Net Zero professional development courses

Who it’s for

Ideal for those interested in learning the benefits and complexities of energy systems (renewable and conventional) in ways that are more empowering for the potential application of these concepts at industrial, government or academic scale. Also suitable for experienced Technical staff, BEng and Master students currently working in the energy area and interested in energy management and R&D.

Course summary

This course introduces the concepts involved in energy production and utilisation, while describing the scientific principles involved in a wide range of practical energy systems, enabling simple system evaluation and analysis to be undertaken. We present tools to conceptualise and design energy platforms - particularly to develop awareness of the underlying emissions and pollution problems, and how to tackle these problems sustainably. The course also develops an awareness of energy policy and economics.

On completion of the course, you should be able to

• design energy systems using basic scientific laws
• evaluate fundamental engineering principles to solve problems involving practical systems
• evaluate the effectiveness of tools available for conceptualisation and design of these systems
• define and discuss the underlying emission and pollution problems arising from energy systems
• critically evaluate energy policies and economics with regards to decarbonisation

Delivery

The course will be delivered through face-to-face teaching and learning material, guided study, and on-campus small classes (tutorials, feedback sessions).

Skills that will be practised and developed

• assess the mechanism associated with combustion and renewable energy systems
• design a range of practical energy systems using fundamental engineering principles
• formulate the relationships between given energy systems and emissions/pollutants
• implement the principles and mechanisms that are used to analyse and evaluate energy systems
• apply critical analysis techniques to complex systems
• conceptualise new systems using novel tools for the development of energy-based applications

Other information

Autumn semester

Price £470

Who it’s for

The course is ideal for those working for original equipment manufacturers (e.g., Ørsted, Vestas), renewable energy developers (SSE, EDF, Scottish Power Renewables, Equinor), operations and maintenance/asset management providers (RES Group, DNV GL) and more broadly those working in the offshore energy sector or have an operational data analysis, operations and maintenance, or asset management responsibility within their job role.

Course summary

This course covers condition monitoring of engineering assets, focusing on applications like energy systems. Through case studies and theory, you’ll explore condition monitoring, fault diagnosis, performance assessment, systems modelling, and forecasting—key elements in improving modern engineering systems. You’ll also learn about signal processing, data acquisition, and various modelling approaches aimed at enhancing system operations.

On completion of the course, you should be able to

• identify critical components in an engineering system and suggest condition monitoring system designs
• analyse measurements/signals from a condition monitoring system to assess system degradation
• perform signal processing to extract data and minimise storage needs for system monitoring
• evaluate data storage needs and review condition monitoring implementations from case studies
• categorise and assess various systems modelling and forecasting approaches for different applications
• relate modelling outputs to system condition and predict component failure time
• propose condition monitoring system implementations, including instrumentation, measurements, data acquisition, and signal processing

Delivery

The course will be delivered through a blend of online teaching and learning material, guided study, and on-campus small classes (tutorials, feedback sessions).

Skills that will be practised and developed

• interpret information from a range of sensors and techniques
• apply performance evaluation and classification methods
• understand signal processing and data analysis techniques

Other information

Autumn semester

Price £470

Who it’s for

Professionals and civil servants working on net-zero and decarbonisation.

Course summary

This course will give you an appreciation of a number of different types of alternative energy sources whose outputs are suitable for conversion into electric energy. You will acquaint yourselves with the relevant technical, economic and policy aspects of the electricity sector and develop an integrated approach for appraising alternative energy systems.

On completion of the course, you should be able to

• compile, interpret and summarise the findings of recent publications in the field of low carbon energy systems
• assess of the requirements of energy systems in future and how they can be met
• develop solutions to problems in the low carbon energy systems sector
• critically assess the CO2 emission factors and the costs of power generation from different technologies

Delivery

The course will be delivered through face-to-face teaching and learning material, guided study, and on-campus small classes (tutorials, feedback sessions).

Skills that will be practised and developed

• analyse the GB power system with different generation mix to achieve CO2 emission targets
• solve problems using an integrated, multidisciplinary systems approach
• work effectively within a small group environment
• identify the factors affecting the generation mix under a decarbonised electric power system

Other information

Spring semester

Price £470

Who it’s for

The course is ideal for those working in the building industry such as architects and engineers, and more broadly those working in the building sector or have a design, energy or decarbonisation responsibility within their job role.

