Course syllabus for Building climatology

Course syllabus adopted 2024-02-02 by Head of Programme (or corresponding).

Overview

  • Swedish nameByggnadsklimatologi
  • CodeACE350
  • Credits5 Credits
  • OwnerMPARC
  • Education cycleSecond-cycle
  • Main field of studyArchitecture
  • DepartmentARCHITECTURE AND CIVIL ENGINEERING
  • GradingTH - Pass with distinction (5), Pass with credit (4), Pass (3), Fail

Course round 1

  • Teaching language English
  • Application code 05112
  • Maximum participants28 (at least 10% of the seats are reserved for exchange students)
  • Minimum participants8
  • Open for exchange studentsYes
  • Only students with the course round in the programme overview.

Credit distribution

0123 Written and oral assignments 5 c
Grading: TH		0 c0 c5 c0 c0 c0 c

In programmes

Examiner

Eligibility

General entry requirements for Master's level (second cycle)
Applicants enrolled in a programme at Chalmers where the course is included in the study programme are exempted from fulfilling the requirements above.

Specific entry requirements

English 6 (or by other approved means with the equivalent proficiency level)
Applicants enrolled in a programme at Chalmers where the course is included in the study programme are exempted from fulfilling the requirements above.

Course specific prerequisites


Aim

Climate change demands actions both to mitigate changes and adapt building stock to them. To address them climate responsive design is promoted.
It is based on Integration of building form, structure, and material with local environment. It assumes taking advantage of natural resources to provide healthy and comfortably living conditions while lowering energy consumptions.
Theory of building climatology supports architects to use passive design strategies for heating, cooling and ventilation, treating the local climate as a resource. It is an interdisciplinary approach involving knowledge from the fields of climatology, building physics, physiology/psychology, and architecture. The focus of the course is put towards learning basic principles of building physics and highlighting the importance of local climate and different experiences of comfort.

The course trains the student’s ability to use source texts as a basis for formulating a research question, an individual position on the matter, and a line of argument. It also trains the student in analyzing arguments laid out in other texts, and appropriately use citation, references, and bibliography.

Learning outcomes (after completion of the course the student should be able to)

Knowledge and understanding
  1. demonstrate knowledge of the principles of building climatology with focus on local climate, passive strategies, and their possible role in creating interior climate
  2. demonstrate understanding about what we can learn about climate responsive design from the analysis of the cases of vernacular architecture (environmental/climatic context, form, structure, material, and living style) and how that knowledge is applied in modern architecture
Competence and skills
  1. use methods and tools of bioclimatic design for the promotion of passive strategies for ventilation, heating, and cooling
  2. communicate analyses in the proper format of written report and a short ppt. presentation and appropriately use citation, references, and a bibliography
Judgement and approach
  1. generalize the findings from the analysis of vernacular architecture in terms of "sustainable building design" in contemporary context
  2. critically approach the design solutions of climate responsive architecture and give qualified feedback to the reports of other students

Content

Climate responsive design for low energy comfortable buildings is considered with support of theory and methods of building climatology. Bioclimatic design is discussed in reference to building/environment system and exemplified using the cases of vernacular and modern architecture from different climatic zones. Passive and hybrid strategies of creating thermal comfort under different climatic conditions are critically reviewed with the help of the analysis of risks and opportunities. Sustainability aspects of design solutions are discussed.

Organisation

The course consists of lectures, workshops, and seminars. The course ends with the presentations and the reports of the main assignment. Working on the assignment is a driving force for learning the phenomena presented and discussed in the lectures.

Learning outcomes are planned to be achieved through:
  • reading the academic texts concerning bioclimatic architecture
  • listening to the lectures and discussing the academic texts - seminars
  • discussing/interpreting bioclimatic analysis (psychrometric chart, wind conditions, perception of comfort, comfort zones) - workshops
  • discussing the cases of building designs with focus on form, structure, material, living habits responsive to specified climatic conditions – through workshops and feedback sessions
  • writing and presenting report explaining the examples of climate responsive traditional and modern architecture in relation to the general principles of building climatology and sustainable design.

Literature

  • Manzano - Agugliaro F., Montoya F.G. Sabio Ortega A., García-Cruz A. (2015). Review of bioclimatic architecture strategies for achieving thermal comfort. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews. Vol. 49, pp 736-755, Elsevier.
  • Szokolay S. (2004) Introduction to architectural science – the basis of sustainable design. Architectural press. Elsevier.
  • Liedl, P., Hausladen, G., & Saldanha, M. (2012). Building to Suit the Climate: A Handbook. Walter de Gruyter GmbH.
  • Rahm P. (2004). Immediate Architecture. Rendell J., Hill J., Fraser M., Dorrian M. (eds). Critical Architecture. by Routledge Taylor and Francis Group.

Examination including compulsory elements

It is obligatory to write and present report explaining the examples of climate responsive traditional and modern architecture in relation to the general principles of building climatology and sustainable design.

Grading: 5, 4, 3, fail, related to the level of meeting learning outcomes, their communication through the assignment and personal activity will be applied. The examiner will consider: the assignment, extra responsibilities and tasks, activity in the class, responsible attitude to the presence at the lectures/workshops and to the deadlines.

The course examiner may assess individual students in other ways than what is stated above if there are special reasons for doing so, for example if a student has a decision from Chalmers on educational support due to disability.