Required Course
Credits: 3-0-3 (3 semester hours)
Type of Course: Lecture
Instructors: Ruchi Choudhary
Prerequisites: ARCH 3231
Course Overview:
A larger and larger percentage of building construction cost is being devoted to the environmental control systems. Recent environmental problems have been traced to the energy use in buildings, as well as the waste products gathered from these buildings. Such environmental problems make it imperative that architects be familiar with those systems that affect building energy use, and be acquainted with disposal practices to preserve the quality of our environment.
ARCH 4231 covers a variety of building environmental controls featuring mechanical systems with related duct layout and controls, indoor air quality, electric lighting, fire safety, transportation, communication, water and sewage. The integration of these systems into the overall building and how the systems selection affects the building design and energy consumption is examined in this course. Students will learn that the building design and the mechanical systems impact on the overall building efficiency is a result of not only the efficiency of the individual components, but of their integration. In addition, students will become familiar with electric lighting systems and their integration into the building design. High-performance, energy-efficient lighting systems will be examined. A demonstration of lighting and thermal software for evaluating design alternatives is presented in this course.
With the increase in building height, it has become imperative that buildings contain their own means for handling fires and protecting occupants. Students will be introduced to the basics of fire safety and building communication systems. They will also be introduced to vertical transportation systems and will learn how architects may affect the usable space of the building through the proper use of elevators and escalators. Water supply and disposal systems will be introduced and discussed.
Hence, in this course, the examination of various environmental control systems is to understand their contribution to better building design and performance while being responsive to the enhancement of our well-being.
Learning Objectives:
- To raise awareness of the different types of building mechanical systems and to be familiar with the need to integrate them into the building design process.
- To develop an understanding of lighting systems and their integration into the building.
- To develop an understanding of building fire safety and relevant codes and to be familiar with their design guidelines.
- To raise awareness of building transportation systems and ways to integrate them into the building design.
- To introduce building water and sewage systems and ways to integrate them.
- To introduce building management systems and how these can be used to control and optimize other building systems.
- To introduce applicable national and regional energy and lighting codes.
Course Requirements: The course material consists of a required textbook, supplementary course-pack notes, and recommended supplementary reading.
Regular class attendance and participation are mandatory, as are assignments and deadlines.
- More than three missed classes without a certified excuse will reduce the final performance by a letter grade.
- Evaluation will be based on 10 homeworks (15%), 5 quizes (5%), 2 projects (40%) and 2 Exams (40%).
- All assignments will be due before class on the due date.
- Work submitted after the deadline on the same day will be penalized for 50% of the grade. No homework will be accepted the day after its due date (however, one late homework in the term is permitted).
- 15% of each assignment grade will be towards clarity and effort put in the work.