How can we heat and cool our homes and other buildings while meeting the challenges posed by climate change? Join a CAT student teaching week and explore the science and sustainable solutions to the problems we face. 

Through a series of lectures, discussions, and practical activities you will learn alongside our postgraduate students on our MSc in Sustainable Energy Provision and Demand Management. 

You will experience what it might be like to study on one of our postgraduate courses at CAT and gain invaluable knowledge and skills. 

Key Information 

• Duration: five days 
• Upcoming dates: Monday 6 January – Friday 10 January 2025
• Start and finish times: starts at 9am and ends at 3pm on the last day 
• Fees: £700 
• Includes: tuition, all materials, lunch
• What to bring: good boots and waterproof clothing is advised 
• Terms and Conditions: 
  • You must be 18 years or over to attend our courses. 
  • For full list of terms and conditions click here 

Attendees will receive a certificate of attendance for joining the course at the end of the week. If attendees wish to enrol on a postgraduate course at CAT and take the module within their future course, they will be able to receive a discount on tuition costs. 

Who is this course aimed at?  

This week is aimed at people who wish to have a taster of studying at postgraduate level at CAT and want to delve into how we can transform how we cool and heat our buildings while still rapidly reducing our carbon emissions.

What you will learn 

In the face of a changing climate, the challenges of heating and cooling buildings to a comfortable level while allowing us to rapidly reduce our emissions is becoming more apparent.

This course will help participants critically analyse the advantages and limitations of existing thermal provision systems and delve into short, medium, and long term scenarios of future thermal planning. 

Topics of study includes:

• The benefits and limitations of existing thermal systems (oil, gas, biomass, air-conditioning etc) 
• Emerging thermal systems functions and limitations (e.g. Heat pumps, hydrogen, geothermal, district heating, thermal storage etc) 
• Futuring of thermal energy provision 

How will I learn 

Through pre-reading and some pre-recorded introductory lectures, live in person lectures, discussions, group activities and practical activities at CAT.   

This short course is part of the teaching week for the MSc module Sustainable Heating and Cooling.  Please be aware there may be some activities and content during the week only available to students, where an activity isn’t appropriate for the short course attendee, we will endeavour to arrange a replacement activity. 

Meet your tutor 

Dr Alan Owen – Senior Lecturer 

Alan is a Charted Energy Engineer and his research ranges from numerical modelling of sustainable energy systems and resources in Europe, to developing international sustainable energy policy and strategy in post-conflict/post-disaster areas of South East Asia. He primarily teaches renewable energy systems. 

Dr Frances Hill – Senior Lecturer and SEPDM Programme Leader 

With a background in physics, and a PhD in Environmental Engineering, Frances lectures on heat transfers in buildings, and on renewable energy provision. She also teaches study skills including data analysis.