FHNW: Three newly designed fields of study

Renewable energies, climate protection, circular economy, sustainable construction and urban development are central approaches to solving the challenges of our time. In view of the continuous conversion of the energy supply to renewable energies and the rapidly growing importance of closing material cycles, the need for well-qualified engineers with an interdisciplinary profile is increasing.

With its new fields of study, the Energy and Environmental Engineering program at the FHNW focuses on three of the most important areas in which contributions to sustainable development can be made.

"Sustainable buildings and cities"

Buildings are responsible for around 40 percent of Switzerland's energy consumption and tie up enormous quantities of raw materials that are still insufficiently recovered and recycled in a closed-loop process. At the same time, the heatwave summers show how important intelligently planned and optimized cities are to counteract high temperatures.

The field of study "Sustainable Buildings and Cities" provides students with competencies in the energetic and sustainable planning and optimization of buildings and neighborhoods. The course content covers a broad range - from sustainable construction, building physics, energy planning, innovative building technology, sustainable materialization and reuse, sustainable urban development and climate optimization to net-zero concepts for entire cities.

"Circular economy and resource management"

Intelligent, preferably closed cycles and an ecologically and socially sustainable use of resources are the focus of the "Circular Economy and Resource Management" field of study. Instead of remaining stuck in linear thought patterns, a sustainable economy must be oriented toward circular thinking.

Students learn how to make organizations, products and processes more sustainable. In the area of resource efficiency, the focus is also on new production processes with greater energy efficiency, renewable energies and fewer negative environmental impacts.

"Renewable Energies and Energy Systems"

The field of study "Renewable Energies and Energy Systems" revolves around the future of energy. Our modern society and economy cannot function without energy - but how can we develop a sustainable energy supply while protecting the environment?

In this field of study, students are given the necessary tools to design innovative technical solutions. This includes fundamentals of energy technology and renewable energies such as photovoltaics, wind and water, but also the entire energy system - from control and regulation, transmission, storage and conversion such as power-to-gas.

The practice in focus

Common to all three fields of study is the teaching of fundamentals and a high degree of practical relevance: In projects spanning all fields of study with companies from industry and business, students can experience this practical relevance and develop real solutions for concrete tasks. The Hochschule für Technik FHNW, the Hochschule für Architektur, Bau und Geomatik FHNW and the Hochschule für Wirtschaft FHNW are involved in the development of the three fields of study.

The basic studies of all three fields of study can be taken at the FHNW sites in Brugg-Windisch and Muttenz. The degree program is available full-time, part-time, part-time or as a practice-integrated bachelor's degree.

Source: www.fhnw.ch