Building Rehabilitation

POST-GRADUATE STUDIES

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ABOUT THE COURSE

Context

Given the growing importance of building rehabilitation in the construction sector, particularly relevant due to the housing supply crisis, a Postgraduate Program in Building Rehabilitation is deemed pertinent.

This Postgraduate course is a natural outcome of the research project “Challenges and Solutions in Urban Rehabilitation 4.0 – Materials, Technologies, Human Resources and Safety”, coordinated by the then CIDECQ – Research and Development Center in Civil Engineering and Quality of the Faculty of Science and Technology of the Fernando Pessoa University, whose Director was Professor Miguel Branco-Teixeira (in memoriam) and who was the great driving force behind this project, commissioned by AICCOPN – Association of Civil Construction and Public Works Industries, the main partner. One of the final results of this project was the publication, at the end of 2023, of the book “Innovation and Sustainability Manual – Challenges and Solutions in Urban Rehabilitation 4.0”, published by Vida Económica, whose 1st edition was, in the meantime, quickly sold out, and whose general coordinator was Professor Miguel Branco-Teixeira, directly assisted by Professor Miguel Ferreira. This book is part of the main bibliography for this postgraduate course.

This project and its corresponding book involved 35 professors and researchers from 6 higher education institutions (UFP; FEUP; UTAD, UM, UA and IPVC).

This postgraduate course is also a natural successor to the former UFP postgraduate course in the Rehabilitation of the Built Heritage, which ran for 4 editions and whose great driving force was also Professor Miguel Branco-Teixeira in partnership with Professor Luís Pinto Faria and Dr. Álvaro Santos.

The postgraduate program comprises 12 curricular units, covering the main specialties of building rehabilitation and conservation, namely architecture, stone, wood and reinforced concrete masonry structures, the most frequent pathologies, the most suitable techniques and materials, the human resources needed for building rehabilitation, issues related to fire safety, thermal and acoustic comfort, technical installations, life cycle analysis of buildings, sustainability and circularity, the use of new 4.0 technologies such as BIM, modular construction, augmented reality, among others, as well as the particularities of licensing, the real estate market and investment in rehabilitation.

The final part will include a seminar unit, with 7 sessions of 2 hours each, in which recognized experts will speak on relevant topics related to building rehabilitation activities, followed by a debate with students and the general public.

Also planned as part of the seminar course is a 2-hour visit to a significant building rehabilitation project, with technical support.

Download the Postgraduate Program brochure here. PDF.

The aim is to reinforce knowledge in specific issues related to building rehabilitation, prioritizing a practical perspective, namely through the presentation of concrete examples and the holding of seminars and a study visit. In particular, the Postgraduate course aims at the knowledge and mastery of:
• Public policies, licensing, the real estate market, and investment in rehabilitation;
• Identifying the causes of the most common building pathologies and defining rehabilitation solutions;
• The constructive characteristics of the Portuguese built environment;
• Methods of inspection, diagnosis and intervention in buildings;
• Processes, techniques and technologies (traditional and advanced) for the rehabilitation of structural and non-structural elements;
• Regarding the care and solutions to be implemented to achieve good thermal and acoustic comfort, good fire safety, and efficient operation of technical installations;
• The specificities of developing rehabilitation projects and works;
• Innovative materials and techniques for the sustainable and circular rehabilitation of buildings;
• The human resources needed for building rehabilitation activities;
• The use of BIM and other new Industry 4.0 technologies in building rehabilitation, both in the design and construction phases.

This postgraduate program is designed for engineers, technical engineers, architects, and other professionals with experience and interest in the construction sector, as well as students of architecture and civil engineering courses.

Note: If you do not hold a degree equivalent to a bachelor's degree, you may apply for the course and, if accepted, attend it as a specialization.

