Image Brochure Lucerne School of Engineering and Architecture

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Growing beyond the horizon

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List of contents

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Photo-Reportage by the Staff

Study Programs

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Architecture

Research and Development

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Services for Third Parties

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Continuing Education

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Civil Engineering

Editorial

Prof Dr René Hüsler studied computer science at the Higher Technical School (HTL) of BruggWindisch and at the Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETHZ), where he also proceeded to gain a doctorate in Electrical Engineering. Prior to joining the Lucerne School of Engineering and Architecture, he worked at a number of companies with an international reach.

Curiosity and a determination to progress – just two of the fundamentals needed to ensure that Switzerland achieves a steady strengthening of its business capabilities. For the past 56 years the Lucerne School of Engineering and Architecture has been actively contributing bachelor's and master's degree programs and applied research projects to this cause. The School's pronounced practical orientation throughout all that it does, and its focused interdisciplinarity, have become stand-out features for which it is known far beyond the immediate regional context of Central Switzerland. The innovativeness of our staff, their immense dedication and access to national and international networks help us to ensure that we continue to be held in high regard and recognized for our distinctiveness in the tertiary education landscape. Our School's single campus hosts an array of degree programs: Architecture, Interior Design, Civil Engineering, Building Technology, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, Mechanical Engineering and Business Engineering Innovation – a model that is unique, and not just in Switzerland. The modular nature of the degree programs on offer, the proximity of the disciplines and the linking of bachelor’s and master’s degree programs, research, and continuing education

provide attractive opportunities and represent additional benefits for our students and project partners. In this context, particular attention is paid to cross-disciplinary exchange between degree programs. We are also focused on the aspect of internationality: our English-speaking specialization, Business Engineering Sustainable Energy Systems, and extensive offer of modules taught in English attract numerous students from other countries. This enriches the cultural diversity of the campus. Our success in expanding the School's research activities in recent years is due to the huge personal commitment of our staff. It is also the result of maintaining a clear focus on our two meta-themes, ‘Building as a System’ and ‘Intelligent Solutions for the Energy Turnaround’. We intend to continue pursuing our vision, to strengthen it and to make a lasting contri­ bution within our sphere of influence. We are only too glad to place our expert staff, our infrastructure and our attractive degree and continuing education programs at your disposal for overcoming the challenges on the horizon. Together we can make a positive contribution to our futures.

Prof Dr René Hüsler Dean of the Lucerne School of Engineering and Architecture

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Building Technology

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Computer Science

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Business Engineering Sustainable Energy Systems

Mechanical Engineering

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Electrical Engineering

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Hand-in-hand with the real world.

“Learning involves creating and organizing the interaction of things and phenomena. In that sense, the Lucerne School of Engineering and Architecture acts as a platform for relationships: between people, ideas, knowledge and the requirements of the world of work. Mens et manus – mind and hand: we aim to show our students that theory and practice are two sides of the same coin. Knowledge that is purely practical is as incomplete as purely theoretical knowledge.

On the other hand, awareness of what that knowledge consists of allows you to base your actions on it and further your experience. The ability to put in scientific or academic terms what you do as a professional can generate sustained added value. Our degree programs prepare professionals for the workplace of tomorrow.

Granted, we do not know exactly what it looks like, but we do know what skills it will require: an understanding of complexity, interdisciplinary thinking and nimbleness of foot in an environment where change is the only constant. It was a theme taken up by Barack Obama in his State of the Union address of 2013: the US President is seeking inspiration from Europe for the future of his education system. He wants to give a boost to the scientific and technical sector and is laying emphasis on application orientation. We, too, offer English-speaking modules; our Business Engineering Sustainable Energy Systems specialization is taught entirely in English, and we offer a range of Erasmus programs and cooperations. Two other elements also play a central role at our School: personal responsibility and enthusiasm. We think it is important that the students own their studies: our lecturers facilitate the learning path with their educational professionalism. In that way, we ensure that our students not only learn the right content, but fully understand it, too. As a result,

Study Programs

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Prof Dr Beat Mugglin, Vice Dean Head of Bachelor's and Master's Programs at the Lucerne School of Engineering and Architecture.

The ten principles that govern our teaching • We maintain an extensive range of methods.

• We arrange the cognitive maps of our students and link the themes.

• We support self-directed learning.

• We nurture and strengthen motivation.

• We establish a balance between instruction and construction.

• We structure our tuition in clear learning stages and milestones.

• We foster information processing.

• We take account of the heterogeneity of students by means of appropriate content, tempos, learning environments and techniques.

• We build on students' existing knowledge and even out initial differences in knowledge and experience.

• We tailor the practice to the desired learning outcomes.

Degree programs

Our wide-ranging ourses in Engineering, Architecture and Computer Science prepare our graduates for professional life. We offer bachelor's and master's degree programs that can be attended on a full-time or part-time basis. Our programs are modular: core modules represent around 50%, individual modules 10%, additional modules (which enhance students' chances on the jobs market) 10%, and project-related modules 30%. Our degree programs are internationally recognized and comparable. They facilitate access to other tertiary-level institutions in Switzerland and abroad. The application-oriented teaching and interdisciplinary projects that we offer, and the guidance provided by our experienced educational professionals, make it possible for our students to approach the complex themes of their intended sector in a structured and applied fashion.

Graphic Arts: Patrick Kälin, Lucerne

they are able to develop their faculties and discover their own horizons. The modular structure of our degree programs offers a good balance of academic theory and applied, realworld performance. By contrast with learning at the workplace, our strengths as a School lie in our systematic approach, our long-term focus and our experience. Our students do not learn only by doing, but by exploring what it is they are doing.

We also provide them with support during ‘transfer’ activities such as internships, as well as during their studies. At the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts, our approach to teaching is one of interaction – with lecturers, with other students, in the classroom, in groups and individually. The new media refine this exchange; they blur the clear boundaries between teaching and self-directed learning, synchronous and asynchronous instruction and assessment. Our lecturers are increasingly seen as coaches and supervisors. As such, they work with the internees of tomorrow and beyond. When it comes to interactive, networked learning, traditional forms of teaching often reach their limits. New ideas are called for – this is where we come in. To date we have implemented well over twenty projects aimed at improving the practical relevance of teaching, from specialized reference materials to a complex simulation environment for commercial enterprises. What they all have in common is that we provide them with an academic underpinning and embed them in a stable learning environment.

