PhD Research Program in the Field of Energy Retrofit of Historic Buildings

Publish Date: Aug 25, 2016

Deadline: Sep 09, 2016

The objective of this PhD position is to deepen the knowledge on how to save energy in renovation of historic and protected buildings in a cost efficient way without losing their heritage value.

The research will assess replicable procedures on how experts can work together with integrated design to maintain both the heritage value of the building and at the same time make it energy efficient. At the same time, it will identify conservation compatible retrofit solutions in a “whole building perspective”, taking into account the range of aspects from hygrothermal compatibility over life cycle performance to conservation principles.

The candidate will to this aim take part in the IEA SHC task on “Deep Renovation of Historic Buildings towards lowest possible energy demand and CO2 emission (NZEB)”, which is now in task definition phase and will start mid 2017.

The PhD will be realized within a scholarship at the Polytechnic University of Milan, for which the candidate has also to apply via the foreseen procedure there. Study and work environment for this PhD position will be both EURAC research in Bolzano and the Polytechnic University of Milan.

Funding and management of the thematic scholarships

  • Number of scholarships: 1 (one)
  • Monthly net income: €. 1.400,00 (max 36 months)
    [In case of a change of the welfare rates during the three-year period, the amount could be slightly modified]
  • Additional support: Funding for educational activities(*) : €. 1.370 per student [for the 2nd and 3rd year]
  • Starting of PhD activity: 1/11/2016
  • Deadline for application to the call: 9/09/2016
  • Research Director: prof. Niccolò Aste
  • Research Group: prof. Niccolò Aste, Valeria Pracchi, Alexandra Troi (EURAC).
  • Funding and cooperating Institutions: the scholarship is co-funded by Politecnico di Milano, Department ABC and EURAC, European Academy of Bozen/Bolzano.

Tasks

  • Identify replicable procedures on how experts can work together with integrated design to maintain both the expression of the building, and at the same time make it energy efficient.
  • Identify replicable solutions from case studies. Connect and integrate ongoing R&D on conservation compatible retrofit solutions.
  • Assessment of technical solutions form both energy and conservation point of view.
  • Focus either on:
    • SubTask B (Multidisciplinary Planning process)
    • SubTask C (Conservation compatible retrofit solutions)
  • Use of different tools to reach the research aims as e.g.
    • hygrothermal simulation,
    • static and dynamic energy performance calculation
    • monitoring on environmental and energetic parameters
    • data elaboration
    • sensitivity ananlysis and
    • multiobjective optimization
  • Participation in Task activities and meetings
  • Publication in recognized international journals and contributions to international conferences

Requirements

  • Master thesis or comparable academic degree in a relevant field;
  • Ability to work autonomously, in a team and with project partners;
  • Good knowledge of Italian and English, written and spoken;
  • Knowledge of building physics
  • Building modelling, energy dynamic simulation, optimization strategies
  • Comprehension of conservation principles
  • Familiarity with RES integrated in building system
  • Energy economics fundamentals

We offer:

The candidate will work in close collaboration with EURAC’s research group on energy retrofit of historic buildings participating in the new IEA SHC Task on historic buildings (Alexandra Troi, vice head of the institute and coordinator of the research group, Elena Lucchi, Franziska Haas and Francesca Roberti, senior researchers in the same group), as well as with the other Task participants, mainly from the international academic world.

Working at EURAC the candidate can profit from the very collaborative atmosphere and ex-change with researchers and senior researchers working in the five research groups around “energy and buildings”.

Skills of the candidate

At the end of the research project the candidate will have acquired skills and expertise to operate in the fields of:

  • Knowledge of building physics
  • Building modelling, energy dynamic simulation, optimization strategies
  • Comprehension of conservation principles
  • Familiarity with RES integrated in building system
  • Energy economics fundamentals

Job opportunities

This research ofers to young graduated as well as to professionals, an indepth knowledge in the field of energy efcient buildings, energy storage and optimization strategies, that can be used afterwards in academia or in the professional market.

How to apply

Interested candidates should submit their application (CV, cover letter and further relevant documents) within 09.09.2016 to the following address: Institute for Renewable Energy
Email: jobs.renewable.energy@eurac.edu - www.eurac.edu

For more information please click on the "Further official information" link below.


This opportunity has expired. It was originally published here:

http://www.eurac.edu/en/aboutus/Jobs/Pages/PhD-candidate-in-the-field-of-energy-retrofit-of-historic-buildings_08-08-2016.aspx

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