Course summary

Low carbon design requires an holistic approach to the energy use of a building. The designer needs to understand in principle how buildings use energy and to supplement this understanding with evidence on energy use from the field. He or she needs to be able to work with goals for building design, such as zero carbon standards, and with ways of off-setting energy consumption with renewable technologies.

The aims of the course are therefore to introduce

• ways in which buildings use energy
• methods of meeting building energy demands through renewables and low energy systems
• techniques for assessing the energy footprint and sustainable performance of the building using benchmarking

On completion of the course, you should be able to

• explain how buildings use energy, the demands and loads with buildings and the impact of occupancy on energy use
• explain use of renewable technologies and low energy cooling technologies within buildings
• show a basic knowledge of the concept of embodied energy
• show an understanding of assessment tools for sustainable design
• evaluate how well a building attains low carbon design
• assess the impact of the various building services options on a building design problem

Delivery

The principal subject matter will be explained in lectures, assisted by visual aids, student interaction and where applicable, demonstrations. Lectures will also include discussion of real-life examples to show how the theory studied in the course has been implemented in practice. You will have the opportunity to get ‘hands on’ experience of software modelling methods introduced in the course.

Other information

Spring semester

Price £470

Can be studied face-to-face (in Cardiff) or as a distance learning course.

Who it’s for

This course is ideal for architects, engineers, landscape architects, urban designers and planners.

Course summary

Environmental design as applied in the built environment, which includes:

• Building Information Modelling (BIM)
• environmental design strategies and systems throughout the whole construction life cycle (concept, design, construction, operation)
• low energy and low carbon building design (new built, refurbishment)
• embodied energy and its calculation
• thermal performance of buildings
• dissemination of sustainable design practices related to the built environment and assistance towards their application by the industry through CPD

On completion of the course, you should be able to

• analyse the impact of climate and microclimate on comfort in an outdoor space
• propose a self-brief which clearly sets out the requirements of the users and the limitations of the outdoor space
• propose appropriate interventions to improve comfort in an outdoor space which are suitable to the context
• provide sufficient evidence to defend choices
• choose materials considering environmental impact and resource availability
• critique the success of the interventions in relation to the objectives for comfort in an outdoor space and propose developments to improve their capability
• analyse trends from data to inform a solution
• relate site conditions to daylighting of an internal space
• plan and manage learning independently and work to deadlines

Delivery

The course will be delivered through a blend of online teaching and learning material, guided study, and on-campus small classes (tutorials, feedback sessions). Industrial case studies are structured within the course to illustrate key themes. This is an applied course, and you will deliver a project using your site and microclimate knowledge.

Other information

Autumn semester

£680

Can be studied face-to-face (in Cardiff) or as a distance learning course.

Who it’s for

The course is ideal for those working for social housing (eg. councils, social landlords, Housing Associations), building contractors (eg. architects, retrofit coordinators, building service engineers, surveyors). It is also suitable more broadly those working in the building and energy sector involved in new builds or retrofits at all stages (eg. planning, design, procurement, construction and maintenance/operation).

Course summary

This course focuses on the introduction of methods and techniques by which building designers, owners and operators can determine whether their building performs as anticipated. It aims to introduce measurement and post occupancy evaluation.

Sustainable development of the built environment requires that building perform as expected. Experience has shown us that buildings that are uncomfortable, badly operated, or poorly maintained, will use far more resources than they were designed.

The course is based on the belief that evaluation, feedback and critique are vital components to the progress of design Progress can only be achieved when this assessment is completed using credible and appropriate methods.

This course aims to reinforce this message and introduce you to several investigative and analytical methods and techniques, including simulation, measurement, and survey.

We will consider physical and human perspectives of the built environment, drawing on methods appropriate to both academic and practice-based investigations.

