The department provides instruction in specialized courses in the field of building structures, primarily focusing on civil engineering itself—including building renovations—as well as supporting disciplines such as building materials, building physics, building services engineering, the lighting and acoustic environments of buildings, construction execution, and, to some extent, construction economics.
The department focuses on the comprehensive issues of building structure design and civil engineering design. Instruction on individual topics combines lectures, in which students gain a basic overview of the material covered, with laboratory sessions, where information from the lectures is applied practically to design activities. Lectures emphasize a general overview of the field and consistently utilize the natural science disciplines necessary for understanding the subject matter. Seminars develop the ability to apply theoretical knowledge to structural design.
The department also offers instruction in all courses in English.
As part of its professional activities, the department (Ing. Jana Košťálová) provides consultations on the creation of barrier-free environments and accessibility in buildings, on roads, and in publicly accessible areas. Expert consultations are provided, and opinions are issued throughout the entire building permit process as well as during pre-inspection surveys of construction projects in accordance with applicable national legislation. Furthermore, architectural and technical barriers are assessed, including proposals for technical solutions that respect the specific requirements of persons with limited mobility or orientation.
All members of the department actively participate in TUL’s sustainability initiatives. The department also plays a major role in developing TUL’s Sustainable Development Strategy and implementing its principles.
ACADEMIC YEAR 2025–2026
Organizationally, the department participated in a university-wide workshop – TUL Sustainable – October 1, 2025
Z. Vyoralová also spoke at this workshop, delivering a presentation titled “ : Sustainable Trends in Building Design, Construction, and Operations” during the morning session, in which individual TUL faculties and institutes were introduced.
In the winter semester of 2025–26, the department began overseeing and teaching a new master’s-level course titled “Sustainable Construction.” Its goal is to introduce students to alternative approaches and possibilities in building and land-use design that are closely linked to a fundamentally different, more responsible approach to design. The primary task is to consider the impact of construction on the environment and to reduce the carbon footprint of buildings and sites.
The individual topics covered all aspects of building design within a given site.
Lecture topics:
- Natural Structures and Architecture
- Territory and Site – Territorial Permeability, Accessibility, Spatial Planning
- Resilient urban structure
- The relationship between architecture and climate
- Sustainable and low-carbon systems in building and transportation infrastructure
- Structural Systems and Construction Sustainability
- Thermal and technical requirements for buildings
- Accessibility in sustainable construction
- Sustainable technical systems
- Water management in buildings and on adjacent land
- Sustainable lighting concepts inside and outside buildings
- Artificial intelligence and sustainability in contemporary architecture
The course concluded with a student workshop where projects on topics related to the semester’s curriculum were presented:
- Is Venice sustainable? Venice is sustainable. - Based on the field trip, your own observations, and research, can Venice, Italy, be considered a sustainable city? If so, list and document its sustainable features.
- Your own studio project. Is your design sustainable as a whole or at least in some of its parts? If so, in what ways is it sustainable and how does it relate to the environment?
- Choose one of the topics that was presented and that resonated with you. Find specific projects related to the topic and describe their sustainable aspects.
The presentation of individual projects and workshop evaluation took place on December 17, 2025.
On Thursday, December 18, 2025, the TZB3 course concluded with a workshop—a presentation of student projects on the topic: Design of a sustainable ISLAND/HYBRID single-family home according to the principles of “passive architecture,” including water management within the building and on the property, and waste management.
We have been addressing this issue for several years, and the quality of the projects has been steadily improving. Thanks to the connection to the PPSŘ project, financial rewards could be awarded to the best projects.
The Department of Building Construction at FUA TUL has long collaborated closely with FA ČVUT, and the results of their collaboration can be found at:
https://www.pasivni-architektura.cz/
Projects:
- National Recovery Plan - Sustainable Development TUL - NPO_TUL_MSMT-2141/2024-4, Output KA2 Course: Sustainable Construction - Course Coordinator / Faculty Member - TUL Liberec - 2024–2025
- National Recovery Plan - Sustainable Development TUL- NPO_TUL_MSMT-2141/2024-4, Output KA4 – Sustainability Strategy (Sustainable Development Coordinator) – TUL Liberec - 2024 – 2025
NEWS:
On April 9, 2026, a selection process was held for the position of Research Assistant – teaching the courses Building Services Engineering, Sustainable Construction, and Building Physics. The following candidates were accepted: Ing. Petr Kotek, Ph.D., and Ing. Dominik Cakl, Ph.D.
State exams for the 2025–2026 spring semester are scheduled for the week of June 1–5, 2026
Head of Department: Ing. Zuzana Vyoralová, Ph.D.
Academic staff:
Ing. Jana Košťálová, Ph.D. – FUA Ombudsman
Ing. Petr Kotek, Ph.D.
Ing. Dagmar Vojtíšková – Vice Rector for Construction
External Staff:
Assoc. Prof. Ing. Eva Burgetová, CSc.
Ing. Jan Červenka
Ing. Libor Ládyš
Ing.arch. Matouš Pluhař
Dagmar Richtrová, M.Sc.
Petr Svoboda, Ph.D.
Ondřej Zmrhal, M.Sc.