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AR50434: Building physics visualisation tools

Follow this link for further information on academic years Academic Year: 2015/6
Further information on owning departmentsOwning Department/School: Department of Architecture & Civil Engineering
Further information on credits Credits: 6
Further information on unit levels Level: Masters UG & PG (FHEQ level 7)
Further information on teaching periods Period: Semester 1
Further information on unit assessment Assessment Summary: CW 100%
Further information on unit assessment Assessment Detail:
  • Subcomponent 1: Spreadsheet and Essay (CW 20%)
  • Subcomponent 2: Spreadsheet (CW 20%)
  • Subcomponent 3: Thermal Mass (CW 20%)
  • Subcomponent 4: Daylight Assignment (CW 10%)
  • Subcomponent 5: Ventilation Assignment (CW 20%)
  • Subcomponent 6: Acoustic Assignment (CW 10%)
Further information on supplementary assessment Supplementary Assessment: Like-for-like reassessment (where allowed by programme regulations)
Further information on requisites Requisites:
Further information on descriptions Description: Aims:
To quantify real building physics phenomena that will accelerate the student along the path from theory into professional practice.

Learning Outcomes:
On successful completion of this unit, students should be able to:
* To understand how simple spreadsheets can be used to examine options for many building physics challenges at an early stage of the design cycle.
* To examine the form of the equations that lie behind environmental design.
* To distinguish between dependent or independent variables in key building physics equations.
* To develop and appraise the steps that comprises the total energy performance calculations for a building.
* To have the confidence to complete an energy calculation.

Skills:

* Extending existing spreadsheet skills to undertake early design stage analysis. (T, F, A)
* Devising spreadsheet that others may follow. (T, F, A)
* Subjectively visualizing and quantifying the relative magnitude fundamental building physics phenomena. (T, F, A)
* Experience of exploratory lab testing, e.g. assessing daylight factors & lux levels, evaluating different types of glare, CO2 concentrations, acceptable low velocity internal air flow, loudness and acoustic attenuation. (T, F, A)

Content:
Using "exROOM" to allow students to experience many of the core sensory values output by building simulators or described in the classic equations of building physics.
Early stage design tools, such as LT-Methods and ClimateLite (BRE).
Developing a personal student-specific professional design workbook.
Further information on programme availabilityProgramme availability:

AR50434 is Compulsory on the following programmes:

Department of Architecture & Civil Engineering
Notes:
* This unit catalogue is applicable for the 2015/16 academic year only. Students continuing their studies into 2016/17 and beyond should not assume that this unit will be available in future years in the format displayed here for 2015/16.
* Programmes and units are subject to change at any time, in accordance with normal University procedures.
* Availability of units will be subject to constraints such as staff availability, minimum and maximum group sizes, and timetabling factors as well as a student's ability to meet any pre-requisite rules.