On completion of the course, you should be able to

• identify factors that contribute positively towards sustainable performance of buildings in use
• identify appropriate monitoring and research techniques to evaluate building and development performance in use
• explain how monitoring and investigations can be undertaken to help improve building performance
• evaluate the performance of a building or a building stock and compare against benchmarks, design or simulation targets

Delivery

You can choose to study this course in-person or via distance learning. We have developed distance learning tools through Matterport navigation to investigate buildings remotely.

Other information

Spring semester

Price £470

Can be studied face-to-face (in Cardiff) or as a distance learning course.

Who it’s for

This course is for those working in civil and mechanical engineering wanting to develop an industrial overview of waste management. It is suitable for those with little current background or knowledge in waste.

Course summary

This course introduces you to issues of solid waste management and treatment with emphasis on the principles of municipal waste disposal by landfill, and the assessment and resolution of contaminated land problems.

On completion of the course, you should be able to

• describe the nature and landfill disposal of MSW in the context of other waste management options in Europe
• demonstrate an understanding of waste characteristics in relation to the processes used for disposal

Delivery

This course will be delivered through a combination of lectures, seminars, and directed reading. In-person attendance will be required (two hours per week of block teaching).

Other information

Spring semester

Price £470

Who it’s for

The course is ideal for those working in civil engineering, such as engineers and project managers, who typically work on site and require a good level of practical knowledge in waste control and UK/EU waste regulation. Although suitable for those working for engineering firms of all sizes, the course would be particularly beneficial for those working for small-medium sized contractors.

Course summary

This course will introduce you to environmental policy and the principles and types of policy instruments used at various scales, providing examples from local to international studies.

The course also reviews aspects of environmental and decarbonisation regulation in the EU & UK as it pertains to development of authentic projects engineers will face in their careers.

On completion of the course, you should be able to

• evaluate the types of principles and policy instruments used in environmental policy and appraise environmental policy options for a decarbonised society
• appraise the requirements of an Environmental Management System (EMS), and critique key EMS documents
• evaluate the impact of key EU and UK legislation covering a development project related to a range of environmental and sustainability issues, including water quality, water pollution, land contamination, dust, emissions, noise, nuisance & odour, waste management, resource use and conservation

Delivery

This course will be delivered through a combination of lectures, seminars, and directed reading. In-person attendance will be required (two hours per week of block teaching).

Other information

Autumn semester

Price £470

Who it’s for

The ideal audience for this course would be individuals from the public and private sector looking to deepen their understanding of contemporary environmental challenges and opportunities, regulatory requirements and practices within the interconnected context of technological advancement, business performance and policy making.

Course summary

This course will provide a critical examination of the key issues and ideas that currently characterise environmental management, such as the interaction between voluntary and public forms of regulation.

It will place these ideas within the context of drivers for change on industry, technological changes and responses by the business community through initiatives to promote more integrated environmental management.

The course engages with debates on: the potential and limitations for organisations to become more environmentally conscious in their activities; the green and sharing economy, the interactions between the environmental or broader sustainability performance of organisations and their economic performance; and the constraints facing commercial, public and community organisations, regulators and environmental policy makers in their efforts to improve environmental and social sustainability.

On completion of the course, you should be able to

• identify key social science theories of environmental management and change
• identify drivers for environmental management
• understand the nature of environmental regulations and how they relate to organisational practices
• understand the variable way in which processes of environmental improvement can be linked to firms and regulatory styles
• understand the responses of individuals and organisations to the demands of environmental legislation
• adopt a business perspective of the economic and environmental benefits of environmental management

Delivery

A combination of lectures, seminars and directed reading. During seminars, you may be required to lead or contribute to a debate/discussion.

Other information

Spring semester

Price £680

Who it’s for

Ideal for those working in public sector (councils), private sector (business, construction, development) and third sector (charities, social enterprises etc). It is generally suitable more broadly for anyone interested in learning how sustainability principles are practiced in planning, decision making and implementation.

Course summary

How can we use the planning system to promote sustainable development? That is the question this course seeks to answer. You will be introduced to key features of land-use planning and spatial planning systems, with a particular emphasis on the UK, but the course also draws on relevant international experience.

From this platform, you will examine how far we can expect planning to help guide society towards more sustainable futures. A vital thread running through the course is the complex relationship between knowledge and decision-making, and debates surrounding the belief that we can achieve ‘more sustainable’ decisions with ‘better information’.

