Course Number: ARC 461d/561d
Year: Elec
Credit Hours: 3
Semester(s): Fall
Prerequisites:
Instructor(s): Nader Chalfoun
Course Description:
A comprehensive course that teaches students principles of sustainable design that focuses on energy conservation and passive solar architecture, up-to-date computer energy simulation techniques, software, and 3D modeling. The course promotes students learning through field investigation of existing and/or new buildings. Teaching format comprises three modules with lectures, computer laboratory sessions, and on-site field survey using instruments.
Objectives
1. To understand the major environmental systems that emphasize energy conservation and passive solar techniques including explanation of human factors, climate/microclimate and building envelope.
2. To be aware of building "energy" codes and requirements for minimum building energy performance.
3. To acquire the necessary skills to conduct site survey techniques, the use of tools and site instruments, and data acquisition systems.
4. to be able to conduct computer energy analysis and run simulation programs and 3D modeling as tools to analyze the energy performance of existing residential and commercial buildings and/or new design projects.
Course Structure & Topics
Lectures will deliver general knowledge, to explain concepts through slides and demonstrations and to give detailed explanations of specific issues. Attendance is mandatory and will be recorded.
Module 1: Series of lectures will provide basic knowledge, review, and explanation of the 6 major environmental fundamentals: 1) solar geometry and astronomical relationships, 2) solar radiation measurements and physics, 3) human thermal comfort principles, indices and design, 4) climatic analysis and bioclimatic evaluation, 5) microclimate analysis and site planning and design, and 6) building envelope heat transfer, ventilation and mechanical systems. Lectures will be followed by laboratory sessions that focus on calculation of sun angles, solar radiation, solar obstruction charts, daylighting simulation and modeling and thermal load calculations.
Module 2: Computer laboratory sessions that explain site survey methods and instrumentation, followed by site survey of existing buildings using up-to-date site survey forms.
Module 3: Computer laboratory sessions to explain parametric analysis and cost effective optimizations. Final presentation by student team is given to home/building owners or design clients.
Course Requirements
While attendance is mandatory, students must complete all skill development exercises and one mid-term report and one final presentation and a final report. Graduate students will submit additional reports and simple payback and life cycle cost estimates.
Assignments:
1. In class and take-home skill development exercises and experiments that deal with the subject matter. Graduate students will submit additional short essays on each development exercise.
2. In laboratory computer exercises emphasizing performance prediction, optimization, cost analysis, final presentation and team's final report. Graduate students teamed with undergraduates in the same group will present simple payback and lifecycle cost analysis on their respective projects.
Reading:
There is no single source book for this course except the class handouts and the computer software manuals. Reading assignments are chosen from different books representing a wide variety of attitudes and approaches to the subject matter. Assigned books will be placed on reserve in the Architecture Library. In-class notes are highly recommended.
Materials:
1. Two 3-ring white notebooks with front cover insert and section dividers: one for keeping all handouts and exercises, the other for submission of final report.
2. Laptops are preferred media; media storage devices such as jump drives, CDs or others are required. A digital copy of the final report is required.
3. Scientific calculator.
