Postgraduate Programme in Sustainable Architecture and Construction
POSTGRADUATE CERTIFICATE
Build a Better Future with Our Sustainable Architecture Course
As an architect, you have the power to shape the way we live. But with the construction sector responsible for nearly 40% of annual global CO2 emissions, it's more important than ever to prioritise sustainability in your designs and processes.
This is where a sustainable architecture course comes in. In this programme, you will learn how to design Low/ZIB (Zero-Impact Buildings) through energy simulations and innovative solutions that promote the circular economy. By constructing efficient buildings, you will be directly contributing to reducing the carbon footprint of the construction sector. Furthermore, you will learn how to apply building principles, strategies, and techniques for circular economy-based design. And, not only will you be doing your part for the planet, but you will also be adding an asset to the building with energy certifications.
So why not maximise energy efficiency in buildings without increasing costs? Enrol in our sustainable architecture course today and make a positive impact on the environment and the way we live.
Academic content
June 2023
Module 1
Eco-friendly buildings
General framework of building requirements.
Actions for new constructions.
Efficient rehabilitation.
LEED and BREEAM environmental protocols.
Design scales.
Design with social, economic and environmental impact.
Module 2
Life Cycle Assessment – Reducing Embodied Carbon (REC)
Circularity Criteria (Levels).
Circularity Indicators.
RCE life cycle analysis.
Improving strategies from the architecture point of view.
Effect on all stages of the life cycle.
Influence of RCE on Circular Economy, Cost, Comfort and Performance.
OPEX
Module 3
Life Cycle Assessment – Reducing Carbon Emissions (RCE)
Circularity Criteria (Levels).
Circularity Indicators.
REC’s life cycle analysis.
Improvement strategies from the architectural point of view.
Effect on all stages of the life cycle.
Influence of REC on Circular Economy, Cost, Comfort and Performance.
CAPEX
Module 4
Energy efficiency - Active vs. Passive Strategies
Passive strategies from architecture.
Active strategies.
Effect on users’ comfort
Module 5
Analysis with energy models
Model analysis
Triad thermal comfort-lighting comfort-consumption
Parametric analysis of scenario analysis
Search for the optimal solution according at hand
Module 6
Efficient retrofit
Methodological differences between ex-novo project and rehabilitation of existing
heritage through practical examples
Solutions for new construction and rehabilitations
Module 7
Approach to Holistic Design
How to apply circularity in building construction.
Implications of circularity in the construction industry
How to evaluate how circular a project is
Module 8
Sustainable and Circular Construction: new buildings
Differentiate between rehabilitation and new construction
Meet the costs and scheduling estimates with added value
Integrate energy, water, waste, and biohability
Environmental quality according to UNE 171330
The impact of the building on user’s comfort
Module 9
Energy Certifications: Passivhaus, BREEAM, LEED, VERDE, WELL.
Energy certification processes: PassivHaus, BREEAM, LEED, DGNB, Verde, Well,
among others.
New certifications related to circularity levels.
Utility and benefits.
FCP
Course Final Project
The objective of the TFC is the analysis and redesign of an existing building using what has been learned in the modules to achieve a better building.
Faculty board
Xavier Aguiló i Aran
International Managing Director SOCOTEC
Antoni Herena
Chefe de Edifícios Sustentáveis - Engenheiro Mecânico na Aiguasol Consulting
Martí Riera
Diretor de Sustentabilidade da SOCOTEC
Testimonials
This programme helps professionals understand both the concepts and figures involved in sustainable construction. The idea is for them to put numbers to the red and blue arrows that most of the architects and professionals of the sector use to describe sustainable processes and applicationsProfessor Xavier Aguiló i Aran
UK Manager at BAC Engineering GRUPO SOCOTEC
Unlike many traditional academic institutions, in this course there is no gap between theory and practice. It is designed by active professionals who are engaged in the market, who provide real-world case studies and unveil the specific problems and challenges faced in the industry todayMarti Riera Rovira
Sustainability Manager at Aiguasol
The ZIGURAT methodology
Active & Social Learning
Training based on participation and collaboration
Studying at ZIGURAT means expanding your professional network and having the unique opportunity to participate in selective working groups, decided on through the expertise of our professors: leaders in technological innovation and construction.
Lifelong Support
A holistic view of the professional profile
From the initial orientation to post-Master's advice, we guide you to have a critical and 360º vision of your future as an expert in the sector.
Online Experience
Interactive and flexible digital experiences
Through live sessions with industry leaders and high-quality materials on global case studies, our learning approach adapts well to the hybrid pace of today's professionals.
Software
Admission process
Application for admission
Personal interview
Submission of documentation
Admissions Committee
Admission decision
Enrolment
Admission Request
If you wish to start the admission process, click here Admission Process.
ZIGURAT also offers financial aid plans, which 2,000 students have benefited from since we were founded. If you would like to find out more about these plans, you can do so by clicking on the link Institutional Grants.
Applications are open until the end of the available places and financial endowment of each program.
FAQ
Sustainable architecture is the practice of designing and constructing buildings in a way that minimizes the negative environmental impact of the built environment. It includes the use of green building materials and technologies, such as solar power, green roofs, and rainwater harvesting.
Yes. In this course you will choose a real-world building and evaluate it in detail throughout each of the 9 modules of the programme. You will have different evaluating criteria depending on the topic covered, so this approach will allow you to analyse the building and to think in ways to improve it in terms of sustainability, coming up with ideas adapted to that building in that particular context.
No, you don't need this knowledge to enrol in this sutainable architecture course.
Yes. This sustainable architecture course covers PassivHaus, BREEAM, LEED, DGNB, VERDE, WELL, among others.