MABY4200 Building Physics and Climate Adaptation of Buildings Course description

The goal of the course is to gain thorough knowledge of building physics processes and mechanisms so that these principles are taken into account in the design of integrated, energy efficient and climate-resilient building envelopes. The effects of the outdoor and indoor climate, relevant mechanisms relating to heat and moisture transfer and not least their impact on energy efficiency and the degradation of building materials will be addressed. The following topics are addressed in particular:

• principles of interaction between exterior climate and building envelope;
• heat, air and moisture transport through building elements and components;
• heat transfer and thermal performance of building elements and components, transparent (e.g. windows) and non-transparent (wall constructions);
• sources of heat loss, for example air leakages, thermal bridges;
• moisture transport and design of building elements against surface condensation and mold growth;
• moisture buffering in building materials;
• coupled heat and moisture transport through building envelope;
• air infiltration in buildings and design of an airtight building envelope;
• natural ventilation due to wind and stack effect;
• sound proofing and building acoustics.

No formal requirements over and above the admission requirements. Some knowledge of basic building physics at bachelor's degree level is an advantage.

After completing the course, the student is expected to have achieved the following learning outcomes defined in terms of knowledge, skills and general competence:

Knowledge:

The student:

• has advanced knowledge of building physics principles and methods for assessing and calculating heat, air and moisture transfer in buildings.
• has advanced knowledge of coupled hygrothermal phenomena in the building envelope.
• is capable of giving an account of standards and requirements for buildings and structures with regard to heat, mass and moisture transfer in the building envelope.
• is capable of identifying effects of the outdoor and indoor climate and explaining how they are related to heat, mass and moisture transfer in the building envelope.
• is capable of taking sound proofing and acoustic properties of building components into consideration.

Skills:

The student is capable of:

• using analysis methods, calculation tools and numerical simulations related to heat and moisture transport, thermal and hygrothermal performance, thermal bridges, infiltration and natural ventilation and sound proofing of building components.
• designing common building components and building details based on building physics principles and calculation results.
• assessing the need for measurements, such as airtightness measurement, thermography techniques and determination of moisture content in building components, and of interpreting the results.

General competence:

The student is capable of:

• explaining the background for user-related, societal and environmental requirements for buildings.
• applying relevant regulations, instructions and documentation.
• presenting results in a scholarly manner with the help of written reports and oral presentations.

One of the biggest challenges we are facing globally is climate change. Given that our world is becoming more computable opens up the opportunity for applying new technologies to achieve smart cities to fulfil sustainability goals. The current Smart City paradigm has evolved from a technology-only driven approach to a human-centred approach, in which a variety of technological tools help to improve quality of life for people. The main aim of the smart city is to enhance the existing built environment. Nowadays smart cities are geared towards facing future multifaced environmental, social, economic and political challenges of societies. Residents are coming to the forefront in the co-creating of cities, expressing their needs with increasing interest and influencing the design of livable, sustainable cities. An integrated understanding has an enormous impact in planning of smart cities and policy recommendations to achieve livability in urban areas, quality of life for residents and equity in cities. This course is utilizing acquired knowledge from previous and parallel running courses such as advanced methods course, ethics in research, data analysis in GIS, and urban policies, and adds to it the component of smart cities and the human factor.

No formal requirements over and above the admission requirements.

Upon completing the course, the student should have the following outcomes:

Knowledge:

Upon successfully completion of the course, the student

• Has current knowledge on key concepts, approaches and conditions of sustainable smart cities.
• Can explain and critically reflect on the human-centred approach of sustainable urban planning of smart cities including different approaches to digital citizen’s engagement and participatory processes.
• Has advanced knowledge of methods for sustainable smart cities.

Skills:

Upon successfully completion of the course, the student

• Is able to collect and analyse primary quantitative and qualitative data using online digital tools for crowd mapping with a volunteered geographic information (VGI) approach.
• Is able to apply smart city assessment tools (SCA) through a case study to evaluate different indicators and stakeholder engagement as well as strategic needs of smart cities
• Is able to make thematic maps and present analytical results from primary data to approach a problem-solving strategy for a problem statement on the base of sustainable smart cities.
• Can make thematic maps and create strategies for assessment to approach a problem-solving strategy for identified urban problems and defined questions in the context of sustainable smart cities

General competence:

Upon successfully completion of the course, the student

• Can apply data analysis as a tool and develop strategies to develop sustainable smart cities using a problem-solving approach.
• Can communicate with specialists and the public planning problems, analytical results and potential solutions to these
• Is able to reflect on her/his own role as urban expert, particularly concerning professional and ethical positions and has a strong sense of responsibility for her/his profession

The course is delivered through lectures, seminars, practicals, excursions, and fieldwork to provide theoretical content, methods and hands-on experience. The students will be given a group or individual project during the semester.

None

(1) Group or individual project assignment: Project report prepared individually or in groups of 2 students (or more), approx. 15-20 pages (excl. appendices), weighted 80%.

(2) Oral group presentation of the project, weighted 20%

Grading is individual, which means that grades may differ within each group. Both oral and written examinations can be presented/written in teams. To ensure that individual grading should be possible, each group of students will provide a written and signed statement in where each individual's contribution is clearly stated and explained.

All assessment parts must be awarded a pass grade (E or better) to pass the course.

Assessment parts: 1) can be appealed and 2) cannot be appealed.

1) All aids are permitted, as long as the rules for source referencing are complied with.

2) None