MAEN4400 Automation in Building Course description

The main goal of automation systems in buildings is to ensure the right indoor climate for the lowest possible energy consumption. The subject will provide a deep understanding of control principles at different levels in building automation. Furthermore, general and special system solutions that combine heating, cooling, heat pump and ground source heating / cooling will be reviewed in a common integrated solution. The course gives an introduction to relevant programming tools for developing simulators of control systems.

None except the admission requirements of the study programme.

After completing this course, the student has the following learning outcomes, as defined in knowledge, skills and general competence:

Knowledge

The student has knowledge about

• control principles and methods
• algorithm and operation of relevant control functions including PID controller (PID = proportional+integral+derivative), on/off controller, MPC controller (MPC = model-predictive control)
• principles of relevant automation hardware
• bus systems and central operating control systems
• relevant sensors and actuators
• alternative control systems for heating, cooling, ventilation and lighting.
• mathematical modeling and simulation of ventilation, heating and air conditioning systems with regard to control

Skills

The student can

• apply scientific methods for solving problems in control and building automation
• consider indoor climate, energy use and operating costs related to automation systems integrated in buildings
• choose the right methods for control and regulation of heating, cooling, ventilation and lighting systems
• calculate the maximum capacity of the contracting bodies and find the curve shape of the characteristics
• calculate and evaluate time constant for various components of control systems
• draw and describe block diagram and Piping and Instrument Diagram (P&ID) for control systems
• tune PID controllers for fast and stable control
• perform stability analysis of control systems
• analyze central operational control systems in operation and come up with the right measures to improve indoor climate functions and reduce energy consumption and operating costs

General competence

The student can

• plan and execute projects that include management, regulation and building automation
• contribute to innovation and be contributors in innovation processes
• understand documentation about building automation system
• is able to communicate with building automation professionals

Lectures, exercises, lab work, project work, and self study.

5 work requirements, which are individual and/or group-based. All work requirements must be approved in order to be admitted to the exam.

Part 1 Individual written exam of three hours, which counts 70 percent.

Part 2 Project work in groups of three to five students and which counts 30 percent. Report, implementation, oral and visual presentation in group are considered. Possibility of individual grading if different work effort can be documented, or different levels of knowledge about the content of the report are evident from the presentation.

Exam part 1) Exam results can be appealed. Exam part 2) Exam result cannot be appealed.

Both parts of the exam must be graded / E or better in order for students to pass the course.

In the event of a new and postponed individual written examination, oral examination forms may be used. If an oral examination is used for a new and postponed examination, this cannot be appealed.

None other than admission requirements.

Graded scale A-F

After completing this course, the student has the following learning outcomes, as defined in knowledge, skills and general competence:

Knowledge

The student has in-depth knowledge of

• energy production, energy use and design of heat supply systems
• boilers, boiler connections, heat pumps, solar heating, district heating, gas and more for energy conversion and transmission
• laws and regulations, energy directive and energy labeling
• incineration plants (bioenergy, coal, oil, gas) and combustion processes
• district heating systems; production, distribution and subscriber centers
• steam systems; temperature, pressure, materials and system structure
• heating elements; radiators, aerotemers and more
• waterborne plants, including expansion systems, pressure conditions, safety devices
• analyze profitability, tariffs, operating time, investments, energy prices

Skills

The student can

• perform calculations of heating needs
• assess energy needs for building related to external climate with regard to outdoor climate, energy-conscious architecture, heat transport, heat insulation, air tightness and infiltration loss, internal heat supplement and solar energy
• assess the effect and energy pattern of buildings; load measurements, typically energy consumption pattern
• calculate and evaluate the proper regulatory and management systems
• analyze plants with regard to energy use, economy and environmental impact
• show how traditional forms of energy are utilized, and the effects of using such energy sources on the environment
• designing heating systems; calculate heating systems and energy production plants; heating systems, refrigeration systems for air conditioning and heat pumps, ventilation systems, hot water supply and components
• regulate waterborne plants
• dimension pipe networks for water-borne energy

General competence

The student can

• calculate, design and construct heat producing plants, distribution plants and heating plants so that the environment is not unnecessarily charged
• can formulate and analyze problems using scientific methods in project work