MABY5070 Rehabilitation of Buildings Course description

In this course, we'll explore how buildings are similar to living organisms, experiencing, during its lifespan, aging and environmental and anthropological deterioration problems. This course explores the principles and practices related to rehabilitation work in the built environment. It will provide technical guidelines to students on the methodologies of site inspections, evaluation of existing buildings, causes and agents of deterioration, measurement and monitoring techniques, identification of the actual defects, repair methodology and materials for rehabilitation. The context of building technology, standards, evolving building techniques, planning and implementation, procurement cost, climate resilience and designing an energy rehabilitation of existing buildings will be explored.

Language of instruction: English

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 physical, thermal, hygric, mechanical and other properties of wood and timber products
• has advanced knowledge of wood technology and timber building construction.
• is capable of giving an account of standards and requirements for timber buildings and structures with regard to building physics, fire design, acoustics and structural analysis.
• is capable of assessing climate adaptation solutions for building envelopes and components in timber buildings.
• has specialized knowledge of the advantages and disadvantages of wood as building material as well as the optimum combination of timber with other buildings materials.
• is capable of taking the reuse potential of timber products into a life cycle assessment.

Skills:

The student is capable of:

• using analysis methods and calculation tools related to hygrothermal performance, sound proofing and fire resistance of timber building components, according to TEK17 and relevant Norwegian standards, e.g. NS 3516, NS 3512 osv.
• designing common building components and building based on Eurocode 5
• explaining relevant standards and requirements for building materials and components, and assessing documentation from manufacturers/suppliers.
• combining analysis methods for building physics, structural engineering, fire design, acoustics and life-cycle assessments in the choice of materials, components and design.
• criticizing and justifying choices of materials, components and design in relation to climate-related and other loads as well as the building type and use.
• planning and creating a comprehensive sustainable timber building design, including a description of the materials and components used in the building envelope, the load bearing system and the internal building elements.
• interpreting simulation tool results to revise and optimize the proposed design

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, professional manner with the help of written reports and oral presentations.
• using scholarly articles to keep up with latest developments in the field
• working in teams

None.

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 should have knowledge of:

• challenges facing the built environment
• causes, agents of deterioration and the impact of repair materials on the overall performance of the building
• standards, inspection techniques and rehabilitation practices
• environmental impact assessments and sustainable practices in rehabilitation.

Skills

The student is able to:

• define rehabilitation measures and plan
• select inspection techniques and repair materials
• develop cost estimates and budgets for the rehabilitation plan
• maximize returns on investment in the field of building's rehabilitation
• apply in-depth knowledge to a case study

General Competence:

The student can:

• conduct thorough market research, or literature to gather data and information
• write clear, detailed, and technically sound reports outlining the rehabilitation plan
• work effectively in a team and skillfully deliver a compelling pitch.

A combination of lectures, in-class individual and group study, and project work. The project will be defined by the student based on a real-world case study on rehabilitation in the built environment. Collaboration with Norwegian or international companies is encouraged, adding a real-world dimension to the project. It could also involve reviewing, analyzing and evaluating previous rehabilitation projects to suggest improvements or more sustainable and cost-effective approaches.

The following coursework requirement should be completed and approved for the student to take the exam:

• Pitch presentation (max 20min) of the selected project delivered in groups of 2-5 students. Dates of the presentations will be communicated on Canvas
• Group presentations (max 15min) will be based on the assigned in-class individual and group study. Students will work in groups of 2-5 students, formed during each lecture, and 1-2 presentations will take place in every lecture. Every student is required to join a group and to present at least once in 6 different lectures over the duration of the course.
• Leading an individual in-class oral discussion (approx. 30min) on an assigned topic. 2 students will be selected randomly and assigned as discussion leaders in each lecture. They will have the responsibility to (1) prepare and share the discussion questions related to the reading list, and (2) lead the in-class discussion on the assigned day shared on canvas. Each leader is required to serve as a discussion leader only once during the course.

If one or more coursework requirements have not been approved, the student will be given one opportunity to submit/present again by the given deadline shared on Canvas.

Type of assessment:

Project report, max 5000 words appendices excluded, collaboratively prepared by the same group of the pitch presentation, weighted 100%

An individual project report is not accepted. To pass the course, a minimum grade of E is required. The exam grade can be appealed.

In group work, the students' different contributions must be reflected in the submitted work. Normally, all members of the group receive the same grade, but in exceptional cases, individual grades may be assigned within groups after further assessment. In such cases, all students in the relevant group will be informed that grades will be given individually before the grades are published.

In the event of a resit or rescheduled exam, an oral examination may be used instead. If oral exams are used for resit and rescheduled exams, the result cannot be appealed.

All aids are permitted, as long as the rules for source referencing are followed.

Grade scale A-F

One internal examiner.

External examiners are used regularly.

Timber has been used as building material since antiquity. In particular in Norway, wood has been the main basic material for buildings and structures for centuries. Nowadays, the new technologies in material science has resulted in innovative engineered wood-based products, which have opened wider horizons for building in timber, e.g. tall timber buildings etc. In addition, the climate change due to global warming has accelerated the need for reducing the greenhouse gas emissions and use nature-based products and building materials with low, or even negative, carbon footprint. This makes wood an excellent choice for sustainable buildings, which has steadily led to the increase use of timber in building industry.

The goal of the course is to provide the students in-depth insight into timber engineering and technology, with focus on building structures. In particular, the course combines knowledge from different fields, such as wood technology, building physics, structural engineering and life cycle assessment.

In particular, the following topics are addressed:

• wood properties and technology
• building process and construction site
• load bearing timber engineered products and structural systems
• hygrothermal performance of wood-based building elements and timber buildings
• fire resistance of timber products and fire design in timber buildings
• acoustics in timber buildings
• life cycle assessment
• reuse of wood
• conservation of wood

Language of instruction: English