What is more, they transfer what the students have been learning to an open platform. Here, if not before, is the point at which the knowledge that has been acquired is tested against real-world application. In terms of creating relationships, the learning process requires our students to approach it with an enquiring mind and in a spirit of collaboration, and marshal the appropriate resources. In other words, learning as interaction

also represents a social skill. This makes our School not only a place of study, but also a bridge to the real world. Or to put it another way: ‘We are an academy of life.”

Beyond personal horizons.

“The further you go, the more progress you make – we experience this on a daily basis in our research and development activities. The applied research that we conduct allows us to meet our contractual obligations, but it also creates sustained additional value for society. If the value generated by the research can be applied throughout the process – from the basics via the application to the real world – then it can make a real difference beyond the laboratory walls. This is exactly where our strengths lie. The Coordinated Energy Research Switzerland action plan, part of the Swiss Confederation's Energy Strategy 2050 program, is looking at completely revising the country's research landscape: Federal Institutes of Technology, universities and universities of applied sciences will in future conduct their research together in competence centers, thus bringing together the fundamental principles, the applied research and the demonstration objects and pilot projects under one roof. We are well prepared for this vision, thanks to our competence centers, 178 new projects (2012) and 300 researchers. Our activities are grouped under two meta-themes: ‘Building as a System’ and ‘Intelligent Solutions for the Energy Turnaround’. We have been working on ‘Building as a System’ for a number of years. This is where we conduct our R&D work on a number of levels: users, materials, components, processes, buildings and districts. This multi-per-

spective approach generates interplays of architecture, interior design, civil engineering and building technology. In short, a dialog that goes beyond the traditional horizon. An example of this is a research project in residential construction: in it, we made the assessment criteria for living quality comparable. It resulted in a design for multi-occupancy residences that offer the living quality of a detached, single-family house. A second example concerns testing old supporting structures built using natural stone. Here, we developed a non-destructive rating system capable of assessing the state of natural stone walls. It allows us to look inside the wall and greatly simplifies the collection of data. In our other meta-theme, ‘Intelligent Solutions for the Energy Turnaround’, we aim to apply our knowledge in such a way that it, too, has an impact. Using renewable energies and intelligent networks, we

Research and Development track down well-considered solutions delivering lasting benefits for the energy efficiency of buildings and industry. For example, we identified a lasting benefit relating to energy efficiency in passenger trains: by simulating utilization based on occupancy and the outdoor temperature, it is possible to realize energy savings of up to 40 percent in the heating, ventilation and cooling of the carriages. Equally impressive is our involvement in the European Union project exploring the use of fuel cells for emergencies. Here, our research experts have managed to replace environmentally harmful lead batteries with a low-temperature fuel cell. Projects such as this are paving the way for the 2000-Watt Society concept. Why should a university conduct research? Because it allows us to enrich and inspire our tuition with new findings, perspectives and hypotheses. Demonstration objects and pilot projects in close cooperation with enterprise partners play increasingly important roles and facilitate technology transfer. Master's students researching civil engineering, building technology, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, computer science and business engineering acquire valuable experience as a result of their

6 7 academic and scientific work and dealings with partners in industry. Our application orientation is a logical consequence of our position as an innovative University. Most of the research and development projects we undertake are conducted in partnership with SMEs and national or international commercial enterprises. This helps close the gap between academic principles and industrial research and makes best use of the entire research value chain. After all, principles do not find their way into the real world by themselves. They have to be applied and transferred into the practical world. Thanks to our competence centers and two strategic meta-themes, we are helping pioneer the future.”

Prof Dr Andrea Weber Marin, Vice Dean Head of Research at the Lucerne School of Engineering and Architecture.

Research and Development

Our competence centers undertake applicationoriented research and offer industrial clients value-added services such as expert opinions, consultancies and testing. Our long-standing experience, numerous publications, regular contributions at national and international conferences and long list of prestigious clients underscore our reputation as a real world-oriented technical research and development institution in Central Switzerland.

Quality under the microscope.

“The ‘Façade Test Rig’ of our Competence Center Facade and Metal Engineering is a force to be reckoned with in more ways than one. Firstly, we are able to test large facades of all kinds in accordance with individual and European standards. Secondly, we can put the know-how acquired from decades of research to the service of commercial enterprises at home and abroad.

Thirdly, testing laboratories like this one allow us to forge powerful links between business, sciences and the requirements of the law. Energy efficient, sustainable facades are crucial to the integrity of a building. As part of a building's energy concept, they have to meet stringent performance criteria. This calls for highly detailed planning at the development stage, as well as for rigorous quality testing. Manufacturers of building

components are obliged to issue declarations of conformity for their products. Legislators are seeking to raise the bar and keep an even closer eye on innovations. This is where we come in.

Our ‘Façade Test Rig’ boasts a 2.5-meter tall test chamber and an eight by 12-meter test aperture.

