Engineering Science for Housing and Urban Environment

In partnership with ENSA - Nantes School of Architecture

Overview

With more than 50% of the world's population living in urban areas, the design of cities and buildings is one of the major contemporary challenges in terms of energy transition, adaptation to climate and demographic change, and preservation of the environment and public health. 
In this context, this specialisation offers scientific and technological training that provides a multidisciplinary knowledge base for understanding the main energy and environmental issues related to urban engineering and housing, and for providing solutions with the informed vision of a cross-disciplinary engineer. The main topics covered in the specialisation are:
 

• Buildings in all their complexity and as a component of the city: modelling, construction, energy production systems, energy efficiency, acoustic and climatic comfort;
• The physical urban environment: air, water, soil and acoustics;
• Urban engineering: urban planning, transport, waste, energy networks.

Contribution to sustainable development goals

Learn more about Centrale Nantes' commitment to the 17 sustainable development goals

Admission

This specialisation is open to international students selected by our partner institutions via a double degree programme.

Selected students spend two years studying courses from the engineering programme at Centrale Nantes. This usually includes one year of the common-core engineering curriculum followed by one year of specialisation. Double degree students are typically accepted after successfully completing two or three years of higher education in their home institution.

NB Most engineering programme courses are taught in French.
 

► Learn more about the double degree programme

Course Content

2025/26 Academic Year

Autumn Semester	Spring Semester
Building engineering	Architectural and environmental acoustics
Urban issues, ecologies and societies	Urban planning and transportation
BIM initiation	Energy at the city scale
Geographic information systems and databases	Building technology
Urban atmosphere	Project 2
Heating, conditioning and air treatment	Internship
Water and soil in urban environment
Thermal performance of buildings
Project 1

Download syllabus

Examples of projects and internships

Examples of previous projects

• Château des Sœurs: studies and recommendations for thermal renovation and water use
• Design of a bioclimatic childcare centre (architecture competition)
• Design of a bioclimatic house using biosourced materials
• Icebox challenge thermal performance of construction methods (Paille Armoricain)
• Study of summer thermal comfort in attics
• Energy study of a village (Saint Fiacre sur Maine)
• Acoustic study of a neighbourhood
• Urban mobility diagram
• Study of cycling facilities
• Impact of vegetation on outdoor thermal comfort

Examples of previous internships undertaken

• Management of urban development projects (ARTELIA)
• Thinking buildings as materials banks in Sweden (Anthesis Sweden AB)
• Environmental assessment methods in the construction industry (Bjarke Ingels Group)
• BIM solutions on the 3Dexperience platform (Dassault systems)
• RE 2020 and low carbon construction (Bouygues Bâtiment)
• Methodology to support designers for reducing the urban heat island effect (OASIIS)
• Deployment of digital tools for operating water networks (VEOLIA Eau)
• Assistant project manager for the renovation of tramway infrastructure (SEMITAN)
• Study and characterisation of nature-based solutions for making urban soils permeable (SCE Aménagement et environnement)
• Consultant in territorial planning studies (CEREMA)
• Energy concept for a residential or mixed-use project (Beissel & Ruppert)
• Design engineer for high environmental quality buildings (CPOS)
• Consulting engineer in building energy renovation (POUGET Consultants)
• Design engineer in building energy performance (Akajoule)
• Application of Lean Management to a major rehabilitation project (Bouygues Construction)
• Study of a mixed construction system for elevating buildings (VIRY Fayat Group)
• Assessment of the environmental impact of urban projects (Stratec SA)
• Environmental design studies for buildings (SuReal)
• Smart City project manager (RATP)
• HQE project management in sustainable construction and urban planning (Payet)
• Urban microclimate modelling engineer (Soleneos)
• Engineer in a timber structure design office (Ney & Partners Wow sprl)
• Structural engineering for timber construction (Limträteknik)
• Engineer in Environmental design (Atmos Lab)
• Impact of bio-inspired materials on the urban microclimate (CEREMA)

After the Specialisation

Sectors of activity

• Engineering consultancy
• Inspection and certification bodies
• Technical centres
• Local and regional authorities
• Specialist Institutes
• Large groups for urban development and service

Career Prospects

• Engineer in thermal technology and energy efficiency of buildings
• Engineering consultant in urban engineering
• Construction site engineer (new build / renovation)
• Consulting engineer in sustainable development, energy-building, environmental performance of projects, etc.
• Urban development and innovations project manager