DESRes

DESRes − Digital Erasmus − A pan-European approach to teaching building performance and resilient design

Initial situation / Motivation
The project entitled ‘Digital Erasmus - a roadmap to using building performance simulation to achieve resilient design’ responds to the context of safe and remote teaching of students by seeking to transform the learning experience of students in built environment disciplines. Our objective is to develop a dynamic, experiential methodology aimed at maximizing student engagement and learning opportunities in a digital and transnational environment. We hope to create an environment that encourages diversity and equality and promotes the inclusion and participation of under-represented groups. To achieve this, we plan to create a safe yet challenging learning environment that exposes students to new ways of thinking and working, one which provides a framework for likeminded people to get to know each other, to collaborate and to learn with and from each other, independently of their geographical location.

The learning format combines live data-streams from real buildings, with the use of validated simulation models of the same buildings in order to create a highly realistic and interactive learning environment. This concept helps to overcome the barriers imposed by the absence of site-visits and studio tutorials, which have been a common feature of experiential learning in the built environment. This learning format is designed to immerse the students in real-world problem solving and experimentation, commensurate with the attainment outcomes of master’s level programs. 

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