Study-Unit Description

Study-Unit Description


CODE EVD5106

 
TITLE Advanced Building Physics

 
UM LEVEL 05 - Postgraduate Modular Diploma or Degree Course

 
MQF LEVEL 7

 
ECTS CREDITS 5

 
DEPARTMENT Environmental Design

 
DESCRIPTION This study-unit deals with the study of physical processes occurring in buildings including heat, air and moisture transport. The subject is mostly based on topics such as fluid mechanics, heat transfer and thermodynamics. In buildings, such processes occur in a highly coupled manner and this unit aims at understanding their interrelationships in the building environment.

The study-unit will enable students to understand more advanced topics in building physics including aspects such as unsteady conduction in buildings, flows through wall cavities and pipes, radiation heat transfer on and inside buildings, air quality and moisture.

Study-unit Aims:

The central aim of the study-unit is to stimulate a scientific approach towards the design of building environments using principles of fluid mechanics, heat transfer and thermodynamics.

Students will assimilate an array of tools which can be used in their design practice. The unit is focused on the theoretical foundation necessary prior to engaging in more practical engineering topics such as ventilation.

Learning Outcomes:

1. Knowledge & Understanding:

By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to:
- Analyze thermal mass problems and unsteady conduction in buildings;
- Analyze flows through cracks and openings by means of discharge coefficients;
- Analyze flows and heat transfer through ducts and pipes;
- Analyze radiation heat transfer in building applications;
- Analyze moisture and air quality problems in buildings.

2. Skills:

By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to:
- Apply building physics to building engineering design;
- Build up an array of tools and formulae for the calculation of design quantities pertaining to the building environment.

Main Text/s and any supplementary readings:

White F.M., Fluid Mechanics. McGraw Hill; 8th Edition. 2015. ISBN 978-0073398273.

Munson B.R., Young D.F., Okiishi T.H., Fundamentals of Fluid Mechanics. Wiley; 5th Edition. 2005. ISBN: 978-0471675822.

Hugo S. L. C. Hens., Building Physics - Heat, Air and Moisture: Fundamentals and Engineering Methods with Examples and Exercises. Ernst & Sohn; 2nd Edition. 2010. ISBN 978-3433030271.

Hagentoft C.E., Introduction to Building Physics. Studentlitteratur AB, 2001. ISBN 978-9144018966.

Young H.D. and Freedman R.A., Sears & Zemansky's University Physics. Addison-Wesley; 13th Edition. 2011. ISBN 978-0321733382.

 
ADDITIONAL NOTES Pre-requisite Qualifications: A-level Pure or Applied Mathematics

 
STUDY-UNIT TYPE Lecture, Independent Study, Practicum & Tutorial

 
METHOD OF ASSESSMENT
Assessment Component/s Assessment Due Sept. Asst Session Weighting
Assignment SEM2 Yes 20%
Examination (2 Hours) SEM2 Yes 80%

 
LECTURER/S

 

 
The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints.
Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice.
It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2023/4. It may be subject to change in subsequent years.

https://www.um.edu.mt/course/studyunit