Students will explore a range of experimental and modelling techniques to evaluate the environmental and energy performance of buildings. This will include field surveys of appropriate case study buildings, where the students will experiment with monitoring the environmental conditions. They will select a range of techniques for the thermal and visual environment.
Subsequent modelling of the building will enable them to further assess the environmental conditions and energy performance of buildings, identifying problem areas with appropriate mitigation techniques.
Total contact hours: 40
Private study hours: 260
Total study hours: 300
Main assessment methods
Case Study Analysis (100%)
Reassessment methods
Like for like.
Indicative Reading List
Baker, N., and Steemers, K. (2000). Daylighting Design: A Handbook for Architects and Engineers. James + James.
BUS Ltd Occupancy Survey: Usable Buildings (free resource) http://www.usablebuildings.co.uk/
CIBSE TM22: Energy Assessment and Reporting Methodology
de Dear, R. J. (1998) 'A global database of thermal comfort experiments', ASHRAE Technical Data Bulletin, vol 14, no 1, pp15–26
Guildford J P (1954). Psychometric Methods. McGraw Hill, New York.
Humphreys, M.A. and Nicol, J.F. (2000). The effects of measurement and formulation error on thermal comfort indices in the ASHRAE database of field studies ASHRAE Transactions 106(2) pp 493-502
Humphreys, M.A., Nicol, J.F. and Raja, I A. (2007). Field studies of indoor thermal comfort and the progress of the adaptive approach. Journal of Advances on Building Energy Research 1, 55-88.
Mardaljevic, J. (2000). Simulation of annual daylighting profiles for internal illuminance. Lighting Research & Technology, 32(3):111–118.
Stevens, S. (1975). Psychophysics: Introduction to its perceptual, neural and social prospects. New York: John Wiley.
See the library reading list for this module (Canterbury)
The intended subject specific learning outcomes.
On successfully completing the module students will be able to demonstrate:
1 An awareness of the range of techniques appropriate for analysing the environmental performance of the built environment (internal and external environment) and energy
performance of buildings.
2 A systematic understanding of the capabilities of both physical and digital experimental techniques (monitoring & modelling) for assessing the environmental and energy
performance of buildings.
3 The ability to independently assess the environmental and comfort conditions in the built environment through both physical and digital experimental techniques (monitoring
& modelling), along with the energy consumption of buildings (thermal simulation modelling).
4 A critical understanding of the output of the above techniques and the way they can be used for comprehensive analysis of the environmental end energy performance of
buildings and subsequent mitigating strategies.
The intended generic learning outcomes.
On successfully completing the module students will be able to demonstrate:
1 An understanding of basic research principles and the ability to critically analyse material to form independent conclusions.
2 A systematic understanding of the effect of the built environment (microclimate, morphology, materials) on the environmental performance and energy consumption of
buildings.
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