This latter feature adapts itself to smaller standard dimensions as well and can be controlled manually or fully automatically. Its flexible spraying system and wind generator allows facades to be tested for normal as well as driving rain. It can also test a facade's air permeability according to European or British Standards. Other aspects that can be tested are serviceability/ suitability for use and load-bearing capacity. This involves the use of electronic sensors to measure the deformation of the object under test. The test rig can apply positive or negative pressure ranging from 10 kPa to destruction. The appearance of facades can be assessed and, if necessary, improved by means of full-size samples. For maximum efficiency during the testing process, our specialists have access to a fixed revolving crane capable of handling loads of up to 2.5 tonnes. Primarily suited for testing large facade areas, our test rig is unique in Switzerland. The testing of glazed facades and curtain walling cannot be conducted on a computer due to the variables involved (anchoring, seals, couplings and so forth) which can influence the results substantially. Moreover the behavior and properties of building envelopes can only really be analyzed by

Services for Third Parties

means of the physical components. One of the most spectacular and lengthy test processes was carried out on the facade of the Tamedia building in Zurich. This specialty facade consists of glazed and other elements measuring six by eight meters that can be opened like a roller shutter. Alongside the client's architects and facade experts, we subjected this innovation to our tests for six months until it finally met the quality standards demanded by the client. Using our ‘Façade Test Rig’, manufacturers are able to spot critical planning and system errors and make their innovations fit for market. In our testing, we all too often come across weaknesses such as unstable glazing retention strips and mullion/ transom connectors or seals that give way under pressure. If these defects were to emerge only at the building stage or, worse, after the facade had been mounted, the costs and safety implications would be extremely worrisome, and there could even be damage to the fabric of the building.

Equally importantly, our ‘Façade Test Rig’ helps our customers to keep their facade testing affordable. Buildings are systems that work properly only if all the constituent parts are in

harmony and all the details concerning the performances, have been settled. The ‘Façade Test Rig’ is our contribution to ensuring quality in buildings – a contribution that is recognized far beyond our country's borders, and not just because of the rig's physical size.”

8 9 Prof Dr Andreas Luible, since September 2010 Head of the CC Facade and Metal Engineering and Lecturer in Structural Glazing and Building Envelopes.

Services for Third Parties

Our University of Applied Sciences and Arts conducts application-oriented research and offers professional services such as expert opinions, consultancies and material testing. Our competence centers offer institutions and commercial enterprises in Switzerland and elsewhere highly relevant know-how, state-of-the-art infrastructures and committed staff.

In cooperation with our partners, this allows us to tackle demanding projects efficiently and in a targeted fashion. We also maintain accredited testing laboratories capable of carrying out Swiss and European certifications. Numerous sectors of industry acknowledge the Lucerne School of Engineering and Architecture to be the reference institution for ‘Building as a System’.

Pioneering the energy turnaround.

“Continuing education advances the individual at a personal level, but it also drives progress elsewhere – in the individual's immediate environment, in industry, in society and amongst the next generation.

This is the principle that prompted us to develop a continuing education program as one of our ‘bridging’ activities: the MAS in Energy Engineering for Buildings. This work-study degree program is designed for individuals who are not only thinking about energy in the future, but are altering their behavior accordingly. The 2000-Watt Society is a known concept, and many are demanding a turnaround in the way energy is generated and used.

Little, however, is being done about it. The reason is a lack of experts capable of implementing the government's energy policy guidelines – especially in the realm of resource-intensive buildings. There is also a gap between the theory and the practice. This is where our joint MAS comes in: participants attending this dual-aspect course are taught the practical as well as the academic side of the building as an energy system. This equips them with the ability to intervene very early on in a building project: making the right decisions at the outset ensures that the building remains efficient throughout its lifetime, and economical to run. Energy engineers for buildings are truly multidisciplinary. They have to

develop an array of skills covering an all-embracing understanding of the building with all its ecological and economical aspects, and of the comfort of the interior. They must also have an in-depth understanding of the planning and operation of energy-efficient buildings, and of how renewable energies can be deployed in buildings. Finally, they must be capable of creating holistic energy concepts, developing building envelope and technical concepts, delivering energy consultations and operation optimizations, as well as advising clients. An energy engineer can, for instance, advise the client on suitable energy-efficient alternatives to a conventional heating system. The emphasis of our MAS in Energy Engineering for Buildings is on its practical relevance: students work three days a week in a commercial enterprise's building and energy department and attended classes for the remaining two. Courses take place at the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts; it also involves lecturers from the Bern University of Applied Sciences and the private sector. The internships mainly take place at engineering and

Continuing Education

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Prof Dr Heinrich Manz, Head of the MAS in Energy Engineering for Buildings.

Continuing Education

Our continuing education programs offer a means of bringing an individual's know-how and experience up-to-date and of keeping it that way – thanks to state-of-the-art methods and highly qualified lecturers. From Masters of Advanced Studies (MAS) and Certificates of Advanced Studies (CAS) to other courses and seminars, committed individuals will find a wide range of engineering and architecturerelated topics of immediate relevance to their professional field.

Excert from Standard Specification SIA 380/1, Copyright by SIA Zurich

planning companies specializing in energy, building and facade engineering, and at municipal and cantonal agencies. Here, the prospective engineers can put their new-found knowledge of energy efficiency or of the deployment of renewable energies to good use. The ‘transfer’ situation emerges from the partnership with the Swiss Federal Office of Energy, which provides substantial funding for the program and coordinates the internships in association with an external agency. The companies are highly discerning when it comes to choosing their interns: the latter have to be able to fit in. Another reason is that many interns remain with ‘their’ companies after graduating. That said, many interns set up as freelance energy engineers: there are relatively few barriers to entry, and the industry is in sore need of this kind of specialist. The proximity of the ‘transfer’ to the industry can also be seen in its broad take-up: its patrons include industry organizations such as the Swiss Society of Engineers and Architects (SIA), Swiss Engineering (STV), the Swiss Society of Building Technology Engineers (SWKI), and the Association of Specialists in Building Technology and Energy (SIA FHE). Swiss companies see this as an opportunity to redress the historical lack of qualified

engineers in the energy and building sector. The MAS is open to holders of a bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Electrical or Environmental Engineering or similar degree. The course requires a pronounced engineering mindset, i.e. the ability to identify, analyze and solve problems. The challenges of our energy society have to be approached systematically if they are to be solved – and the solutions need to be carefully developed and tailored to the energy turnaround.”

These photos offer a glimpse into the everyday life of the Lucerne School of Engineering and Architecture. They were taken by our lecturers and staff in spring 2012 using disposable cameras issued by the School – they may not all be of the highest quality, but they are authentic and original. This brochure presents a selection of the 700 or so snaps submitted.

Architecture and structure – a bold speculation.

