Building Engineering for Sustainability

A Bachelor's Degree in Architecture, Civil or Building Engineering. A Committee will evaluate students with different backgrounds case by case.

The Laurea Magistrale (equivalent to Master of Science) degree in Building Engineering for Sustainability prepares a senior Building Engineer with an interdisciplinary scientific and technical background and skills to address the cross-cutting challenges of sustainability and digitalization of the built environment. Our graduates are high-profile professionals, able to cope, competently and creatively, with the challenges of sustainability of the actual and future transformation of the built environment, in accordance with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the European climate neutrality targets by 2050. 

The four specialization tracks correspond to four professional profiles, those for which our graduates are most appreciated:

• BES-S - Strutture, tecnologie, materiali (taught in Italian)
• BES-D - Innovazione digitale delle costruzioni (taught in Italian)
• BES-F - Innovative envelope and facades (taught in English)
• BES-M - Performance Modeling and Design (taught In English)

The two tracks taught in Italian, BES-S and BES-D, refer to the predominantly national demand for professionals able to ensure the structural safety and resilience of new and existing buildings, but also to innovate and make the entire construction process more efficient thanks to digital technologies. The two tracks taught in English, BES-F and BES-M, on the other hand, train professionals in areas where most of the businesses operate on an international scale, both abroad and in Italy.

The goal is to ensure both our Italian and international graduates have the best employment opportunities, both for those who decide to stay and work in Italy and for those who want to gain experience abroad.

The first year includes compulsory courses (48 ECTS), and common to the four tracks in which the program is divided, offered in parallel in both Italian and English. To these are added, starting in the second semester, two courses that deepen specialization topics (12 ECTS). The second year is structured, for each of the four tracks, into two teaching+laboratory pairs (15 + 15 ECTS), one per semester, in which students acquire advanced skills in their area of specialization and apply them within design exercises.

Students can then personalize their training with two optional courses (12 ECTS), which can also include courses offered as compulsory in addresses other than that of matriculation.

The educational path is completed by the compulsory internship (6 ECTS), which can be carried out externally in professional firms, public administrations, territorial bodies and companies, in Italy or abroad within Erasmus Traineeships programs, or internally, with the possibility of doing practical work within the Departments of the Politecnico di Milano.

1st YEAR

Applied Building Physics, Construction Materials Innovation and Sustainability, Structural Analysis, Scientific Computing for Building Engineering, Integrated Sustainable Building Design, Project and Construction Management, Advanced Building Envelope Engineering, Building Envelope and Modeling, Building Services and Renewables.

2nd YEAR

Re-design for Future Climate Lab, Energy Simulation for HVAC Design, Building Performance-based Design Lab, Assessment methodology for Carbon Neutrality, Zero-energy and low-carbon building design Lab, Innovation for building facades, Structural Design for Building Envelope, Innovative structural materials, Final thesis project, Internship

Graduates in Building Engineering for Sustainability are mostly employed by architecture and engineering design and consulting firms as well as by construction and maintenance, services and facilities firms and manufacturers of building materials and components. They are also employed by Public Administrations, property management and quality control services and are appreciated as private consultants. Several career opportunities are continuously arising from the innovation development trends that characterize the construction sector today.

Employment Statistics

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Know more about the Tracks and courses and Programme description

Architecture Urban Planning Construction Engineering