PENG9530 Advanced Topics in Building Services Engineering Course description

All support material is allowed.

Students should be aware that a master's degree in a related engineering discipline (electrical, construction, building services, architectural engineering or renewable energy) and relevant undergraduate courses covering the topics of basic indoor climate, and heat and mass transfer is recommended in order to complete this course.

Pass or fail.

The course includes the following specific topics:

• indoor environmental quality (IEQ) and health for human occupants: in-depth study of indoor air quality (IAQ), user control, thermal preferences and adaption. Advanced methods for field studies of IEQ/IAQ.
• design of building envelopes, including building form, materials and their environmental assessment, and climate-adaption.
• HVAC and building automation, including demand-control, automated commissioning, and optimisation of operation and facilities management.
• building-integrated and city-wide renewable energy supply, including solar energy and energy storage.
• methods for numerical simulation of indoor climate and energy use in buildings
• theory and application of life-cycle analysis (LCA), and its methodological issues

Two internal examiners. External examiner is used periodically.

The course is based on knowledge and skills within solid mechanics, statics, design of reinforced concrete and steel structures as well knowledge in finite element method (FEM) in structural analysis and design.

Introduction to the theoretical foundation for nonlinear finite element analysis of civil engineering structures. Classification of nonlinearities (geometrical, material and boundary conditions). Strain and stress measures for large displacements/deformations. Mathematical models for elastic and elastoplastic materials like reinforced concrete (RC), steel,etc. Geometrical stiffness and linearised buckling. Numerical integration of dynamically excited systems. Implicit/explicit time integration. Incremental-iterative solution methods for nonlinear static and dynamic problems. Modelling of nonlinear boundary conditions. The course will also expose students to recent trends and research areas in FEM.

Closed book examination. No handwritten notes are permitted. A basic electronic calculator may be used.

Pass or fail.

Internal examination, with two examiners present. External examiner is used periodically.