“Having an opinion is easy. Less easy is adopting a particular position. As for taking a firm stance on that particular position – extremely difficult. Our focus project enables our master's students to develop an architectural standpoint and present it in convincing fashion’. The work project is a component of the Master's degree in Architecture and aims to be a reference project that students should be proud to include in their portfolios. The aim is to galvanize them into developing an awareness of entrepreneurship and to adopt personal positions as they work on urban-development, architectural or constructional tasks. Under the banner ‘Buildable Vision’, we want them to radicalize their approaches in order to make the most of their potential. The focus, then, is not on the realistic project, but on the dialectic discourse – of which the Ancient Greeks were experts – using

the medium of architecture. We use the work project to show our students how to develop concepts and projects autonomously, develop a particular position on architecture and structure, interact in an interdisciplinary way and, above all, push the boundaries of their thinking. The lecturers themselves adopt a polemical stance: we push the students into what appears to be an abyss in order to catch them just in time. In so doing, we help in their search for innovative cognitive models without anticipating the solution. After all, the student has to do the choosing, honing and further developing on his or her own. The work project process comprises two other core principles: first, the principle of creative subversion. This is about creatively countering ingrained thinking patterns and the automatisms of our physical world. Secondly, the principle of suggestive transport: the master's students should present their projects self-congruently as far as possible. They also learn a variety of ways for delivering effective presentations using plans, models and lectures. In doing so, they must be careful not to ‘finalize’ their concepts. Students are often tempted to present ready-made concepts. A concept should be malleable and potentially able to acquire any number of end shapes – just like pottery: the concept is analogous

to the still-soft clay – the shape of the fired vase can be imagined, but it has not yet been definitively determined. Fall semester 2012 saw us working on structure – specifically, on the freight rail depot in Zurich, an inner-city location with fascinating overlaps of built environment and traffic. A place of densified areas, monuments and atmospheres dating from a variety of eras all jostling for attention. The accumulated history of the railway, the peculiar ambience of the yard and the odor of ancient structures all conspire to create a unique phenomenon. Of crucial relevance to the Master of Architecture degree is the principle of ‘Building as a System’. We examine this from the perspective of materials, structure and energy. Our degrees in architecture offer interdisciplinary instruction at a project level.

The reason for this is that architecture is indivisible and must be viewed, developed and realized cross-functionally. We give our students the tools to structure and solve multi-dimensional problems, both alone and in teams. Our focus project comes without a roadmap; instead, we hone and reflect on the students' understanding of processes and systematic planning methodologies. By offering our students a firm grounding in the

Prof Christian Hönger, Head of the Architecture and Structure Focus until the 2012 fall semester; Yves Dusseiller, lecturer; Giotto Messi, supervising structural engineer; Christian Koch and Bernhard Maurer, assistants; Prof Tina Unruh, Prof Raphael Schmid, Prof Hansjürg Buchmeier, Tivadar Puskas and Stefan Bernoulli, guest critics; numerous guest speakers.

Architecture

The practical architectural degree program offered by the Lucerne School of Engineering and Architecture places ‘Building as a System’ center stage.

What we mean by ‘Building as a System’ is the design and realization of resource-lean structures that meet the demands of people and the environment now and in the future. Our bachelor's degree students work on developing their technical, methodological and perceptive competencies in preparation for their entry into the world of profession.

Master of Arts in Architecture

Thanks to the Joint Master's degree program in Architecture offered by the Lucerne School of Engineering and Architecture and the FHNW School of Architecture, Civil Engineering and Geomatics (part of the University of Applied Sciences Northwestern Switzerland) young professionals are able to continue their studies in application-oriented research. The six focuses – House, Estate, Landscape (FHNW), and Material, Structure, Energy (Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts) – form part of the package, which facilitates a broadened understanding of architecture in that intersection between technology and its context.

Architecture

practical relevance of making things, we foster in them an appreciation of culture. The focus project's central, unique specialization module generates potential research topics; these have, on more than one occasion, led to funded research projects. These are published by a prestigious publisher Quart-Verlag under their Laboratorium imprint.”

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Small niche in a large space.

“Meeting place: studio. This comprises everything that interior architecture stands for. The idea is that living in rooms unleashes creativeness – as well as needs. The workshop is where our prospective interior designers learn how to place these, skillfully packaged, in a spatial context. The thinking behind this is that creating space for yourself makes room for others – and other opportunities. Measuring 27 by 13 meters, the studio has everything that characterizes student life: discussion niches, workplaces, storage, a

lounge. It is rather like a large communal study.

This is where our interior design students spend a large portion of their working week – and their breaks. They obtain their places at the beginning of their studies. Each is allocated a personal filing cabinet on wheels and each reserves space at the desk, as well as storage space. The pressure is then on; the densely packed curriculum requires them to work – and work hard. The studio is the place where the students work, debate and philosophize.

This interactive togetherness in a relatively small space is an end in itself – and the greatest challenge. This is where the students have to find their space, share it with good grace, develop their faculties and, at the same time, respect the requirements of the community. Discussions often evolve to involve students from other disciplines, who have also adopted the workshop as a working space for themselves. The key to it all is the exchange between the students. They help each

Interior Design

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other in the learning process, swap designs and solutions and develop them in a spirit of cooperation. They draw plans, create presentation posters and build models out of cardboard and wood.

They experiment with shapes, light and dimensions and test their hypotheses. They all have their own preferences, needs and questions and, through their continual interaction, spur each other on. The idea is that if you can explain something, you have understood it. The individuals attending this relatively still young degree program come from a variety of professional and scholastic backgrounds: carpenters, draftsmen

Interior Design

The Bachelor of Arts in Interior Design is based on the three focal points Interior Space, Design and Engineering which we offer in cooperation with the Lucerne School of Art and Design. The enrolment procedure involves the presentation of a portfolio and a personal interview. The applicant may be required to attend certain art-related or constructional preparatory courses prior to admission. The degree course is modular and can be attended on a full-time or part-time basis.

interior design and structural engineering draughtspeople, art foundation course graduates, and so forth. They bring with them an array of strengths, which they make available to the others in the studio.    The studio shows the extent to which interdisciplinary interaction can enrich others.

