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Master’s in Energy Retrofitting Engineering and Certification

Online master's programme of 1,900 hours in energy retrofit and certification engineering: 12 modules covering existing building physics, energy performance certification, simulation tools, envelope and installation upgrades, deep and industrialised renovation, heritage buildings, economic analysis, process management and verification of results, with an assigned technical tutor.

Duration1900 h
ModeOnline
LanguageEnglish
Start datesSet by the faculty
AwardSEIUM Institute diploma
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Learning outcomes

What you will be able to do

01

Diagnose the energy performance of existing buildings.

02

Carry out energy performance certifications with official tools.

03

Propose improvements to the envelope and installations.

04

Plan deep and phased renovations.

05

Apply compatible criteria to heritage buildings.

06

Assess the economics of renovation measures and the grants available.

07

Verify the real results of a renovation.

Profile

Who it's for

  • Energy performance assessors who want to master certification and retrofit design.
  • Energy retrofit consultants.
  • Renovation agents coordinating projects for owners' associations.
  • Building surveyors and technical architects working in refurbishment.
  • Building energy auditors.
  • Managers of renovation grant programmes.
  • Engineering or science graduates aiming to move into the building sector.
Standards & tools

What you'll work with

  • Real Decreto 390/2021 (energy performance certification of buildings)
  • Código Técnico de la Edificación DB HE 2019 (Spanish Building Code, energy saving)
  • Directive (EU) 2024/1275 (Energy Performance of Buildings Directive, EPBD)
  • Real Decreto 853/2021 (renovation grant programmes)
  • Real Decreto 1027/2007 (RITE, Spanish regulation on thermal installations in buildings)
  • UNE-EN ISO 52016-1 (calculation of energy needs)
  • UNE-EN 16883 (energy performance of historic buildings)
  • UNE-EN ISO 9972 (airtightness, fan pressurisation method)
  • CE3X
  • HULC
  • CERMA
  • EnergyPlus
  • DesignBuilder
Syllabus

12 modules · 1900 h

  1. 1.1Age and condition of the residential stock
  2. 1.2Energy consumption by end use
  3. 1.3Long-term renovation strategy
  4. 1.4The EPBD and zero-emission buildings
  5. 1.5Minimum energy performance standards
  6. 1.6Energy poverty and housing
  7. 1.7PNIEC renovation targets
  8. 1.8Renovation rates and barriers
  9. 1.9European experience with large-scale renovation
  10. 1.10Case study: diagnosis of a 1970s neighbourhood
  1. 2.1Thermal transmittance of traditional envelope elements
  2. 2.2Thermal bridges in existing buildings
  3. 2.3Infiltration and airtightness
  4. 2.4Blower Door test
  5. 2.5Façade thermography
  6. 2.6Damp and condensation risk
  7. 2.7Hygrothermal analysis of envelope elements
  8. 2.8Thermal inertia and summer comfort
  9. 2.9Diagnosis of building defects
  10. 2.10Lab: condensation analysis using the Glaser method
  1. 3.1Real Decreto 390/2021
  2. 3.2Certification procedure
  3. 3.3Indicators: emissions and non-renewable primary energy
  4. 3.4Rating scale
  5. 3.5Data collection during the site visit
  6. 3.6Default values and their effect
  7. 3.7Regional certificate registers
  8. 3.8Inspection and control
  9. 3.9Label and advertising
  10. 3.10Practical exercise: certifying an existing dwelling with CE3X
  1. 4.1CE3X and CERMA
  2. 4.2HULC unified tool
  3. 4.3Dynamic simulation with EnergyPlus
  4. 4.4Model calibration
  5. 4.5Verifying DB HE compliance in refurbishments
  6. 4.6Analysis of improvement measures
  7. 4.7Interoperability between BIM and energy simulation
  8. 4.8Limitations of the tools
  9. 4.9Comparison of results
  10. 4.10Lab: HULC model of a tertiary building
  1. 5.1ETICS external insulation systems
  2. 5.2Ventilated façades with insulation
  3. 5.3Internal insulation
  4. 5.4Cavity wall injection
  5. 5.5Roofs and floors
  6. 5.6Window replacement
  7. 5.7External solar shading
  8. 5.8Treatment of thermal bridges
  9. 5.9Bio-based materials
  10. 5.10Practical exercise: comparison of façade solutions
  1. 6.1Replacing boilers with heat pumps
  2. 6.2Hybrid systems with the existing boiler
  3. 6.3Ventilation with heat recovery
  4. 6.4Efficient domestic hot water production
  5. 6.5LED lighting and controls
  6. 6.6Centralised systems in residential communities
  7. 6.7Heating cost allocators
  8. 6.8Renewables in existing buildings
  9. 6.9Tuning of installations
  10. 6.10Case study: boiler room of a residential community
  1. 7.1The concept of deep renovation
  2. 7.2Phased renovation
  3. 7.3Building renovation passport
  4. 7.4Energiesprong and industrialised renovation
  5. 7.5Prefabricated façade modules
  6. 7.6Renovation with occupants in place
  7. 7.7Passivhaus EnerPHit standard
  8. 7.8Existing nearly zero-energy buildings
  9. 7.9Indoor air quality
  10. 7.10Workshop: phased renovation roadmap
  1. 8.1Constraints of heritage protection
  2. 8.2EN 16883 standard
  3. 8.3Non-invasive diagnosis
  4. 8.4Insulation compatible with historic masonry
  5. 8.5Discreet and integrated installations
  6. 8.6Moisture risks
  7. 8.7Upgrading historic windows
  8. 8.8Reference cases
  9. 8.9Balancing conservation and efficiency
  10. 8.10Practical exercise: improvement proposal for a listed building
  1. 9.1Cost-optimal level of measures
  2. 9.2Life-cycle cost analysis
  3. 9.3Energy savings and their uncertainty
  4. 9.4Property value and certification
  5. 9.5Renovation grants
  6. 9.6Tax deductions for renovation
  7. 9.7Financing for owners' associations
  8. 9.8Energy performance contracts
  9. 9.9Energy savings certificates
  10. 9.10Lab: cost-optimal analysis of a package of measures
  1. 10.1Stakeholders in renovation
  2. 10.2The role of the renovation agent
  3. 10.3Existing building logbook
  4. 10.4Communication with residential communities
  5. 10.5Approval at the owners' meeting
  6. 10.6Licences and permits
  7. 10.7Site supervision
  8. 10.8Quality control
  9. 10.9Handover of works
  10. 10.10Case study: end-to-end management of a renovation in a residential community
  1. 11.1Post-renovation monitoring
  2. 11.2IPMVP measurement and verification
  3. 11.3Performance gap
  4. 11.4Rebound effect in consumption
  5. 11.5Comfort surveys
  6. 11.6Energy recertification of the building
  7. 11.7Lessons learnt from renovations
  8. 11.8Renovation databases
  9. 11.9Success indicators
  10. 11.10Workshop: measurement and verification plan for a renovation
  1. 12.1Selection of the building
  2. 12.2Energy and construction diagnosis
  3. 12.3Certification of the current state
  4. 12.4Proposal of measures
  5. 12.5Simulation of scenarios
  6. 12.6Economic analysis and grants
  7. 12.7Management plan
  8. 12.8Conclusions and future lines of work
  9. 12.9Master's Thesis report
  10. 12.10Master's Thesis: defence before a panel
Methodology, software & labs

