Building nearly zero-energy buildings is the objective that EU has set itself for 2020. They are buildings that have a very high energy performance, where the nearly zero or very low amount of energy required should be covered to a very significant extent by energy from renewable sources. To achieve this goal, but also to improve the energy performance of existing buildings, it was enacted EU Directive 2010/31/CE. From February 2012, with the entry into force of the new Directive, all EU Member States must update their national and regional legislation to ensure that minimum energy performance requirements for buildings are set with a view to achieving cost-optimal levels and establish a system of energy performance certificate. In this scenario, we can understand how the performance of the building has become crucial determining the choices of designers, manufacturers and final buyers and to stimulate towards innovations of products and processes to achieve higher performance.

The Unit works with a concept of construction as the whole sector of activity concerned with the production of the built environment. Students therefore are drawn from, and go on to work in, all branches of this sector, from client organisations through professional practices, to construction firms in the narrower sense of the term. This distinctive approach not only means that students are challenged to step outside the particular perspective implied by their professional training and experience to date; it also equips them with skills to manage any contracting situation to achieve planned objectives and the optimum commercial result.

Green building, Economics and Management is a lecture and seminar based unit in which the expected learning outcome is to acquire the necessary knowledge of green technologies and solutions applied to building, to equip its graduates with the technical, economics and management skills to analyse the kinds of problems that will confront senior managers, policy advisers and decision-makers in any branch of the construction industry. Furthermore expected learning outcome is to acquire the necessary knowledge of economic aspects specific to the conservation and/or regeneration of historic buildings and areas or the construction of new buildings, including funding, life cycle assessments (of materials, construction elements and buildings), development appraisal and the particular characteristics of the property market relating to buildings and areas.

Teaching methodology. During first lecture, it will be presented the course programme, assessed levels of students and defined individual study pathways. Before the end of each lecture, it will be recapitulate knowledge and skills acquired. Moreover, any doubts and questions arising during self-study will be solved during the next lecture. During the last lecture or part of, it will be implemented an assessment/exam.