Here, ideas are captured, shaped, passed on and honed. The students gain experience for themselves; they acquire it from others and for others, and in the process they share mutual respect. That is far more than you will find in the most erudite of books.�

Flurina Lanicca is a senior assistant in Interior Design at the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts. She finds her life enriched through witnessing the development of students at first hand.

Built on a solid foundation.

“At what point does a problem become a problem? This is a key question that often confronts structural engineers. Our degree students learn to tackle it in a systematic and targeted way in their final year theses – just like in real life. When checking a supporting structure, the structural engineer has to make a fundamental decision: refurbish or rebuild. We confront our students with this challenge in the context of a real-world final-year thesis – take, for example, the eastern pedestrian underpass at

Aarau railway station. As part of the renovations of Bahnhofplatz, the underpass's statics needed analyzing and, if necessary, improving to meet the current applicable norms and ensure continuing safety. Planning, other measures, scheduling – it was up to the student as to where and how far to go. All we did was present the students with the existing plans and construction dossier. They were responsible for obtaining the requisite construction standards and other documents and for tackling the project unaided. It taught them to think in a structured way and isolate the problem.

The thesis, in other words, simulates the real-world context of a structural engineer – without, of course, the time pressure exerted by a building site in full swing or the client's insistence on keeping

costs to a minimum. The pedestrian underpass at Aarau railway station combined an array of structural issues: bending, shear force, punching shear, static load safety and fatigue of the ceiling slab, constant superimposed loading of the road surface and a variety of traffic-induced effects – the students had to take these and similar factors into account, prioritize them and incorporate them skillfully into the solution. The final-year students are allowed to work between 14 and 16 weeks on their theses. They get together with their personal supervisors every two weeks to discuss their progress. That ensures that they are getting to grips with the nub of the issue and posing the right questions. After all, that is what they will be doing in their professional lives – except that, out there, the construction work carries on. If the civil engineer makes an error or decides unwisely, the financial repercussions can

Prof Dr Karel Thoma, Senior Lecturer in Civil Engineering. He works as a civil engineer, which enables him to bring complex, real-world cases to the benefit of the students.

Civil Engineering

Our prospective civil engineers work closely alongside their peers studying architecture and building technology. Once they have completed the second academic year, the students decide between three specializations: Construction Engineering, Infrastructure Engineering, and Building Envelope (unique in Switzerland). In addition, we involve them in the research and service projects of our CC Construction Engineering and CC Facade and Metal Engineering, which transfer current know-how to the industry. The Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering is seen by the industry as a proof of quality.

Master of Science in Engineering

The Master of Science in Engineering comes after a good bachelor of science degree. This Master's program consolidates the skills in Engineering, Information Technology and Sciences at an advanced level. The MSE revolves around achieving a greater in-depth understanding by means of projects based on application-oriented research and development. With years of experience and a superb infrastructure to their name, our competence centers maintain close links with regional and national business partners. The lecturers impart expertise through application-oriented research projects across the specializations offered by the program.

Civil Engineering

be severe or the damage catastrophic. The Bachelor's degree program in Civil Engineering is our contribution to a sector that insists on the highest quality and prides itself on offering its clients added value. We train our prospective civil engineers to quickly identify the structural problems, to think in practical terms and to makes wise decisions. In that respect, the final-year thesis is a real masterpiece.”

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Where theory meets practice.

“Industrial Project with Concept Focus: this is what we call the project assignment in the fifth semester of the Bachelor's degree in Building Technology. Here, students develop a building technology concept up to and including the report for the client – following energy guidelines, as in the real world. Switzerland needs good building technology engineers; not only with a head on their shoulders, but with practical skills, too. For this assignment, we lecturers track down a new project every year somewhere in Switzerland.

Either we assume the role of external examiners in the project or we bring them in from amongst our contacts. The idea is that the industrial project should be current, of practical relevance and comprehensive – yet not too complex. The project is supervised by four or five lecturers. Our

building technology activities adopt an all-embracing approach. What we mean by that is that prospective building technology professionals should be capable of working conceptually as well as maintaining an overall vision. This requirement is one of the biggest hurdles for which we prepare the young people. The industrial project helps show them how to address the needs of the building user and operator, and place their own work in a superordinate context. Working in teams of six, the students develop interdisciplinary skills and conceptual solution options for the building. In doing so, they consider the rooms, the energy provision and the entire building technology situation. By way of preparation, the students are required to draw sectional views to show what happens in the rooms in summer and in winter.

Some of them find this hard – they often lose themselves in the detail. With their project proposals at the end of their studies, the students demonstrate that they are capable of solving complex tasks in a way that is practically relevant.

They also learn how to correctly prepare the necessary documentation. The teams deliver a report, present their solutions and are examined individually. They are all expected to put their new-found knowledge and their newly acquired experience in building technology to the test.

The project in 2010 focused on the development of the ‘Lucerne Allmend’; in 2011 on the Parkhotel Vitznau; in 2012 on the exhibition complex Basel Messe. A project for the Parkhotel Vitznau presented an almost ideal scenario, as the fabric of the old building was to be preserved: the newbuild was to be inserted within the old envelope. In addition, the Parkhotel offered an array of usages: suites, various restaurants, a wellness facility, a medical and a financial research centre, and a conferencing area. In terms of energy provision, all the teams specified renewable energies for heating and cooling; some based their systems exclusively on lake water as the source of heat, while others also included wood chip or pellet technology. Our industrial project represents a challenge for lecturers and students in equal measure. The latter are issued with the same plans and guidelines as the actual building technology specialists. In contrast to the

Building Technology

The degree program in Building Technology with specializations in Heating-Ventilation-Air Conditioning-Sanitary Engineering and Electrical Engineering for Buildings is unique in Switzerland. It imparts technical, methodological and social competencies.

