MAEN5200 Building Physics Course description

The course Building Physics will give the students a comprehensive knowledge of analysis of building physics. The course has a special focus on the façade's impact on climate adaptation, heat transport, moisture, thermal comfort and daylight.

MAEN4100/MAEND4100 Thermodynamics, Heat and Mass Transfer

MAEN4200/MAEND4200 Energy use and indoor climate

MAEN4300/MAEND4300 Fluid dynamics and computational methods

None.

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

Knowledge

The student has in-depth knowledge of

- moisture and heat transport through the building envelope including windows, walls, ceilings and floor slabs

- elements of passive house design, on the topics of indoor climate and energy use

- the roles and processes of integrated building design

- the most important criteria and calculation methods for daylight design and energy efficient lighting

- airflow in buildings and how to achieve airtight buildings

- principles and challenges of heat recovery

Skills

The student is capable of

- performing calculations and analysing results for U- and g-values for windows, walls, ceilings and floor slabs

- performing calculations and analysing results for thermal comfort in case of solar radiation and low outdoor temperatures

- performing calculations and analysing results for thermal bridges

- performing calculations and analysing results for moisture transport through structures

- performing calculations and analysing results of daylight conditions in rooms and energy savings by daylight control

- designing buildings which meet criteria for good indoor climate and low energy demand

- designing and analysing ventilation and infiltration in conjunction with pressure conditions, and designing energy optimal solutions

General competence

The student is capable of

- analysing buildings and solving problems related to detailed design of building parts, considering thermal comfort, daylight and moisture

- considering the extent and distribution of thermal bridges and proposing measures to avoid condensation and achieve good thermal comfort and low energy demand

- evaluating and choosing the right tool for the problem

- planning and performing an analysis of relevant building physics problems, and provide relevant advice for a client

Lectures, and project work in Groups. If lectures are delivered online, they may be recorded, and the recordings will be made available to students on Canvas.

The following required coursework must be approved before a student can take the exam:

• Meet all deadlines during the semester for submission of all project reports (project parts).

Project portfolio consisting of:

• 4-5 reports and the total length (all 4-5 reports) are expected to be approx. 5000 - 8000 words, excl. the appendices. The students will work in groups of 2-3.

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.

The project portfolio will be awarded one overall grade.

The exam may be appealed.

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

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

Graded scale A-F

Two internal examiners

Additional external examiners will be used with regular intervals.

Dimitrios Kraniotis