Course on Urban Heating and Cooling Networks
Online course of 300 hours in urban district heating and cooling networks: 6 modules covering UNE-EN 13941-1, UNE-EN 253 and the Spanish Regulation on Thermal Installations in Buildings (RITE) applied to real cases, with an assigned technical tutor.
Course on Urban Heating and Cooling Networks — studying from Malta
Malta's civil engineering sector is active, driven by ongoing construction, infrastructure upgrades, coastal works and urban regeneration projects across the islands. Demand for civil engineers is closely linked to public works, land development and the modernisation of transport networks. Smart city initiatives, including digital mapping, traffic management and sustainable urban planning, are increasingly relevant. Engineers typically find employment with contractors, consultancies, government departments and utility providers managing infrastructure in a densely populated environment.
Fees for Malta: €797 (Euro), with instalments and employer sponsorship available.
Relevant bodies in Malta
Typical roles
Questions from Malta
Which Maltese bodies regulate civil engineering and related professional practice?
The Chamber of Engineers (KSU) regulates the use of the title 'engineer' in Malta under the Engineering Profession Act. Planning and development matters fall under the Planning Authority, and public works and transport infrastructure involve government agencies including Transport Malta. A SEIUM qualification does not itself grant a regulated title; recognition is decided by employers or the relevant body.
What employers in Malta would value civil, rail or smart city engineering skills?
Malta's construction, infrastructure, consultancy and public sector firms are the main employers, along with transport and utilities bodies. Smart city and digital infrastructure work is growing in some areas. Employers typically look for chartered-level experience and licensing, so a private qualification should be seen as supporting your professional development rather than a substitute for those requirements.
How can I study this while working on site, and what support is there?
The programme is delivered entirely online in English, so you can study from anywhere in Malta without a student visa. Each student has an assigned technical tutor, and the course ends with a final project. Time commitment depends on the programme length, from 300 to 1,900 hours. Ask about instalment payments and employer sponsorship to help manage costs.
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
Explain the evolution and components of urban heating and cooling networks.
Select renewable and waste-heat energy sources for district networks.
Carry out the hydraulic and thermal sizing of an urban network.
Design user substations and thermal metering systems.
Plan the construction and optimised operation of the network.
Assess the economic and environmental feasibility of the system.
Develop the outline design of an urban heating and cooling network.
Who it's for
- District heating and cooling network engineers.
- Thermal installation designers moving into network-scale projects.
- Operations managers of urban networks.
- Municipal energy consultants assessing district heating schemes.
- Energy efficiency technicians.
- Managers at energy service companies (ESCOs).
- Engineering or science graduates looking to enter the thermal energy sector.
What you'll work with
- UNE-EN 13941-1 (design and installation of pre-insulated bonded pipe systems for district heating)
- UNE-EN 253 (pre-insulated bonded pipe systems for directly buried hot water networks)
- Royal Decree 1027/2007 (RITE) (Spanish Regulation on Thermal Installations in Buildings)
- Directive (EU) 2023/1791 (energy efficiency)
- UNE-EN 1434 (thermal energy meters)
- UNE-EN 15316-4-5 (energy performance of district heating and cooling systems)
- UNE-EN 489-1 (joint assemblies for pre-insulated pipe systems)
- Directive (EU) 2018/2001 (promotion of energy from renewable sources)
- TERMIS
- EnergyPRO
- Thermos
- QGIS
- TRNSYS
6 modules
1.1History and generations of heating networks1.2Fourth- and fifth-generation networks1.3Components: plant, network, substations1.4District cooling and urban air conditioning1.5Energy and environmental benefits1.6Overview in Spain and Europe1.7ADHAC network census1.8Linear heat density1.9Urban planning constraints on network routing1.10Case study: analysis of an existing heating network
2.1Biomass and centralised boilers2.2Waste heat from industry and data centres2.3Large-capacity heat pumps2.4Shallow and deep geothermal energy2.5Large-scale solar thermal2.6Cogeneration and energy recovery from waste2.7Free cooling and seawater2.8Seasonal thermal storage2.9Optimal combination of sources2.10Practical exercise: selection of sources for an urban network
3.1Demand estimation and diversity3.2Load duration curve and design capacity3.3Network routing and topology3.4Pipe sizing and pressure losses3.5Pre-insulated pipes according to UNE-EN 2533.6Heat losses and insulation3.7Supply and return temperatures3.8Pumping and differential pressures3.9Expansion, thermal movement and anchors3.10Lab: hydraulic sizing with network software
4.1Direct and indirect substations4.2Plate heat exchangers4.3Domestic hot water production in the substation4.4Thermal energy meters (UNE-EN 1434)4.5Regulation and control4.6Integration into existing buildings4.7Billing and tariffs4.8Quality of service to users4.9Substation maintenance4.10Workshop: diagram of a substation for a multi-family building
5.1Trench excavation and civil works5.2Welding and joint inspection5.3Leak detection and monitoring5.4Optimised operation and predictive control5.5Digital network management5.6Investment and operating costs5.7Municipal concession models5.8Grants and incentives5.9Analysis of avoided emissions5.10Case study: economic feasibility study of a network
6.1Definition of the urban area6.2Thermal demand study6.3Selection of energy sources6.4Network routing and sizing6.5Design of standard substations6.6Energy and emissions balance6.7Economic and tariff analysis6.8Phased implementation plan6.9Report and presentation6.10Final project: final review with the tutor
How you'll learn
100% online training on the SEIUM campus, with downloadable material, recorded classes and an assigned technical tutor. No fixed timetables: you progress at your own pace within the intake, making it compatible with work.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is TERMIS, EnergyPRO, Thermos, QGIS and TRNSYS, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Real procedures are studied: hydraulic sizing of a district network, a feasibility study for a biomass heating network and the design of substations for existing buildings. Assessment is continuous by module plus the final integrating project.
Standards covered: UNE-EN 13941-1, UNE-EN 253, Royal Decree 1027/2007 (RITE), Directive (EU) 2023/1791, UNE-EN 1434, UNE-EN 15316-4-5, UNE-EN 489-1, Directive (EU) 2018/2001.
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
- No prior qualification is required.
- Internet connection and a computer capable of running 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 300 hours over 3 months. You set your own pace within each intake, and your tutor helps you plan the workload around your job.
You work with TERMIS, EnergyPRO, Thermos, QGIS and TRNSYS, using free, academic or evaluation versions. Your tutor indicates the free alternative wherever one exists.
A SEIUM Institute certificate, awarded on passing the continuous assessment and the final project. 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 are recognised in a higher programme in the same area (postgraduate diploma or master's). Ask about the recognition policy when you enrol.
No prior qualification is required; you need a computer able to run the programme software 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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