Building, Supply Technology, Facility Management

At their core, the courses deal with issues relating to the supply of water, electricity, gas and heat. The timetable also includes topics such as the disposal of wastewater and waste, as well as the air conditioning and ventilation of buildings. Equipment with modern energy technologies (solar systems, combined heat and power, heat pumps), fire protection systems and elevators are also covered in this field of study. Facility management administers and manages individual buildings, facilities and equipment with the aim of optimizing economic efficiency and value retention and enabling smooth operations.

The courses in this area can be studied at undergraduate and postgraduate level. Most studies take place at technical colleges.

The courses are either generalist (“Energy and building technology”, “Technical building equipment”, “Utility technology”, “Plant operation technology”) or have an environmental technology focus (such as “Building, energy and environmental technology”), courses such as “Infrastructure management”. “ or “infrastructure engineering” also deal with topics such as urbanization, traffic planning and construction as well as climate change, sustainability and environmental protection. Courses such as “Facility Management”, “Real Estate Technology and Real Estate Economics”, “Construction and Real Estate Management” are usually counted among the technical-economic organizational sciences.

Students in this field take basic modules from mathematics, chemistry, physics and engineering (technical mechanics, electrical engineering, materials and construction technology, measurement technology, control and regulation technology, thermodynamics, energy and environmental technology and pipeline construction).

There are opportunities for in-depth study in the area of technical building equipment/building energy technology. This includes heating and air conditioning technology, gas, water and sanitary technology, electrical installation, rational use of energy, climate-friendly construction, fire protection and integrated planning. In the area of public and industrial supply there is the following in-depth content: energy and refrigeration technology, gas, water and electricity supply, district heating, combustion and gas technology and energy management, while in environmental technology pipeline construction, pollution control, wastewater technology and waste management are covered.

The area of supply technology can also be chosen as a focus as part of an undergraduate mechanical engineering degree. The area of heat and fuel technology is particularly important.

Courses such as “Facility Management” or “Infrastructure Management” impart knowledge from the areas of business administration, engineering and natural sciences, but also law.

Some universities carry out an internal university selection process.

• Employment opportunities for engineers in supply technology and building technology exist in project planning and construction management at companies in the sanitary, heating, air conditioning and ventilation technology, pool and hospital operations technology, in operational monitoring at industrial companies and large building complexes with their own energy supply (e.g. hospitals ), in the development, testing and sales at manufacturers of utility systems and products, in planning and monitoring at authorities (e.g. local administrations, building authorities) and supply companies for gas, water, electricity and district heating, in building and infrastructure management and as an employee *in or self-employed in engineering and expert offices.

• Facility managers work in companies in the construction, real estate and building industries, for real estate management and brokers, property developers, housing construction and real estate companies, among others.