Urban Thermal Districts Course
Online 300 h course on urban thermal districts. 6 modules covering Directive (EU) 2023/1791 on energy efficiency, Directive (EU) 2023/2413 (RED III) and QGIS. Assigned tutor and open enrolment.
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
Analyse the territorial feasibility of a thermal district based on demand maps.
Identify and assess urban, waste and renewable heat and cold sources.
Compare the different generations of thermal networks and their operating temperatures.
Design business models, governance and service pricing.
Evaluate the environmental and socio-economic benefits of the district.
Apply European regulations on efficiency and renewables in heating and cooling.
Prepare the master plan for an urban thermal district.
Who it's for
- Urban energy planner who wants to specialise in Urban Thermal Districts.
- Heat and cold network engineer who wants to specialise in Urban Thermal Districts.
- Municipal energy services manager who wants to specialise in Urban Thermal Districts.
- Energy transition consultant who wants to specialise in Urban Thermal Districts.
- Urban infrastructure project analyst who wants to specialise in Urban Thermal Districts.
- Energy technician in local government who wants to specialise in Urban Thermal Districts.
- Graduates in engineering or sciences seeking to enter local government.
What you'll work with
- Directive (EU) 2023/1791 on energy efficiency
- Directive (EU) 2023/2413 (RED III)
- EN 15316-4-5
- Directive (EU) 2024/1275 on the energy performance of buildings
- EN 13941-1
- Regulation on Thermal Installations in Buildings (RITE)
6 modules · 300 h
1.1Thermal demand density and heat maps1.2Demand mapping with cadastral data1.3Zoning of areas suitable for a thermal district1.4Municipal heat and cold plans1.5Overall assessment of efficient heating and cooling1.6Integration with climate action plans1.7Model stakeholders: municipality, operator and users1.8Phased growth strategies1.9Experiences from Copenhagen, Vienna and Barcelona1.10Workshop: thermal demand map of a neighbourhood using QGIS
2.1Industrial and data centre waste heat2.2Cogeneration and trigeneration2.3Biomass boilers and fuel management2.4Large-scale solar thermal2.5Large-capacity heat pumps2.6Shallow and deep geothermal energy2.7Use of wastewater and seawater2.8Energy recovery from urban waste2.9Seasonal storage in pits and aquifers2.10Case study: selecting the generation mix for a district
3.1Evolution from first to fourth generation3.2Low-temperature and ultra-low-temperature networks3.3Fifth-generation networks with bidirectional exchange3.4Thermal prosumers in the district3.5Optimal flow and return temperature3.6Heat losses versus network temperature3.7Adapting existing buildings to low temperature3.8Combined heating and cooling systems3.9Synergies with urban electrification3.10Practice: comparing losses between third and fourth generation
4.1Public, private and mixed ownership structures4.2Concessions and energy service contracts4.3Pricing: fixed, variable and connection charges4.4Public funding and European funds4.5Customer acquisition and connection contracts4.6Energy communities and heat cooperatives4.7Commercial and demand risks4.8Service regulation and consumer protection4.9Operator performance indicators4.10Case study: tariff model for a municipal network
5.1Primary energy factors of the thermal district5.2Avoided CO₂ emissions5.3Efficiency calculation according to EN 15316-4-55.4Renewable share in heating and cooling5.5Air quality and elimination of individual boilers5.6Infrastructure life cycle5.7Social cost-benefit analysis5.8Certification of efficient networks5.9Public communication and citizen acceptance5.10Case study: cost-benefit analysis of a district
6.1Selection of the urban area under study6.2Quantification of thermal demand6.3Identification of available sources6.4Definition of network generation6.5Preliminary layout and expansion phases6.6Governance model and tariffs6.7Environmental and economic assessment6.8Implementation roadmap6.9Report and presentation6.10Final review with the tutor
How you'll learn
Fully 100% online training on the SEIUM campus, with downloadable material, recorded classes and an assigned technical tutor. There are no fixed timetables: students progress at their own pace within the intake, which makes it possible to combine study with work.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is QGIS, energyPRO, Hotmaps, THERMOS, EnergyPLAN, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Assessments are based on real procedures: preparing the thermal demand map of a neighbourhood, selecting the generation mix for a district, and carrying out a cost-benefit analysis of a municipal network. Assessment is continuous for each module, plus a final integrating project.
Build it end to end
Your final project follows the real engineering workflow, step by step, reviewed by your tutor.
Analyse the territorial feasibility of a thermal district based on demand maps.
Identify and assess urban, waste and renewable heat and cold sources.
Compare the different generations of thermal networks and their operating temperatures.
Design business models, governance and service pricing.
Evaluate the environmental and socio-economic benefits of the district.
Where this takes you
Requirements
- No prior degree is required.
- Internet connection and a computer capable of running the programme's software.
- Sufficient Spanish to follow technical regulatory texts.
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 300 hours, spread over 3 to 5 months. This is between 10 and 15 hours per week on average, compatible with a full-time job.
The course uses QGIS, energyPRO, Hotmaps, THERMOS and EnergyPLAN. Free, academic or evaluation versions are used, and the tutor indicates the free alternative where one exists.
A SEIUM diploma upon passing the continuous assessment and the integrating project. This is in-house training, not an official qualification from the Ministry.
Yes. Modules passed in a course or Postgraduate Diploma in the same area can be credited towards the advanced programme. Please check the credit transfer policy when you enrol.
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