The thorough grounding and technical instruction received enables our students to plan and projectmanage modern building technology systems. In their third year the students choose an individual specialization from a wide range of attractive modules. The practical relevance of the course to building technology makes all the difference. Our graduates are in demand as experts and go on to occupy key positions in the industry.

Master of Science in Engineering

The Master of Science in Engineering comes after a good bachelor of science degree. See text box on page 19.

Prof Urs Rieder, Head of the Bachelor's Program in Building Technology and Head of the Building Technology Department. He is a member of the Energy and Training Committee and Expert Council for Energy of the Swiss Society of Engineers and Architects (SIA) and provides property owners and architects with consultancy services on matters related to energy and building technology.

Building Technology

real world we are able to be more ambitious with our energy targets, as we do not suffer the same cost pressures. At the end, the students are told what was actually implemented. The proximity to reality and thus the real sense of relevance serve to galvanize both lecturers and students. The latter learn to think in nuanced terms rather than just in black and white, and to offer options.

Modern building technology focuses on the nature of the utilization, the requirements of the residents/users, the functionality of the building and the requirements in terms of energy provision based on renewables. This is quite different to how it used to be, when the attention lay predominantly with providing the energy. The main objective of the work is to arrive at a holistic and sustainable conceptual proposal incorporating all building technology systems, thus making it highly integrated in nature. The industrial project calls for thinking that goes beyond building technology into the realm of adjacent disciplines, for instance architecture, structural engineering or interior design. Today's building technology engineers are far-seeing, all-seeing and systematic in their approach. Just like our degree program.”

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An innovation that System Object gets under the skin.

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“Our ‘Skin app’ shows that at our School innovation is an abstract concept only on paper.

The app combines a range of core aspects of the degree program in Computer Science: mobile systems, mobile applications, visual computing and system intelligence. The project is ambitious: the app represents the coming together of all our technical resources with the needs of users. But one step at a time. The ‘Skin app’ helps patients and medical practitioners decide whether

Real World Object

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Linestring Loc a particular skin disorder warrants a visit to the doctor. It takes a photo of an area of skin on the basis of image analysis technology – a broad, fruitful field of research. The challenge facing us was how to merge the complex mobility environment with image analysis (contrast, light, distance) in one app and control it via a smartphone.

At the time, mobile devices were not powerful enough in terms of computing speed – which is why the idea in itself was revolutionary. Unlike most projects in the field of information technology, the ‘Skin app’ emerged from a partnership with potential users – in this case, the university hospitals of Zurich and Basel Stadt. There was

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something else unusual about it: the project was funded by a nonprofit foundation specializing in innovative research projects in the field of medicine and not, as usual, by a special fund for technology and innovation. By way of preparation we analyzed existing technologies that could be used for the ‘Skin app’ and – to find a financial backer – prepared a project portfolio based on a prototype. A significant portion of the development work was performed by our master's degree students supervised by the teaching staff. This combination of research and instruction was also a fairly novel development in information technology. The ‘Skin app’ shows that you need far more than just an idea for innovative research and training. In our case, the feasibility and financial viability of our ambitious project called for

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immense commitment. That is why we seek to break out of our institution's four walls and identify real partners at home and abroad – partners capable of benefiting from our work on a daily basis. It is a way of ensuring that research, instruction and practical relevance really go hand-in-hand.”

Prof Dr René Meier, Project Co-manager, ‘Skin app’. René Meier is a professor of computer science at the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts and head of the area of competence Mobile Systems. He leads innovative research projects in the mobile environment and in collaboration with national and international partners with backgrounds in research and business.

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They are free to [0..*] description select from a pool of around one half of the modules according to their interests and abilities, which they can supplement with course-relevant events lying outside information technology. The Bachelor in Computer Science degree is in great demand in the job market.

Master of Science in Engineering

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Master of Science in Engineering comes after a Data The Object good bachelor of science degree. See text box on page 19.

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Where intelligence gets a jump start.

“It is the size of a credit card, has the sensors of a dragonfly and the intelligence of a computer: our ‘MC-Car’, a mini-computer on wheels. Small it may be, but its abilities are astounding. The ‘MC-Car’ carries a compact package of digital electronics which helps us display our microcontroller technology (MC) module graphically and explain it. The idea originally came from a Czech student. It was taken up by a German computer magazine – and we perfected it for teaching purposes. At the start of the semester every student is issued with a do-it-yourself kit containing the individual parts of the ‘MC-Car’. The students assemble them with the aid of a 20-minute video and can take them home during the semester. This takes the pressure off our laboratory, since the students now have a ‘mobile laboratory’ of their own. The ‘MC-Car’ helps students understand microcontroller technology and motivates them to find out more. They are challenged to make their ‘MC-Car’ compatible with their development environment and vice

versa. They learn how to link their laptop and personal electronic environment with the ‘MCCar’. While they play and experiment, they learn how the individual elements – motor, lighting, steering – interact. Microcontroller technology is a demanding compulsory module in the third semester of full-time students or in the fifth semester of work-study students. In it, we address a variety of aspects: MCs: these mini-computers control motors, drives, displays, sensors, keyboards, operating and other elements. Although less powerful than a full-blown computer, they are much cheaper and use far less energy.

MCs are found in virtually all commonplace electronic devices. Hardware-related programming: like conventional computers, MCs have to be programmed. In contrast to consumer-level computers, though, the programmer has to be intimately acquainted with the hardware that needs to be controlled. For the hardware-related programming of MCs we use programming languages such as ‘C’ and ‘assembler’. Interrupts and timer modules: the normal running of an MC's program can be stopped. These interruptions take place either at a hardware level (keypress, rise in temperature) or they are triggered by modules inside the MC, such as a timer. The MC has to respond to an interruption by, for instance, starting the motor, braking or steering. Analogto-digital converters (ADC): virtually all informa-

Electrical Engineering tion and physical values such as temperature, luminosity and acceleration are analog by nature.

