As fossil-based fuels and raw materials contribute to climate change, the use of renewable materials and energy as an alternative is increasingly important and common. This transition is not a luxury, but rather a necessity. We can use the unique properties of microorganisms to convert organic waste streams into biomaterials, chemicals and biofuels. This course provides the insights and tools for the design of biotechnology processes in a sustainable way. Six experienced course leaders will teach you the basics of industrial biotechnology and how to apply these to the design of fermentation processes for the production of fuels, chemicals and foodstuffs. Throughout this course, you will be encouraged to design your own biotechnological process and evaluate its performance and sustainability. This undergraduate course includes guest lectures from industry as well as from the University of Campinas in Brazil, with over 40 years of experience in bio-ethanol production. The course is a joint initiative of TU Delft, the international BE-Basic consortium and University of Campinas.

Water is essential for life on Earth and of crucial importance for society. Water also plays a major role in affecting climate. Its natural cycle, from ocean to atmosphere by evaporation, then by precipitation back to land returning via rivers and aquifers to the oceans, has a decisive impact on regional and global climate patterns. For students of engineering, climate science and environmental studies, this course offers a first introduction to the physics of water systems and their role in climate. In addition, we show you the state-of-the-art engineering interventions that can be applied to water systems. These can improve coastal safety and increase the availability of water supplies worldwide. The course welcomes students from all over the globe, so we actively encourage discussion of water and climate issues you may experience in your location, now and in the coming decades. After taking this course, you will be able to: Understand the different processes at play in the global water cycle. Identify and describe the flows of water and sand in different riverine, coastal and ocean systems. Identify mechanisms of climate change and explain the interplay between climate change, sea level, clouds, rainfall and future weather. Explain why, when and which engineering interventions are needed in rivers, coastal and urban environments. Explain why water for food and water for cities are the main challenges in water management and propose solutions. Explain and confront the challenges in better understanding and adapting to the impact of climate change on water over the coming 50 years. The course consists of knowledge clips, movies, exercises, and exam assignments. There are opportunities to discuss course materials with your fellow students and the Course Team through our online forum. We also provide interactive feedback video sessions in which the lecturers discuss issues raised by students. Delft University of Technology (TU Delft) has a unique reputation when it comes to water and climate, with faculty experts in the fields of climate research, water management and hydraulic engineering. The course introduces you to many aspects of water and climate: from the micro scale of raindrops to the macro scale of oceans, and from understanding the physics of the different water systems to practical engineering solutions that may help societies adapt to the present and future impacts of climate change on water. Together with the courses "Drinking water treatment" and "Urban Sewage Treatment" this course forms the Water XSeries, from the Faculty of Civil Engineering and Geosciences at TU Delft.

Are you an urban planner, designer, policy maker or involved or interested in the creation of good living environments? This course will broaden your scope and diversify your take on the field of urban planning and design. We will focus on a unique Dutch approach and analyze how it can help those involved with urban planning and design to improve the physical environment in relation to the public good it serves, including safety, wellbeing, sustainability and even beauty. You will learn some of the basic traits of Dutch Urbanism, including its: contextual approach; balance between research and design; simultaneous working on multiple scale levels. You will practice with basic techniques in spatial analysis and design pertaining to these points. You will also carry out these activities in your own domestic environment. This course is taught by the Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment at TU-Delft, ranked no. 4 in Architecture/Built Environment on the QS World University Rankings (2016). All the material in this course is presented at entry level. But since the course has an integral perspective, combining planning and design aspects, it can still be relevant for trained professionals who feel they lack experience in either field.

How can you reduce the energy loss of your home? What is the underlying science of energy loss in pipes? Which heat and mass transfer problems do we have to tackle to make consumer products? In this engineering course, you will learn about the engineering principles that play an important role in all of these and more phenomena. You will learn about microbalances, radiation, convection, diffusion and more and their applications in everyday life. This advanced course is for engineers who want to refresh their knowledge, engineering students who are eager to learn more about heat/mass transport and for all who have fun in explaining the science of phenomena in nature.

Examine how architecture reflects Japan’s history, starting with its emergence as a new nation in the 19th century and the building of the Western-style capital city of Tokyo on the foundations of Edo. New building materials and construction methods reflected changing times, and the radical contrast between tradition and modernism in the nation was clearly visible in Japan’s architecture and politics. While experiencing intense Westernization pressures, Japan developed rapidly to rival the world’s great powers, we will look at how Japanese architects developed their own version of Modernism. Initially, Japanese wanted to pursue the discoveries of the Franco-Swiss Le Corbusier and of Walter Gropius at the German Bauhaus. But soon, Japan also began to produce its own 20th-century architects and develop its own style. Following World War II, Kenzo Tange became the first Japanese architect in history to achieve international fame. In the last section of the course, we will present an interview-based case study titled “Exploring Tokyo Tech’s Twenty-First Century O-okayama Campus.” Tokyo Institute of Technology (aka Tokyo Tech) possesses its own unique and unbroken succession of practicing architects/professors, who design campus buildings. We will learn about Professor Kazuo Shinohara, one of the most prominent Japanese designers of the second half of the 20th century, and several of his renowned disciples from Tokyo Tech. This course aims to illustrate the present state of Japanese Modernist and postmodern building, as well as the distance covered over the past 150 years, including the 130-year history of Tokyo Tech itself. Join us on this journey through time as we examine and admire Japan’s architecture to better understand Japanese history and politics.

