Master’s in Urban Climate and Adaptation Engineering
Online master's programme of 1,900 hours in urban climate and adaptation engineering: 12 modules covering urban climatology, climate scenarios, urban climate risk, outdoor thermal comfort, nature-based solutions, materials and urban design, buildings, water, adaptation plans, climate data tools and mitigation synergies, with an assigned technical tutor.
Take the controls.
Run a real engineering trade-off from this programme. Move the sliders, watch the model react in real time and beat the challenge.
What you will be able to do
Explain urban climate processes and the urban heat island.
Interpret regional climate scenarios and projections.
Assess climate risks according to ISO 14091.
Design urban spaces with outdoor thermal comfort.
Apply nature-based solutions and cool materials.
Develop municipal adaptation plans with indicators.
Integrate adaptation and mitigation into urban planning.
Who it's for
- Climate change adaptation officers at local and regional authorities.
- Urban planners specialising in climate.
- Climate risk analysts in consultancy, insurance or infrastructure.
- Nature-based solutions consultants.
- Municipal environmental officers.
- Climate services specialists working with projections and data.
- Engineering or science graduates looking to work in local government.
What you'll work with
- ISO 14090:2019 (adaptation to climate change: principles, requirements and guidelines)
- ISO 14091:2021 (vulnerability, impacts and risk assessment for climate adaptation)
- Law 7/2021 (Spanish Climate Change and Energy Transition Law)
- Regulation (EU) 2021/1119 (European Climate Law)
- ISO 37123:2019 (indicators for resilient cities)
- CTE DB HE (Spanish Building Code basic document on energy saving)
- ISO 7730:2005 (ergonomics of the thermal environment)
- ENVI-met
- QGIS
- Python
- Ladybug Tools
- WRF
12 modules · 1900 h
1.1Energy balance of urban surfaces1.2Atmospheric urban heat island1.3Surface urban heat island1.4Urban boundary layer1.5Local climate zones (LCZ)1.6Albedo and emissivity of materials1.7Sky view factor1.8Wind in urban canyons1.9Microclimate of squares and streets1.10Case study: LCZ map of a city
2.1Physical basis of climate change2.2IPCC SSP scenarios2.3Regional projections in AdapteCCa2.4Statistical and dynamical downscaling2.5Climate extreme indices2.6Heatwaves and tropical nights2.7Droughts and heavy rainfall2.8Uncertainty in projections2.9Copernicus climate services2.10Lab: future heat indices with Python
3.1Hazard, exposure and vulnerability3.2Risk assessment according to ISO 140913.3Climate impact chains3.4Vulnerability of critical infrastructure3.5Social vulnerability and inequality3.6Urban climate risk maps3.7Risk and resilience indicators3.8Prioritisation of climate risks3.9Cascading and compound risks3.10Practical exercise: heat risk assessment of a district
4.1UTCI and PET comfort indices4.2Mean radiant temperature4.3Effect of shade on comfort4.4Microclimate measurement with mobile stations4.5Microclimate simulation with ENVI-met4.6Thermal perception of users4.7Exposure of vulnerable groups4.8Design of cool public spaces4.9Climate shelter networks4.10Lab: ENVI-met simulation of a square
5.1Urban trees and species selection5.2Parks and the cooling effect5.3Green roofs and their thermal performance5.4Green façades and vertical gardens5.5Urban green corridors5.6Water and evaporative cooling5.7De-sealing and permeable soils5.8Co-benefits for biodiversity5.9Maintenance and efficient irrigation5.10Case study: tree planting plan against heat
6.1Cool and reflective pavements6.2High-albedo cool roofs6.3Artificial shading of streets6.4Urban morphology and ventilation6.5Street orientation and solar access6.6Fountains and misting systems6.7Heat-adapted street furniture6.8Redesigning streets for the climate6.9Assessment of solutions with indicators6.10Practical exercise: comparison of pavements with thermography
7.1Overheating in dwellings7.2Thermal envelope and mass7.3Night-time natural ventilation7.4External solar protection7.5Mediterranean passive strategies7.6Efficient air conditioning and heat pumps7.7Energy poverty and heat7.8Retrofitting with adaptation criteria7.9CTE DB HE and summer comfort7.10Workshop: overheating simulation of a dwelling
8.1Urban droughts and security of supply8.2Heavy rainfall and urban drainage8.3Sustainable drainage as adaptation8.4Water reuse for urban irrigation8.5Water demand management8.6Drought emergency plans8.7Water for green infrastructure8.8Urban flash floods8.9Urban water governance8.10Lab: water balance of an urban park
9.1Structure of an urban adaptation plan9.2National Adaptation Plan (PNACC)9.3Covenant of Mayors for Climate9.4Adaptive planning methodologies9.5Involvement of local stakeholders9.6Financing urban adaptation9.7Monitoring and evaluation of plans9.8Adaptation indicators9.9The cases of Barcelona, Rotterdam and Paris9.10Practical exercise: draft municipal adaptation plan
10.1Thermal remote sensing with Landsat10.2Surface temperature with Sentinel-310.3Urban sensor networks10.4Spatial analysis with GIS10.5WRF and UrbClim urban models10.6Climate digital twins10.7Mobile phone and mobility data10.8Citizen science and sensors10.9Climate service platforms10.10Case study: heat island map with Landsat
11.1Synergies between mitigation and adaptation11.2Urban emission inventories11.3Local energy transition11.4Sustainable mobility and climate11.5EU Mission on climate-neutral cities11.6Climate finance and the taxonomy11.7Urban climate justice11.8Communicating climate risk11.9Maladaptation and unintended effects11.10Workshop: synergy analysis of a climate plan
12.1Selection of the urban area12.2Diagnosis of the current climate12.3Future projections and risks12.4Detailed microclimate analysis12.5Proposed adaptation measures12.6Simulation of effectiveness12.7Implementation and financing plan12.8Monitoring indicators12.9Master's Thesis report12.10Master's Thesis: defence before a panel
How you'll learn
100% online training on the SEIUM campus, with downloadable material, recorded classes and an assigned technical tutor. No fixed timetables: you progress at your own pace within each intake, making it compatible with work.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is ENVI-met, QGIS, Python, Ladybug Tools and WRF, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Testing is studied through real procedures: microclimate campaigns with mobile stations, ENVI-met simulations of public spaces and heat island analysis with remote sensing. Assessment is continuous by module, plus the final Master's Thesis.
Standards covered: ISO 14090:2019, ISO 14091:2021, Law 7/2021 on climate change and energy transition, Regulation (EU) 2021/1119, ISO 37123:2019, CTE DB HE, ISO 7730:2005.
Build it end to end
Your final project follows the real engineering workflow, step by step, reviewed by your tutor.
Where this takes you
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.
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 ENVI-met, QGIS, Python, Ladybug Tools and WRF, 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 university degree in engineering, science or architecture, or equivalent professional experience, plus a suitable computer 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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