Summary
Apply building physics to real projects to optimise performance by improving comfort, reducing energy use, and ensure compliance with net zero and safety standards.
Building Physics looks at how heat, air, moisture, light, and sound behave inside buildings, and how they affect comfort, safety, and energy use. As buildings become more complex and need to perform better, understanding these factors has become essential for creating safe, efficient, and sustainable places to live and work.
The built environment is also changing quickly, driven under stricter building regulations (Part L, O, and F):
Part L: energy use and conservation of fuel and power
Part O: preventing overheating
Part F: proper ventilation
Alongside these rules, there is growing pressure to meet net-zero targets and design buildings that can cope with climate change.
New computer models and simulation tools give us more accuracy than ever when testing designs and predicting performance. But this also highlights a skills gap: many professionals don’t yet have the knowledge to use these tools effectively or apply building physics throughout a project, from the design stage right through to operation.
This course helps close that gap. It takes core engineering principles like thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, and material science and shows how they apply in real building projects. From reducing overheating risk, to ensuring good ventilation, to improving insulation and energy performance, building physics is now a vital skill for engineers, architects, and designers who want to deliver modern, high-performing, and sustainable buildings.
Who should attend?
Mechanical and other relevant building engineers (e.g., architects, civil engineers, surveyors, energy assessors), as well as specifiers, designers, and project managers.
How will I benefit?
After the course you will be able to:
1. Understand and apply regulatory requirements, including the Building Safety Act, Gateway 2, and net-zero standards, in design and construction.
2. Apply core building physics principles to analyse heat, air, moisture, light, and sound interactions in buildings.
3. Assess and optimise thermal performance, moisture control, ventilation, daylighting, and acoustics for energy efficiency and comfort.
4. Address practical challenges such as overheating, condensation, and indoor air quality using real-world tools and case studies.
5. Enhance professional competence to deliver compliant, sustainable buildings and contribute effectively to multidisciplinary project teams.