Diploma in Cabin Thermal Management and Occupant Wellbeing
Online postgraduate diploma of 800 hours in cabin thermal management and occupant well-being: 8 modules covering occupant thermophysiology, cabin thermal loads, climate control systems, local comfort, air quality, thermal simulation and testing, and requirements and design, with an assigned technical tutor.
Diploma in Cabin Thermal Management and Occupant Wellbeing — studying from New Zealand
Product design and human-machine interface work in New Zealand spans consumer goods, medical devices, agricultural machinery and digital products, with a strong design community in Auckland and Wellington. Design-led companies often export globally, and the country's reputation for innovation in outdoor and sporting equipment supports a steady demand for industrial designers. Professionals may work in-house for manufacturers, in design consultancies, or with research organisations on usability and interface development.
Fees for New Zealand: NZ$3,550 (New Zealand dollar), with instalments and employer sponsorship available.
Relevant bodies in New Zealand
Typical roles
Questions from New Zealand
Do New Zealand professional bodies regulate design and human-machine interface work?
Design and HMI work is generally not a regulated profession in New Zealand. Engineers in product roles may pursue Engineering New Zealand registration if their work is engineering-based. Industry associations also exist for designers. SEIUM's qualifications are private and not accredited by any national body, so their value is judged by employers.
Where do product and HMI engineers work in New Zealand?
Typical employers include software and hardware product companies, manufacturers, medical device and consumer product firms, and design consultancies. Hiring usually focuses on a strong portfolio and evidence of user-centred work. A private qualification can add to your profile, but it does not guarantee employment or a particular outcome.
Is this workable online with a job, and what language level is needed?
The programmes are fully online and taught in English, so you need solid English for technical reading and writing. No student visa is required to study from New Zealand. You will have an assigned technical tutor and complete a final project. Fees are payable in instalments, employer sponsorship is possible, and specialist courses take 300 hours.
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
Apply thermal comfort models such as PMV and multi-segment models.
Calculate the thermal loads of a cabin under extreme conditions.
Analyse climate control systems and heat pumps.
Design local comfort strategies to improve efficiency.
Manage air quality and its effect on well-being.
Simulate and test occupant thermal comfort.
Specify thermal requirements that balance comfort and range.
Who it's for
- Vehicle climate control engineers
- Thermal management engineers
- Thermal comfort specialists
- CFD simulation engineers
- Climatic chamber test engineers
- Interior air quality engineers
- Engineering or science graduates looking to move into the automotive sector
What you'll work with
- ISO 14505-2:2006 (equivalent temperature in vehicles)
- ISO 7730:2005 (ergonomics of the thermal environment, PMV and PPD)
- Directive 2006/40/EC (air-conditioning systems in vehicles)
- Regulation (EU) No. 672/2010 (windscreen defrosting and demisting)
- ISO 12219-1 (vehicle interior air quality)
- ISO 9920:2007 (thermal insulation of clothing)
- SAE J2765 (climate control system performance testing)
- Simcenter Amesim
- GT-SUITE
- Simcenter STAR-CCM+
- TAITherm
- Dymola
8 modules
1.1Thermal balance of the human body1.2Metabolism and activity1.3Clothing and the clo index1.4Thermoregulation and skin temperature1.5Local and overall comfort1.6Fanger PMV and PPD models1.7Berkeley multi-segment models1.8Asymmetry and draughts1.9Comfort in transient environments1.10Workshop: calculating PMV in a cabin
2.1Solar radiation through glazing2.2Conduction through the body2.3Infiltration and air renewal2.4Internal loads from occupants and equipment2.5Solar soak heating2.6Rapid cooling and pull-down2.7Heating in extreme cold2.8Solar control glazing2.91D load simulation2.10Practical: summer load balance
3.1Refrigeration cycle and compressor3.2R-1234yf and R-744 refrigerants3.3Heat pumps in electric vehicles3.4High-voltage PTC electric heaters3.5HVAC unit and blend control3.6Air distribution and modes3.7Automatic climate control3.8Zonal climate control3.9Efficiency and range3.10Lab: 1D heat pump model
4.1Heated and ventilated seats4.2Heated steering wheel and contact surfaces4.3Radiant knee and door panels4.4Localised micro-climate control per seat4.5Rear seat climate control4.6Remote preconditioning during charging4.7Occupant-level control4.8Energy savings with local comfort4.9HMI integration4.10Case study: radiant heater strategy in an electric vehicle
5.1Particle and pollen filtration5.2CO2 and air quality sensors5.3Volatile organic compounds from materials5.4Odours and their assessment5.5Humidity and demisting5.6Ionisation and purification5.7Recirculation and drowsiness5.8Effects on driver attention5.9Well-being and fragrances5.10Workshop: recirculation strategy with a CO2 sensor
6.1Cabin CFD with radiation6.2Thermal manikin models6.3Coupling with comfort models6.4Physical thermal manikins6.5Climatic chamber tests6.6Road tests and extreme climates6.7Measuring temperatures and velocities6.8Comfort juries6.9Model correlation6.10Practical: CFD simulation of a cabin in summer
7.1Demisting and defrosting requirements7.2Refrigerant regulations7.3Climate control noise requirements7.4Integration with package and interior design7.5Material selection and emissions7.6Energy efficiency and range7.7Smart control strategies7.8Trends in electric vehicles7.9Benchmarking of solutions7.10Case study: thermal comfort specification for a vehicle
8.1Defining design conditions8.2Calculating thermal loads8.3Selecting the climate control system8.4Local comfort strategy8.5Comfort simulation8.6Test plan8.7Energy and range assessment8.8Comparison of climate control strategies8.9Report and presentation8.10Final 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. There are no fixed timetables: you progress at your own pace within each intake, so the programme fits around your job.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is Simcenter Amesim, GT-SUITE, Simcenter STAR-CCM+, TAITherm and Dymola, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Testing is studied through real procedures for cabin thermal load and pull-down calculation, comfort simulation with thermal manikin models, and assessment of local comfort strategies in electric vehicles. Assessment is continuous by module, plus the final integration project.
Standards covered: ISO 14505-2:2006 (equivalent temperature in vehicles); ISO 7730:2005 (ergonomics of the thermal environment, PMV and PPD); Directive 2006/40/EC (air-conditioning systems in vehicles); Regulation (EU) No. 672/2010 (windscreen defrosting and demisting); ISO 12219-1 (vehicle interior air quality); ISO 9920:2007 (thermal insulation of clothing); SAE J2765 (climate control system performance testing).
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
- Prior technical training or professional experience in the sector. No university degree is required.
- An 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 800 hours over 6–8 months. You set your own pace within each intake, and your tutor helps you plan the workload around your job.
You work with Simcenter Amesim, GT-SUITE, Simcenter STAR-CCM+, TAITherm and Dymola, 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 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.
Prior technical training or professional experience in the sector (no university degree required), a computer able to run the 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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