How you'll learn

100% online training on the SEIUM campus, with downloadable materials, recorded classes and an assigned technical tutor. There is no fixed timetable: you progress at your own pace within the intake, so it is compatible with full-time work.

Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standards and applied exercises. The working software is CE3X, HULC, CERMA, EnergyPlus and DesignBuilder, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Practical work is based on real procedures for certifying existing buildings, Blower Door testing and thermography, and cost-optimal analysis of measures. Assessment is continuous by module, plus the final Master's Thesis.

Standards covered: Real Decreto 390/2021, Código Técnico de la Edificación DB HE 2019, Directive (EU) 2024/1275, Real Decreto 853/2021, Real Decreto 1027/2007, UNE-EN ISO 52016-1, UNE-EN 16883, UNE-EN ISO 9972.

Assigned technical tutor:every module ends with a deliverable that your tutor marks individually.
Standards-based learning:guided reading of Real Decreto 390/2021, the CTE DB HE and the EPBD (Directive (EU) 2024/1275) applied to real cases, not as a theoretical annex.
Industry software:CE3X, HULC, CERMA, EnergyPlus and DesignBuilder, in free, academic or evaluation versions.
Master's Thesis with defence:A complete energy retrofit project for an existing building, defended before a panel.
Flexible format:100% online, no fixed timetables, compatible with full-time work.
Capstone project

Build it end to end

Your final project follows the real engineering workflow, step by step, reviewed by your tutor.

Building diagnosis
Diagnose the energy and construction condition of an existing building, including airtightness and condensation risk.
Current-state certification
Certify the building as it stands using CE3X or HULC.
Package of measures
Propose envelope and installation upgrades and simulate alternative scenarios.
Cost-optimal analysis
Assess the package economically, including grants and financing options.
Master's Thesis
A complete energy retrofit project with management plan, defended before a panel.
Career opportunities

Where this takes you

Energy performance assessorEnergy retrofit consultantRenovation agentBuilding surveyor specialising in refurbishmentBuilding energy auditorRenovation grants manager
Admissions & scholarships

Requirements

  • A university degree in engineering, science or architecture, or equivalent demonstrable professional experience.
  • An internet connection and a computer capable of running the programme's software.
  • English sufficient to read technical standards.

Ready to start?

Send your application today. Our admissions team replies within 72 hours with your study plan and funding options.

Apply now Scholarships
FAQ

Frequently asked questions

The programme totals 1,900 hours over 12–14 months. You set your own pace within each intake, and your tutor helps you plan the workload around your job.

You work with CE3X, HULC, CERMA, EnergyPlus and DesignBuilder, using free, academic or evaluation versions. Your tutor indicates the free alternative wherever one exists.

A SEIUM Institute diploma, awarded on passing the continuous assessment and the Master's Thesis. It is SEIUM's own qualification, not an official state degree; its recognition depends on the programme completed and the regulations of each country.

Yes. Modules passed in a course or postgraduate diploma in the same area are recognised in the higher programme. Ask about the recognition policy when you enrol.

A degree in engineering, science or architecture (or equivalent professional experience), a computer able to run the programme's software and English sufficient to read technical standards.

Start dates are set by SEIUM's faculty for each intake. Our admissions team will confirm the next available date when you apply.

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