The MC, however, is only able to process digital impulses. It therefore needs an ADC to translate the inputs. Serial bus system: Alongside the MC, the ‘MC-Car’ incorporates other components such as sensors for sensing colors and acceleration, and others that exchange data. To keep their sizes as small as possible, the data is sent consecutively, i.e. serially. Various standards or protocols exist for doing that. The ‘MC-Car’ has been generating a great deal of interest among students both current and former. Most get their cars to do far more than they are shown in the modules; for

instance, they can control their cars with their smartphones, or get them to go extra fast. The students are often so absorbed in their tinkering that they work all the way through their breaks.

Our little MC marvel may also soon see service in other modules, such as control, automation and switching technology. There is no end to the possibilities. We like receiving suggestions for new applications from students. We might even make the ‘MC-Car’ available as an open-source tool on the internet to allow anyone to contribute. The ‘MC-Car’ is emblematic of the open, forward-looking spirit of our degree program.”

Electrical Engineering

The Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering can be attended on a full-time, part-time or work-study basis. In their first academic year students learn the principles of electrical engineering, electronics and information technology. In the second year the focus is on electronics and microcontroller technology, and on communication engineering and control technology. The final year finds students choosing their specializations.

Master of Science in Engineering

The Master of Science in Engineering comes after a good bachelor of science degree. See text box on page 19.

Christian Jost, Senior Research and Development Associate and Associate Lecturer at the CC Electronics, and Prof Dr Jürgen Wassner, Lecturer in Electrical Engineering, were responsible for unlocking the ‘MC-Car’s‘ potential as a teaching aid.

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From on and off to all-in-one.

“Mechanical engineer, researcher, developer, business partner, inventor – if I am asked what I do, I am sometimes left wondering what to say. To be honest, here at the Lucerne School of Engineering and Architecture, I am all-in-one. This is how it came about: I studied mechanical engineering at the Lucerne School of Engineering and Architecture between 2002 and 2005. The practical relevance of the study program and the high level

of innovation fascinated me – and would not let me go, literally. My final-year thesis was on air-to-water heat pumps (AWHPs). The scope was so broad and the theme so varied that I wanted to conduct further research work at the Competence Center Thermal Energy Systems and Process Engineering. Together with Karl Hilfiker, a former lecturer and researcher at our School and an eminent authority on heat pumps – and later with Beat Wellig, head of the CC Thermal Energy Systems and Process Engineering – I began to optimize the energy efficiency of AWHPs to make them more viable commercially and give them greater penetration in the building technology market. Our inventiveness was driven by the key problem of conventional AWHPs: their low efficiency. This is partly due to the evaporator, which consumes too much energy when defrosting.

It took us several years' research to improve the situation. However it soon became clear that we could achieve a real breakthrough only by considering the device as a whole, and especially the on/off principle of its operation. This we did. AWHPs use the ambient air as their source of heat.

Extensive analysis work showed that they exhibit a huge saving potential in terms of primary energy.

Our main objective was to replace the on/off power control by one that was continuous. To be specific, the compressor and ventilator should be able to adapt continuously to the required heat and not, as conventionally occurs, simply switch on and off.

2012 saw us complete our mini energy marvel: we had developed an efficient, economically viable

Mechanical Engineering

30 31 AWHP with continuous power control that works with compressors and ventilators with suitable partial load responses and an appropriate control strategy. Our analysis shows that our development is up to 70% more energy efficient than a conventional heat pump offering on/off control.

With these values, our innovation compares well with modern heat pumps using geothermal probes – but our installation costs are lower. This brings us to yet another special feature of our successful project: it came about in close cooperation with the industry, in our case with compressor manufacturer Emerson Climate Technologies GmbH and ventilator manufacturer Ziehl-Abegg Schweiz AG. They supplied us with their latest-generation prototypes for our research. Our technology is now incorporated in a range of heat pumps on the market. The success story of our AWHP shows that the research we conduct at the School is not an end in itself, but is designed to help commercial enterprises in their development of innovative and energy-optimized products. Our knowledge in the

field of energy-efficient systems is intended to make an important contribution to the energy turnaround. After all, the 2000-Watt Society will happen only if people do something about it.”

Lukas Gasser has been a research associate at the CC Thermal Energy Systems and Process Engineering since 2005. His research focuses on developing efficient heat pumps and cooling systems, thermal separation processes and environmental engineering, and process integration and pinch analyses.

Mechanical Engineering

The Bachelor's degree program in Mechanical Engineering is based on two main planks: product development and energy technology. In their final year, students choose between the specializations Renewable Energy and Process Engineering, Product Development and Industrial Design, and Fluid Mechanics and Hydro Machines. The three specializations are in line with the research areas of the competence centers, which ensures an ideal reciprocal relationship between teaching and research. In our state-of-the-art laboratories, the students adopt highly practical approaches to working and learn the latest industrial engineering techniques. The modular structure of the degree program caters for various attendance models: full-time, part-time or work-study.

Master of Science in Engineering

The Master of Science in Engineering comes after a good bachelor of science degree. See text box on page 19.

Lateral thinking can be learnt.

“Design Thinking – the concept is as innovative as it sounds. Based on this method, our prospective business engineers learn how to identify new and realistic solutions to complex tasks. Uniquely, they do this in the international context of the International Winter School Lucerne. This block study-week forms part of the regular Bachelor's program in Business Engineering Innovation, and instruction is conducted entirely in English.

Applicants must apply by letter; the personal commitment required is extremely high. Since 2010, every February finds around 20 students from Lucerne and a similar number from around the world gathering to tackle the theme of product innovation. At its core, Design Thinking involves the high-speed experimentation and testing of ideas and solutions for a real-world industrial project. Working in teams of four, the students tackle group-specific tasks. What these tasks all have in common is their strong practical relevance. In 2012 the construction, building maintenance and mining product manufacturer Hilti AG was involved. Students developed solutions to questions such as ‘How do you create a strong employee-oriented brand among graduates, and how can this concept be sold to Hilti?’ and ‘What will the Hilti Center of the future look like and how will interaction between customers and sales staff develop?’. Visiting

lecturers such as Prof Larry Leifer, head of the Center of Design Research at Stanford University in California and co-founder of the Design Thinking method, act as a major draw for attendees of the International Winter School Lucerne.

