Course syllabus for Building physics, advanced course

Course syllabus adopted 2021-02-16 by Head of Programme (or corresponding).

Overview

  • Swedish nameByggnadsfysik fortsättningskurs
  • CodeVBF021
  • Credits7.5 Credits
  • OwnerMPSEB
  • Education cycleSecond-cycle
  • Main field of studyCivil and Environmental Engineering
  • DepartmentARCHITECTURE AND CIVIL ENGINEERING
  • GradingTH - Pass with distinction (5), Pass with credit (4), Pass (3), Fail

Course round 1

  • Teaching language English
  • Application code 22122
  • Block schedule
  • Open for exchange studentsYes

Credit distribution

0107 Examination 7.5 c
Grading: TH		 7.5 c
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In programmes

Examiner

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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

Basic course in building physics, building technology or similar. Knowledge of transient heat and mass transfer in porous building materials is desirable (corresponding to the syllabus of BOM285 Building performance: Design and assessment).

Aim

With buildings using a substantial part of the energy worldwide, and energy use being the major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, the design of low energy buildings with high level of comfort and durability is a fully accountable action. Concepts and techniques for the reduction of heat losses and risks for moisture damages in buildings envelopes are central topics in the building physics in Sweden. These together with the building physics tools for stationary heat and mass balance in buildings are introduced at the BSc level of the Civil Engineering programme at Chalmers.
This course provides you with the knowledge about how buildings store thermal energy and buffer moisture in real situations, i.e. under varying indoor and outdoor conditions, how urban heat islands arise and how natural ventilation works. The purpose is to learn to adequately combine these features in order to optimize the building's performance in a given environment and minimize the potential of extreme energy use. You will be guided through different modelling techniques and technical solutions that describe and support these processes. These will be examined both independently and in the manner in which they interact and affect one another.

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

Describe conditions and principles for, and conduct modelling 

  • time varying thermal energy storage and moisture buffering in building envelope
  • thermal energy storage in the ground and in the built environment
  • natural (controlled) and undesired (uncontrolled) ventilation of buildings

 Evaluate effects of

  • building's thermal and moisture inertia on heating/cooling power demand
  • thermal radiation on the thermal comforts indoors and outdoors
  • naturally induced convection and air tightness on air pressure indoors
Apply scientifically verified numerical methods for:
  • practical design of floor heating systems
  • evaluation of transient heat loss from a building to the ground

 Demonstrate ability to

  • to combine the studied models when designing new and renovating existing buildings
  • solve open problems

Content

Topics include: thermal time constant of a building; free-running and automatically controlled indoor temperature; embedded heating systems (floor heating); heat storage in the ground; long-wave radiation indoors and outdoors; operative temperature; moisture inertia of ventilated spaces; urban heat islands and climate change, urban water management with green roofs; air pressure and air mass balance at natural and uncontrolled ventilation.

Analytical models include: differential equation for transient heat and mass balance in a building; lumped models; solutions for step and periodic response; quasi steady-state thermal networks; non-linear mass balance.

Computer models in Simulink and Comsol: thermal lump model of a building with a radiator, PID controller, 2D model of a thermal pillow below a building; 2D model of a floor heating system.

Laboratory ‘Dare2Build Roofs’ – building a physical model of a parallel roof

Organisation

The course contains the following learning activities: the theory of heat, air and moisture transfer processes and the methods on how to construct models from heat and mass balance equations, empirical relations and flow models are presented during lectures. Based on that, open problems are formulated and models are constructed and solved during classes. Calculation exercises are mixed with lectures, i.e. there are no scheduled exercises.

Deeper understanding of the assumptions made in theoretical models and skill improvements in using computer programmes on practical problems are exercised through computer based assignments. Group work is allowed.

State-of-the-art building physical criteria for designing building envelopes are presented and discussed with specialists in the field. Topics may vary depending on the current development.

Learning process is initiated and assured through a set of home assignments (usually five, one per week) with a detailed feedback from the teacher. Group work is allowed.  

Literature

Lecture notes, calculation exercises and supplementary material (illustrations) are distributed through the course home page. A major part of lectures and exercises are pre-recorded and can be downloaded from the course home page. 

Examination including compulsory elements

Home exam - an individual written examination between 8-16 hours, which can be done at home or elsewhere. 

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.