Program Content

Professor Doctor Luís Pinto de Faria (Architect and Professor at UFP)

Although the term "rehabilitate" was introduced into the Portuguese language primarily in the context of medical activity – "to enable again"; "to restore the capacity for" – it has become frequent in discourse about the city, particularly in the context of some of the main challenges that contemporary cities face today: housing and habitability; safety and comfort; social interaction; mobility; inclusion.

Although all citizens have a responsibility in the design of transforming the built environment, both professionally and collectively, it is important to discuss how this is happening and how it relates to political decisions made at the national and local levels.

Eng.ª Cristina Cardoso (Head of Engineering Services at AICCOPN, Vice-President of the Order of Technical Engineers)

Characterization of the current situation of human resources in the building construction/rehabilitation sector: Lack of human resources and its causes; Strategies for resolving the current situation of a lack of specialized human resources in building rehabilitation; Challenges of building rehabilitation in the labor market: Industry 4.0; Re-evaluating training and professions; Attracting and retaining workers in building rehabilitation; Professional inclusion of women and young people in the sector; Recommendations for construction companies and entities responsible for the sector.

Professor Doctor Ana Neves (Civil Engineering, Professor at UFP)

This course aims to impart knowledge about the mechanisms of building physics that justify observed anomalies, prioritizing a practical perspective, namely through the presentation of concrete examples and case studies. In particular, the course aims to provide knowledge and mastery of: the causes of building degradation; the constructive characteristics of the buildings under study; inspection and diagnostic methods; and the creation of pathology diagnostic forms.

Professor Doctor Hugo Machado da Silva (Architect, Professor at UFP)
Professor Doctor Patrício Rocha (Civil Engineer, Lecturer at IPVC and Researcher at the Institute for Sustainable Construction of UP)

This course unit addresses the various types of materials, both traditional and non-traditional, that are or can be used in building rehabilitation projects. Within these materials, particular emphasis is placed on those classified as natural and those incorporating waste materials. Skills are developed regarding the use of traditional processes in the rehabilitation of structural and non-structural building elements. Considering the evolution of technologies related to Industry 4.0, several of these will be addressed, such as prefabrication and modular construction, 3D printing and additive manufacturing, autonomous construction, augmented reality, among others.

Architect Pedro Santiago (PhD candidate in Bioclimatic Architecture, Professor at UFP)
Eng.º Carlos Oliveira (Civil Engineer, Master in Sustainable Planning and Construction, and PhD candidate in Architecture)

This course unit addresses the theoretical foundations of the broader concepts of sustainability, sustainable development, and the life cycle approach to buildings, with a view to a correct understanding of the principles of the circular economy applied in practice to building rehabilitation, aiming at the decarbonization of buildings and the circularity of materials, products, and construction systems. It also aims to list the various systems for assessing the sustainability of buildings, as well as to define, distinguish, and interpret an Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) and an Environmental Product Footprint.

Professor Doctor Celeste Almeida (Civil Engineering, Professor at UFP)

This course addresses the inspection, diagnosis, and reinforcement of old stone masonry structures, focusing on the preservation and safety of built heritage. Techniques for assessing the state of conservation, identifying pathologies, and structural analysis will be studied. Reinforcement will be approached with compatible and reversible solutions, respecting historical and constructive values. Practical application in a case study will provide a discussion opportunity that explores the theoretical and practical foundations and fosters analytical and decision-making skills.

Professor Doctor Miguel Magalhães Ferreira (Civil Engineer and Lecturer at UFP)

This course aims to teach how to rehabilitate a building while ensuring good thermal comfort conditions, making the most of passive solar technologies and applying the most efficient air conditioning and renewable energy systems, complying with applicable regulations during both the design and construction phases. It also aims to develop skills in implementing building rehabilitation solutions that substantially improve the energy efficiency ratings of buildings. Furthermore, it aims to develop skills to guarantee good acoustic comfort in rehabilitated buildings, both in terms of airborne and impact sound insulation, as well as in the treatment of rooms where good sound quality is paramount, complying with applicable regulations during both the design and construction phases.

