Master’s in Urban Energy: Heating/Cooling Networks and Microgrids (Flexibility, Local Markets)
Online master's programme of 1,900 hours in urban energy: heating/cooling networks and microgrids. 12 modules covering district heating and cooling, heat sources and storage, microgrids, modelling and optimisation, flexibility, local energy markets, digitalisation, business models and regulation to EN 13941-1, EN 253 and Directive (EU) 2023/1791, with an assigned technical tutor.
Master’s in Urban Energy: Heating/Cooling Networks and Microgrids (Flexibility, Local Markets) — studying from Canada
Canada's infrastructure needs drive significant civil engineering activity, from highways and bridges to urban transit and water systems. Major transit projects in Toronto, Montréal, Vancouver and Calgary involve rail, tunnelling and smart city technologies. Rail operators and suppliers, including Canadian Pacific Kansas City and Canadian National, depend on engineering expertise in track, signalling and structures. Provincial ministries of transportation and municipal engineering departments are key employers, alongside consulting firms.
Fees for Canada: C$10,800 (Canadian dollar), with instalments and employer sponsorship available.
Relevant bodies in Canada
Typical roles
Questions from Canada
Who regulates civil engineering titles in Canada, and does SEIUM count?
Civil engineers in Canada are typically licensed as Professional Engineers by provincial associations, such as Engineers Canada's member bodies, which set licensing requirements including accredited education and experience. SEIUM is a private institute, and its qualifications are not official state degrees or accredited by a national body. They do not by themselves grant a P.Eng. licence, so check with the relevant association.
Are these qualifications useful to rail or smart city employers in Canada?
Canada has significant rail, transit and urban infrastructure work, including major projects in Ontario, Quebec and British Columbia. Public agencies and consultancies usually prioritise licensed engineers and verifiable experience. A SEIUM qualification may complement your profile, but whether it is recognised is for each employer to decide, so it is worth asking them before you commit.
Can I study part-time while working, and is employer funding possible?
Yes, the programmes are 100% online, so you can study from home without a student visa and fit sessions around work. Specialist courses are 300 hours, postgraduate diplomas 800 and master's 1,900. Teaching is in English, and an assigned technical tutor supports you. Fees can be paid in instalments, and employer sponsorship is possible, depending on your employer's policies.
Take the controls.
Run a real engineering trade-off from this field. Move the sliders, watch the model react in real time and beat the challenge.
What you will be able to do
Analyse urban energy demand.
Design new-generation heating and cooling networks.
Select thermal sources and storage.
Design and control electrical microgrids.
Optimise multi-energy systems using models.
Design local markets and flexibility services.
Assess business models and the regulatory framework.
Who it's for
- District heating and cooling engineers
- Microgrid designers
- Urban energy planners
- Local energy market analysts
- Energy service company managers
- Urban decarbonisation consultants
- Engineering or science graduates looking to move into urban energy
What you'll work with
- EN 13941-1 (design and installation of pre-insulated bonded pipe systems for district heating)
- EN 253 (district heating pipes – bonded single pipe systems)
- Directive (EU) 2023/1791 (energy efficiency)
- Directive (EU) 2023/2413 (promotion of energy from renewable sources)
- Directive (EU) 2019/944 (common rules for the internal electricity market)
- Real Decreto 244/2019 (Spanish regulation on electricity self-consumption)
- IEEE 2030.7 (specification of microgrid controllers)
- IEEE 1547-2018 (interconnection of distributed energy resources)
- TRNSYS
- EnergyPLAN
- HOMER Pro
- Dymola
- Python with Pyomo
12 modules
1.1Energy consumption of cities1.2Heating, cooling and electricity demand1.3Urban decarbonisation1.4Municipal energy planning1.5Sector integration1.6Urban energy infrastructure1.7European climate and energy policies1.8Energy poverty1.9Urban energy indicators1.10Case study: energy balance of a district
2.1Generations of district heating networks2.2Fourth- and fifth-generation networks2.3District cooling networks2.4Pre-insulated pipes2.5Customer substations2.6Network hydraulics2.7Heat losses2.8Pumping and flow control2.9Experience in Europe2.10Lab: hydraulic sizing of a network
3.1Biomass boilers3.2Combined heat and power3.3Large-scale heat pumps3.4Industrial waste heat3.5Shallow and deep geothermal energy3.6Large-scale solar thermal3.7Heat recovery from wastewater3.8Chillers and free cooling3.9Selecting the thermal mix3.10Practical: economic comparison of heat sources