The block study-week combines a range of learning objectives: for one thing, our students adopt a practical approach to Design Thinking and learn the importance of learning from mistakes. They also network at an international level both professionally, culturally and socially.

These contacts echo down the years and remain current thanks to the new media. For many attendees from our School, the International Winter School Lucerne helps them decide how best to spend their forthcoming exchange semester or year. The block study-week at the International Winter School Lucerne is clearly structured:

Business Engineering Innovation the day before the course is due to begin, the international students arrive from the USA, the UK, Poland, Ireland, Spain, France, the Netherlands, Sweden, Finland, Russia, Greece, Austria and Germany. Everyone gets to know each other at an inaugural reception held at a typical local brasserie. We introduce the Design Thinking method on day one. The groups are formed and an initial practical warm-up task issued. The actual project work then kicks off. The students start by studying the user needs, then develop a range of solutions based on self-built prototypes. The project ends with presentations of their results to the industry representatives. During the International Winter School Lucerne, the students feel motivated and drive each other on to get the best out of each other. Everyone experiences these days as very demanding. Attendees learn to jettison their

cognitive inhibitions, turn mistakes into opportunities and experiment. This interaction combines with the international nature of the setting to produce an environment where things happen – the ideal scenario for ideas with a future.”

Christian Hohmann is Module Coordinator of the International Winter School Lucerne and Senior Assistant to the Head of the Department of Business Engineering Innovation.

Business Engineering Innovation

Focusing on product innovation, this degree program forges a link between the disciplines engineering, business and industrial design. As well as gaining a technical understanding of the subject matter, our students acquire methodological and social skills. Working in cross-disciplinary teams, they are tasked by our partners in commercial enterprise to undertake exciting projects. They also have a chance to spend between a week and a year gaining international experience at our partner universities abroad.

Master of Science in Engineering

The Master of Science in Engineering comes after a good bachelor of science degree. See text box on page 19.

Business Engineering Sustainable Energy Systems

This learning opportunity is unique in Switzerland.

As a practical engineering course with a focus on sustainable systems, it is aimed at national and international students and taught entirely in English. The students work on interdisciplinary projects offering a wealth of practical relevance.

During project weeks they fine-tune their methodological skills and knowledge. This course maintains close links with industry in Switzerland and with tertiary education institutions in Europe and further afield.

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Senior Management of the School

Prof Dr René Hüsler Dean

Prof Dr Beat Mugglin Head of Bachelor's and Master's Programs, Vice Dean

Prof Dr Andrea Weber Marin Head of Research, Vice Dean

Marie-Theres Caratsch Head of Continuing Education, Vice Dean

Prof Johannes Käferstein Senior Manager of the Architecture Department, Head of the Master's Degree Program in Architecture

Prof Albin Stücheli Head of the Master's Degree Program in Engineering

Prof Christian Zimmermann Head of the Bachelor's Degree Program in Architecture

Thomas Plüss Head of the Bachelor's Degree Program in Interior Design

Prof Werner Rinderknecht Senior Manager of the Structural Design Department, Head of the Bachelor's Degree Program in Civil Engineering

Prof Urs Rieder Senior Manager of the Building Technology Department, Head of the Building Technology Bachelor's Degree Program

Prof Hansjörg Diethelm Head of the Information Technology Department, Head of the Bachelor's Degree Program in Computer Science

Prof Dr Urs Röthlisberger Head of the Electrical Engineering Department, Head of the Bachelor's Degree Program in Electrical Engineering

Prof Volker Janssen Head of the Mechanical Engineering Department, Head of Bachelor's Degree Program in Mechanical Engineering

Prof Dr Sascha Götte Head of the Business Engineering Innovation Department, Head of Bachelor's Degree Program in Business Engineering Innovation

Prof Urs Grüter Head of the Fundamentals Department

Prof Dr Andreas Luible Head of the CC Facade and Metal Engineering

Prof Urs-Peter Menti Head of the CC Energy and Building

Dr Albert Tjeerd de Neef Head of the CC Testing Laboratory for Building Technology

Prof Jörg Hofstetter Head of the CC Distributed Secure Software Systems

Prof Ralf Baumann Head of the CC Mechanical Systems

Prof Dr Ernesto Casartelli Head of the CC Fluid Mechanics and Hydro Machines

Prof Dr Beat Wellig Head of the CC Thermal Energy Systems and Process Engineering

Prof Dr Ulrich Dersch Head of the CC Innovation in Intelligent Multimedia Sensor Networks

Heads of Department, Heads of Bachelor's and Master's Degree Programs

Heads of Specializations

Prof Dr Uwe W. Schulz Head of Degree Program in Business Engineering Sustainable Energy Systems

Heads of Competence Centers

Prof Dr Stephen Wittkopf Head of the CC Envelopes and Solar Energy

Prof Dr Peter Schwehr Head of the CC Typology & Planning in Architecture

Prof Dr Klaus Kreher Head of the CC Construction Engineering

Prof Alexander Klapproth Head of the CC Embedded Systems Applied Research

Prof Vinzenz Härri Head of the CC Integrated, Intelligent and Efficient Energy Systems

Prof Zeno Stössel Head of the CC Electronics

Markus Raschke Head of the CC Product Innovation | Management

PD Dr Marcel Egli Head of the CC Aerospace, Biomedical Science and Technology

Names of the Lucerne School of Engineering and Architecture

EG-302

V-401 B-201

B-301 V-402

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MV-302 PU-302

PU-202

V-207

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TIC 203

WÜ-201 V-208

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Text | Sara Meier, dietexterin.ch Design | Daniel Stüdeli, jardinpublic.ch 01-2014 | Print run: 1000 (English)

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Lucerne School of Engineering and Architecture Technikumstrasse 21 CH-6048 Horw, Switzerland www.hslu.ch/technik-architektur

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Imprint

V-101

EG-202

V-307 EG-301

WÜ-302

MV-303

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TIC 303

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