Many natural and man-made structures can be modeled as assemblages of interconnected structural elements loaded along their axis (bars), in torsion (shafts) and in bending (beams). In this course you will learn to use equations for static equilibrium, geometric compatibility and constitutive material response to analyze structural assemblages. This course provides an introduction to behavior in which the shape of the structure is permanently changed by loading the material beyond its elastic limit (plasticity), and behavior in which the structural response changes over time (viscoelasticity). This is the second course in a 3-part series. In this series you will learn how mechanical engineers can use analytical methods and “back of the envelope” calculations to predict structural behavior.  The three courses in the series are: Part 1 – 2.01x: Elements of Structures. (Elastic response of Structural Elements: Bars, Shafts, Beams). Fall Term Part 2 – 2.02.1x Mechanics of Deformable Structures: Part 1. (Assemblages of Elastic, Elastic-Plastic, and Viscoelastic Bars in axial loading). Spring Term Part 3 – 2.02.2x Mechanics of Deformable Structures: Part 2. (Assemblages of bars, shafts, and beams. Multi-axial Loading and Deformation. Energy Methods). Summer Term These courses are based on the first subject in solid mechanics for MIT Mechanical Engineering students.  Join them and learn to rely on the notions of equilibrium, geometric compatibility, and constitutive material response to ensure that your structures will perform their specified mechanical function without failing.

In this engineering course you will learn how to analyze bridges from three perspectives: Efficiency = calculations of forces/stresses Economy = evaluation of societal context and cost Elegance = form/appearance based on engineering principles, not decoration With a focus on some significant bridges built since the industrial revolution, the course illustrates how engineering is a creative discipline and can become art. We also show the influence of the economic and social context in bridge design and the interplay between forces and form. This is the first of three courses on the Art of Structural Engineering, each of which are independent of each other. The two other courses will be on tall buildings/towers and vaults. No certificates, statements of accomplishment, or other credentials will be awarded in connection with this course.

There is no doubt that technological innovation is one of the key elements driving human progress. However, new technologies also raise ethical questions, have serious implications for society and the environment and pose new risks, often unknown and unknowable before the new technologies reach maturity. They may even lead to radical disruptions. Just think about robots, self-driving vehicles, medical engineering and the Internet of Things. They are strongly dependent on social acceptance and cannot escape public debates of regulation and ethics. If we want to innovate, we have to do that responsibly. We need to reflect on –and include- our societal values in this process. This course will give you a framework to do so. The first part of the course focuses on ethical questions/framework and concerns with respect to new technologies. The second part deals with (unknown) risks and safety of new technologies including a number of qualitative and quantitative risk assessment methods. The last part of the course is about the new, value driven, design process which take into account our societal concerns and conflicting values. Case studies (ethical concerns, risks) for reflection and discussions during the course include – among others- the coronavirus, nanotechnology, self-driving vehicles, robots, AI, big data & health, nuclear energy and CO2 capture and coolants. Affordable (frugal) innovations for low-income groups and emerging markets are also covered in the course. You can test and discuss your viewpoint. The course is for all engineering students who are looking for a methodical approach to judge responsible innovations from a broader – societal- perspective.

In this engineering course you will learn how to analyze vaults (long-span roofs) from three perspectives: Efficiency = calculations of forces/stresses Economy = evaluation of societal context and cost Elegance = form/appearance based on engineering principles, not decoration We explore iconic vaults like the Pantheon, but our main focus is on contemporary vaults built after the industrial revolution. The vaults we examine are made of different materials, such as tile, reinforced concrete, steel and glass, and were created by masterful engineers/builders like Rafael Guastavino, Anton Tedesko, Pier Luigi Nervi, Eduardo Torroja, Félix Candela, and Heinz Isler. This course illustrates: how engineering is a creative discipline and can become art the influence of the economic and social context in vault design the interplay between forces and form The course has been created for a general audience—no advanced math or engineering prerequisites are needed.  This is the second of three courses on the Art of Structural Engineering, each of which are independent of each other. The course on bridges was launched in 2016, and another course will be developed on buildings/towers.

Have you ever wondered why ventilation helps to cool down your hot chocolate? Do you know why a surfing suit keeps you warm? Why iron feels cold, while wood feels warm at room temperature? Or how air is transferred into aqueous liquids in a water treatment plant? How can we sterilize milk with the least amount of energy? How does medicine spread in our tissue? Or how do we design a new cooling tower of a power plant? All these are phenomena that involve heat transfer, mass transfer or fluid flow. Transport Phenomena investigates such questions and many others, exploring a wide variety of applications ranging from industrial processes to environmental engineering, to transport processes in our own body and even simple daily life problems In this course we will look into the underlying concepts of these processes, that often take place simultaneously, and will teach you how to apply them to a variety of real-life problems. You will learn how to model the processes and make quantitative statements.