program. In this procedure, the TUM school or department determines whether you meet the specific requirements for its master’s degree program.
In the initial stages, the grades you obtained during your bachelor's program, as well as your written documents, will be evaluated using a point system. Depending on the amount of points accumulated, applicants are either immediately admitted, rejected or invited to an admissions interview.