This is counterposed with ideas about the importance of public engagement and political context in shaping how planning for sustainability turns out in practice. The second half of the course picks up these threads and introduces  two key tools for applying environmental knowledge to decision-making: Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA). You will learn about these procedures whilst gaining a critical understanding of the extent to which these tools help to create more sustainable forms of development.

On completion of the course, you should be able to

• engage in theoretical, practical and ethical debates at the forefront of sustainability and planning
• evaluate planning strategies and policies, in terms of their contribution to sustainable development
• demonstrate skills in policy analysis and evaluation, with particular attention to the critical reading of texts
• appreciate the ways in which planning is influenced by wider societal ideas about environment, nature, the economy and the public sphere
• explain the different theories by which knowledge is believed to influence decision-making, and identify evidence from planning practice to assess these theories
• understand the ways in which EIAs and SEAs are undertaken, interpreted and evaluated

Delivery

The course will be delivered through a combination of lectures, workshops and in-class discussion groups. You are expected to input into all sessions, either individual, or following in-class group work exercises.

Other information

Spring semester

Price £680

Who it’s for

Ideal for those working in public sector, private sector, and third sector, and associated policy makers. Practitioners working to change food systems will benefit from frames of analysis and critical perspectives.

Course summary

This course explores the opportunities and challenges for environmental justice and sustainability through critically examining the constitutive relationships, practices, politics and ideals of global food systems.

Food offers a shared and critical lens through which to analyse key questions on resilience, resource distribution and availability, environmental pressures and development.

Drawing on the perspectives of diverse actors throughout food systems from producers to distributors, retailers, consumers, regulators and campaigners, the course explores the scope for, and limits to, developing and maintaining sustainable and just food systems in a context of multiple connected socio-ecological crises. In addition to understanding the complexities of food systems, these offer insights to more general challenges in seeking to shape sustainable futures.

On completion of the course, you should be able to

• demonstrate in-depth knowledge of how and why complex socio-ecological systems are relevant in food production, consumption and waste
• demonstrate a critical understanding of why food origins, production methods and consumption patterns are at the forefront of debates on sustainable development and climate emergency
• appreciate the role of different actors in transforming food systems, and critically consider the impact of varied pathways and actions working towards food sustainability
• evaluate the potential impact of changes in contemporary food systems on academic debate and assess the prospects of sustainable food systems in practice

Delivery

The course will be delivered through a combination of:

• seminar-style lectures to present the central issues and current debates around them, while providing an opportunity for questions and open discussion
• guest speakers, invited to share their expertise including insights from practice and engage in critical discussions with the students, with a view to enhancing their understanding of policy/practice-led debates on sustainable food systems
• required ‘group project work’, affording an opportunity to develop problem-solving skills and presentational skills
• non-residential field study visits to interact with local food system actors and activity

Other information

Spring semester

Price £680

Who it’s for

Ideal for those working in policy, planning and consultancy looking to improve their knowledge about renewable energy advantages, challenges and experiences. It is also suitable to those working in the building and energy sector involved in planning, design, procurement, construction, and maintenance/operation for new builds or retrofits.

Course summary

A major contemporary challenge is to achieve a shift towards more sustainable systems of energy provision. Renewable energy sources are a key ingredient of such transitions, but delivering an expansion of renewable energy raises big issues for the relationship between society, energy, government and the landscape. This places planning in a pivotal position, and it is the role of this course to develop an advanced understanding of the roles that planning can perform.

After introducing key technologies, trends and patterns in the development of renewable energy – organised with theories of ‘transition pathways’ - the course provides the following:

• an outline and analysis of the conventional role of planning in renewable energy decision-making
• the role of zoning strategies and new infrastructure decision-making regimes
• the role of planning and other actions (such as fostering community-ownership of renewable energy) in fostering wider societal support
• more radical energy planning ideas, such as the pursuit of 100% renewable energy regions

On completion of the course, you should be able to

• understand the various factors shaping the emergence and expansion of different renewable energy technologies, including resource availability and market structures
• evaluate the effectiveness of key planning strategies for promoting renewable energy (zoning, centralisation, and bottom-up strategies like opportunities mapping)
• develop a nuanced understanding of society-energy relations, as revealed and shaped by planning, including the limits of ‘NIMBY’ concepts, and ways of fostering better societal engagement
• evaluate the merits of different renewable energy pathways, those based on large-scale centralised infrastructures and more decentralised systems

Delivery

The course will be delivered through a combination of lectures, seminars and directed reading. In some lectures, small-scale group work exercises will be conducted in which you will report back to the class as a whole.