Lieutenant Colonel Engineer José Manuel Silva (Civil Engineer, Former 2nd Commander of the Porto Fire Brigade)

This curricular unit aims to: Understand and characterize the risk of fire in buildings; understand and apply the constructive provisions for fire safety; understand and apply the rules relating to fire safety means and systems based on current regulations; perform risk classification of locations and typical uses; perform the calculation of modified fire load density; prepare fire safety studies in buildings, more specifically in the area of building rehabilitation.

Professor Doctor Antonio Curado (Civil Engineer, Lecturer at IPVC)

This curricular unit integrates the following programmatic contents: I- The importance of building installations in the design of a building. The constitution of the building installations project. The compatibility between the various building installations. The compatibility between building installations, the building structure and the finishing work; II – Rehabilitation of building water distribution installations. Study of the types of building water distribution systems and their respective supply systems. Water storage tanks. Water consumption in buildings. The constitution of building water distribution systems. The layout, installation and dimensioning of building water distribution systems. The materials applied, the equipment used, and old and modern technologies. The remodeling and expansion of existing systems; III – Rehabilitation of building sewage and rainwater drainage installations. Types of drainage systems. Drainage of sanitary fixtures. Drainage of rainwater collection devices. Constitution of drainage systems. Layout. Installation and sizing of drainage systems. The materials used, the equipment employed, and the old and modern technologies. The remodeling and expansion of existing systems; IV – Rehabilitation of other building installations: gas, fire fighting installations, electrical and telecommunications installations, ventilation and smoke extraction installations.

Professor Doctor Cristina Reis (Civil Engineer, Lecturer at UTAD)

This course unit aims to: Understand the specificities and legal framework in terms of safety and health in the civil construction and public works sector, with relevance and focus on building rehabilitation activities, developing processes for assessing and controlling occupational risks, taking into account the new paradigms of Industry 4.0; identifying the various collective and individual protective equipment, especially those resulting from the development of 4.0 technologies, such as unmanned aerial vehicles, virtual reality through Building Information Modeling (BIM), wearable sensors, computer control and electronic monitoring of works, Internet of Things (IoT), among others.

Architect Pedro Santiago (PhD candidate in Bioclimatic Architecture, Professor at UFP)

This course unit proposes a practical and applied approach to the use of BIM methodology in rehabilitation processes, supported by fundamental theoretical concepts for the discipline and methodology. It aims to demonstrate the capabilities and potential of BIM in the analysis and diagnosis of existing buildings, in the compatibility and coordination of specialties, and in the integrated management of the work, highlighting the role of this tool in the efficiency, sustainability, and quality of the rehabilitation process.

Coordination: Professor Doctor Miguel Ferreira (Civil Engineer, PhD in Civil Engineering)

1. Affordable Housing Policies
Doctor Álvaro Santos
2. Financial Risk Management in Real Estate Investment
Dr. João Luís de Sousa (Director of the Vida Económica Group)
3. Construction Materials 4.0
Dr. José de Matos (Secretary General of APCMC - Portuguese Association of Construction Materials Traders).
4. Resilience in Building Rehabilitation
Technical Engineer José Manuel Sousa (President of the Order of Technical Engineers)
5. Information in the Real Estate Market and Building Rehabilitation
Dr. Ricardo Guimarães (Administrator of Vida Imobiliária)
6. Real Estate Project Management involving Building Rehabilitation
Eng. Bento Aires (Civil Engineer, President of the Order of Engineers of the Northern Region)
7. Modular Construction in Building Rehabilitation
To be defined (Casais Group)
8. Visit, with technical support, to a significant building rehabilitation project carried out by the Casais Group.