4.1Sensible storage in tanks4.2Seasonal pit storage4.3Aquifer storage4.4Phase-change materials4.5Cold storage4.6Thermal stratification4.7Sizing of storage tanks4.8Integration with renewables4.9Danish cases of seasonal storage4.10Case study: storage tank for a solar district heating network
5.1Microgrid concept and architecture5.2AC and DC microgrids5.3Distributed generation5.4Electrochemical storage5.5Power electronic converters5.6Hierarchical control5.7Island mode and reconnection5.8Microgrid protection5.9Microgrids on campuses and in ports5.10Lab: simulation of a microgrid in island mode
6.1Urban demand models6.2Dynamic system simulation6.3Mixed-integer linear optimisation6.4Optimal multi-energy dispatch6.5Investment planning6.6District models6.7Uncertainty and scenarios6.8Open-source tools6.9Model validation6.10Practical: optimisation of a multi-energy system
7.1Thermal flexibility of buildings7.2Power-to-heat7.3Heat pumps as a flexible resource7.4Electric vehicles and smart charging7.5Hydrogen in urban environments7.6Demand-side management7.7Resource aggregation7.8Grid services7.9Interaction with the distribution system operator7.10Case study: flexibility of a district heating network
8.1Design of local markets8.2Peer-to-peer trading8.3Renewable energy communities8.4Collective self-consumption8.5Local prices and tariffs8.6Market platforms8.7Blockchain in energy8.8Spanish regulatory framework8.9European pilot experiences8.10Practical: simulation of a local market
9.1Sensors and smart metering9.2SCADA systems in thermal networks9.3Model predictive control9.4Energy digital twins9.5AI-based demand forecasting9.6Data interoperability9.7Cybersecurity in energy systems9.8Urban data platforms9.9Performance indicators9.10Lab: predictive control of a thermal substation
10.1Business models for district heating10.2Energy service companies10.3Energy performance contracts10.4Public-private partnership10.5Heat pricing10.6Feasibility analysis10.7Grants and European funds10.8Project risks10.9Social acceptance10.10Case study: business plan for a municipal district heating network
11.1European efficiency and renewables directives11.2Heating and cooling planning11.3Municipal by-laws11.4Connection obligations11.5Consumer protection11.6Environmental assessment11.7Integration into urban planning11.8Coordination between administrations11.9Monitoring indicators11.10Workshop: local heating and cooling plan
12.1Definition of the study district12.2State of the art12.3Demand analysis12.4Energy system design12.5Modelling and optimisation12.6Flexibility analysis12.7Economic and regulatory feasibility12.8Conclusions12.9Master's Thesis report12.10Master's Thesis: defence before a panel
How you'll learn
100% online training on the SEIUM campus, with downloadable material, recorded classes and an assigned technical tutor. There are no fixed timetables: you progress at your own pace within each intake, so it fits around your work.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is TRNSYS, EnergyPLAN, HOMER Pro, Dymola and Python with Pyomo, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Testing is studied through real procedures for hydraulic sizing of thermal networks, simulation of microgrids in island mode and optimisation of multi-energy systems. Assessment is continuous by module, plus the final Master's Thesis.
Standards covered: EN 13941-1, EN 253, Directive (EU) 2023/1791, Directive (EU) 2023/2413, Directive (EU) 2019/944, Real Decreto 244/2019, IEEE 2030.7, IEEE 1547-2018.
Build it end to end
Your final project follows the real engineering workflow, step by step, reviewed by your tutor.
Where this takes you
Requirements
- University degree in engineering, science or architecture, or equivalent demonstrable professional experience.
- Internet connection and a computer able to run the programme software.
- English sufficient to read technical standards.
Ready to start?
Send your application today. Our admissions team replies within 72 hours with your study plan and funding options.
Frequently asked questions
The programme totals 1,900 hours over 12–14 months. You set your own pace within each intake, and your tutor helps you plan the workload around your job.
You work with TRNSYS, EnergyPLAN, HOMER Pro, Dymola, Python with Pyomo, using free, academic or evaluation versions. Your tutor indicates the free alternative wherever one exists.
A SEIUM Institute diploma, awarded on passing the continuous assessment and the Master's Thesis. It is SEIUM's own qualification, not an official state degree; its recognition depends on the programme completed and the regulations of each country.
Yes. Modules passed in a course or postgraduate diploma in the same area are recognised in the higher programme. Ask about the recognition policy when you enrol.
A university degree in engineering, science or architecture, or equivalent demonstrable professional experience, plus an internet connection, a suitable computer and English sufficient to read technical standards.
Start dates are set by SEIUM's faculty for each intake. Our admissions team will confirm the next available date when you apply.
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