Other information

Autumn semester

Price £680

Who it’s for

This course benefits professionals working in planning, sustainability leads in local government, and anyone involved in the design and development of local transport plans. It is designed for planners seeking a comprehensive understanding of transport challenges and current policy, and is particularly valuable for transport planners looking to expand their expertise in social justice, liveability and sustainability. Those in local councils or consultancies focused on mobility, accessibility, and the environmental impacts of transport would find this course especially useful.

Course summary

This course considers the complexities involved in meeting society’s mobility needs whilst minimising negative impacts associated with surface transport.

The course focuses on four main areas:

• understanding the environmental, social and economic impacts of different transport modes
• identifying and evaluating the efficacy of different modes, mechanisms and methodologies to solve problems of accessibility
• exploring the social, environmental and distributional consequences of different behavioural, spatial and technological solutions for achieving more sustainable transport
• introducing the process of transport appraisal and scheme development

On completion of the course, you should be able to

• define and critically assess the main environmental, social and economic impacts of a range of surface transport modes and spatial arrangements within wider issues of economic growth and accumulation
• identify and implement key components of transport project appraisal in relation to achieving sustainability, liveability and accessibility
• assess the social, environmental and distributional impacts of a range of sustainable transport policies and mode choices
• critically examine the efficacy of contemporary solutions in a range of contexts

Delivery

Formative assessment will be provided through class discussion. Where possible, lectures include discussion and group working time. Week 3 includes a site visit to Cogan. This forms a key part of the course, as the Welsh Transport Appraisal Guidance discussed throughout is contextualised using observations made in Cogan.

Other information

Autumn semester

Price £680

Who it’s for

Any businesses that deal with supply chains.

Course summary

This course will provide participants with an overview of how Sustainable Supply Chain Management fits into wider contexts in business model design. You will develop their critical understanding of the relationship between SSCM and key related themes such as sustainable futures and scenarios; product design and innovation; sustainable consumption and production from consumer to beyond end-of-life product stewardship; and product-service systems.

On completion of the course, you should be able to

• demonstrate a theoretical understanding of how SSCM fits within the overall architecture and strategy of an organisation
• demonstrate a critical awareness of the contribution of SSCM to the creation and delivery of sustainable products and services
• demonstrate an understanding of the impact of supply chains on corporate sustainability
• critically evaluate SSC designs in the context of corporate sustainability performance

Delivery

The course will be delivered by a combination of lectures, seminars, guest lectures, discussions, and directed reading.

Other information

Spring semester

Price £590

Who it’s for

The course is ideal for those working with suppliers, sub-contractors and/or investors across various sectors or who have a compliance, investment, or management responsibility within their job role.

Course summary

This course focuses on the strategic, value-adding role of purchasing and supply management in the organisation. It will give you a comprehensive insight into the opportunities and challenges facing the purchasing function and purchasing professionals today.

Particular emphasis is placed on the idea of responsible purchasing. Responsible purchasing has various internal and external aspects, including: compliance with company policies and procedures, involvement of end-users in purchasing decisions, measuring performance, cost management, fair treatment of suppliers, promoting environmental sustainability and conducting due diligence throughout the supply chain.

On completion of the course, you should be able to

• demonstrate knowledge of key concepts, models and frameworks relevant to responsible purchasing and supply management
• discuss the main challenges and opportunities associated with responsible purchasing
• critically assess how responsible purchasing can contribute to the economic, social and environmental performance of organisations
• analyse purchasing strategies, policies and practices within organisations

Delivery

The course will be delivered by a combination of lectures, seminars, and directed reading, with a strong focus on the practical application of theory.

Other information

Spring semester

Price £590