This course unit incorporates seven 2-hour sessions in which the course coordinator, Professor Miguel Ferreira, invites various specialists to speak on diverse topics related to building rehabilitation, always opening the floor to debate with postgraduate students and the general public (these sessions will be open to those who are not postgraduate students but wish to attend and participate in the discussions). The seminar concludes with a visit, including technical support, to a significant building rehabilitation project. Postgraduate students will have to complete an evaluation assignment, proposed by the seminar coordinator, on the topics covered in both the sessions and the visit.

SCIENTIFIC AND PEDAGOGICAL COORDINATION
Professor Doctor Miguel Magalhães Ferreira • miguelf@ufp.edu.pt (Civil Engineer; Master in Building Construction and PhD in Civil Engineering, coordinator of the undergraduate and master's programs in Civil Engineering at UFP)
Professor Doctor Luís Pinto Faria (Architect; Master in Architectural Theory and PhD in Architecture, coordinator of the integrated Master's program in Architecture at UFP)

Methodology and Evaluation System

Methodology

The presentation of more theoretical content will be carried out in conjunction with the analysis of practical cases, adopting an expository and interactive methodology that promotes the sharing of experiences between students and teachers, with a view to acquiring knowledge and skills and promoting critical thinking and new attitudes towards building rehabilitation practices.

Classes will be mostly taught remotely via Google Meet, with only the first class of the first course unit (course presentation and student welcome), the last class of each course unit (where the assessment will take place), and the seminars that will conclude the course, including a study visit to a building rehabilitation project, being held in person.


Evaluation System

Each course unit will be assessed through a final test to be held in its last class. An exception will be made for the seminar unit, in which a final project will be carried out. To pass each course unit, a minimum grade of 10 is required in these assessment elements, in addition to attendance at at least 75% classes. If the student does not pass, there will be a resit exam period.

Conditions

COSTS (complete course)

General Regime:
Registration fee: €300.00
Tuition fee: €1695.00
(Total cost of the course: €1995.00)

Students, Alumni, and Registered Entities:
Registration fee: €300.00
Tuition fee: €1525.50 (10% discount)
(Total course cost: €1825.50)

Institutional Partners – Non-Protocol Entities:
Registration fee: €300.00
Tuition fee: €1610.25 (5% discount)
(Total course cost: €1910.25)


COSTS (by curricular unit)

General Regime:
Registration fee: €45.00
Tuition fee: €90.00 per ECTS credit (total cost for a 2 ECTS course unit: €225.00; total cost for a 3 ECTS course unit: €315.00)

Students, Alumni, and Registered Entities:
Registration fee: €45.00
Tuition fee: €81.00 per ECTS credit (10% discount)
(Total cost for a 2 ECTS course unit: €207.00; Total cost for a 3 ECTS course unit: €288.00)

Institutional Partners – Non-Protocol Entities:
Registration fee: €45.00
Tuition fee: €85.50 per ECTS credit (5% discount)
(Total cost for a 2 ECTS course unit: €216.00; Total cost for a 3 ECTS course unit: €301.50)


EXECUTION

Duration: 22 weeks x 10 hours/week – February 6 to July 25, 2026
Opening hours: Thurs.: 7pm–10pm | Fri.: 7pm–10pm | Sat: 09:00–13:00
Places available: 25 students (The course will only run if there is a minimum of 12 students enrolled)

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS

  • Curriculum Vitae (Europass Model);
  • Diploma or certificate of academic qualifications (equivalence of studies in Portugal, if a foreign student);
  • Copy of the European Union civil identification document (student visa or residence card, if a non-EU student);
  • Copy of tax identification document (for issuing receipts).


APPLICATIONS

Application period: October 31 to January 12, 2026
Announcement of application results: January 14, 2026
Registration period: January 15 to 30, 2026

Applications are submitted online at: Student Info

Coordination & Contacts

Professor Doctor Miguel Magalhães Ferreira
Professor Doctor Luís Pinto Faria

Fernando Pessoa Academy
9th of April Square, 349
4249-004 Porto
T. +351 22 507 1300
academia@fundacaofernandopessoa.pt

Request information about the course:

Institutional support