11225 Thermal Design and Environmental Control

Warning: The information on this page is indicative. The subject outline for a particular session, location and mode of offering is the authoritative source of all information about the subject for that offering. Required texts, recommended texts and references in particular are likely to change. Students will be provided with a subject outline once they enrol in the subject.

Subject handbook information prior to 2020 is available in the Archives.

UTS: Design, Architecture and Building: Architecture
Credit points: 6 cp

Subject level:

Undergraduate

Result type: Grade and marks

Requisite(s): 48 credit points of completed study in spk(s): STM91342 132cp Core subjects (Architecture) OR 48 credit points of completed study in spk(s): STM90375 Core subjects BAArch

Description

The subject aims to develop students' understanding of thermal comfort, building thermodynamics and natural ventilation, and provides an introduction to the principles of daylighting. The subject encompasses the thermal design principles and strategies, qualitative and quantitative evaluative methods for environmental control and sustainability. It seeks to equip students with the ability to apply their learning in the technical and design aspects of thermal and environmental control to the design of small to medium scale architecture.

Subject learning objectives (SLOs)

On successful completion of this subject, students should be able to:

1.	Understand the basic concepts of climate thermal comfort and heat transfer and environmental control with respect to buildings and inhabitants
2.	Recognise the interrelation between design decisions and environmental performance and sustainability
3.	Apply qualitative methods and digital and analog modelling processes to assess and inform design decisions for enhanced thermal performance
4.	Enhance thermal performance through speculative design modifications of the building fabric in small to medium scale architecture
5.	Use both self-directed and collaborative learning process to research, conceive and evaluate possible approaches in response to a given brief
6.	Complete and present learning outcomes to a professional standard

Course intended learning outcomes (CILOs)

This subject also contributes to the following Course Intended Learning Outcomes:

Apply an informed ethical and sustainable attitude to the discipline by positioning work within a broader social context (A.1)
Work cooperatively and professionally as part of a team (C.1)
Constructively contribute to peer learning by communicating through various modes of oral, written and graphic communication (C.2)
Creative synthesis of complex ideas, arguments and rationales that address an array of social, technical and environmental practices (I.2)
Test technique-led architectural design processes against a range of architectural concerns (P.1)
Source, evaluate and/or utilise accepted, disciplinary specific, academic frameworks (R.2)

Teaching and learning strategies

LEARNING MODES
Each week will comprise of a two-hour lecture, followed by a two-hour studio session. The lectures introduce fundamental themes and activities of the subject. The studio sessions are tutor-guided working tutorials that include active learning through investigation and analysis of site conditions. Detailed assessment task outlines that describe deliverables and required activities are issued separately during semester.

ONLINE COURSEWORK
A number of online resources support the learning objectives of this subject. All documents are accessible from UTS Online. Essential Readings are uploaded on a weekly basis. Students are expected to review and engage with the material prior to the scheduled lecture or tutorial for which they are set. Other resources online include lecture outlines, online tutorials demonstrating digital and modelling techniques and materials for wider reading.

COLLABORATIVE LEARNING
UTS staff believe that collaborative peer learning enhances learning. There will be opportunities within assessments for peer learning and collaboration during class activities, field research and group work submission.

FEEDBACK
The subject is designed around the progressive development of the assessment tasks and weekly feedback from tutors and peers. Final submissions for all assessments will be graded in ReView.

Content (topics)

This subject includes discussions of the following topics:

Climate responsive design
Thermal comfort
Fundamentals of heat transfer building elements
Passive solar design
Natural ventilation and thermal performance analysis in small to medium scale architecture
Introduction to visual comfort, daylight design and sustainability in the built environment

Assessment

Assessment task 1: Process

Intent:

Assessment Task 1: Process: Site analysis and design strategy requires you to use the environmental principles introduced in Weeks 1?5 to develop a site analysis and environmental strategy for one of three local sites.

Objective(s):

This task addresses the following subject learning objectives:

1, 2, 3 and 5

This task also addresses the following course intended learning outcomes that are linked with a code to indicate one of the five CAPRI graduate attribute categories (e.g. C.1, A.3, P.4, etc.):

A.1, C.1, I.2 and P.1

Type:

Design/drawing/plan/sketch

Groupwork:

Group, individually assessed

Weight:

40%

Criteria:

Assessment Task 1 is an site analysis task that requires you to visit, observe,measure and document a series of site conditions. Assessment Criteria will be made available on UTSOnline.

Criteria linkages:

Criteria	Weight (%)	SLOs	CILOs
Conceptual understanding and research outcomes	30	1	A.1
Decision making in group work	20	5	C.1
Application of data analysis methods	25	3	I.2
Documentation of site conditions in an architectural context	25	2	P.1

SLOs: subject learning objectives
CILOs: course intended learning outcomes

Assessment task 2: Synthesis

Intent:

Assessment Task 2: Synthesis requires you to develop a series of iterative responses using the data collected in Task 1 to provide a thermally designed response.

Objective(s):

This task addresses the following subject learning objectives:

1, 2, 3, 4 and 6

This task also addresses the following course intended learning outcomes that are linked with a code to indicate one of the five CAPRI graduate attribute categories (e.g. C.1, A.3, P.4, etc.):

A.1, C.2, I.2, P.1 and R.2

Type:

Design/drawing/plan/sketch

Groupwork:

Group, individually assessed

Weight:

60%

Criteria:

Assessment Task 2 investigates the interrelationship between architecture inhabitants and the environment, towards design development and synthesis. Assessment Criteria will be made available in additional documentation on UTSOnline.

Criteria linkages:

Criteria	Weight (%)	SLOs	CILOs
Successful identification and development interventions to improve the environmental impact of the space and its performance for users that shows an understanding of the interrelationships between Architecture, Inhabitants and the Environment	30	1	A.1
Evidence of thoughtful integration of environmental consideration with design intent in presented project	20	2	C.2
Iterative process and satisfaction of environmental criteria in final outcome	20	3	I.2
Critical review and evaluation of the final outcome with respect to thermal performance demonstrated through reasoned argument and illustrations	20	4	R.2
Appropriate forms of representation through drawings, plans, sections, axonometrics, diagrams/maps to convey findings and interventions	10	6	P.1

SLOs: subject learning objectives
CILOs: course intended learning outcomes

Minimum requirements

The DAB attendance policy requires students to attend no less than 80% of formal teaching sessions (lectures and tutorials) for each class they are enrolled in to remain eligible for assessment.

Recommended texts

Brown, G. Z. and Mark DeKay, (2001) Sun, Wind & Light: architectural design strategies, New York : John Wiley

Lechner, Norbert (2009) Heating, cooling, lighting : sustainable design methods for architects, Hoboken, N.J. : John Wiley & Sons

Other resources

Online Resources
Students must refer to UTS Online for this subject for Assessment Task Outlines, Essential Readings, Lecture outlines, Online tutorials demonstrating digital and modelling techniques and additional resources relevant to assessment tasks posted.

Additional texts
Greenland, J. (1998) Foundations of architectural science: heat, light, sound. Sydney: University of Technology, Sydney, Faculty of Design, Architecture and Building
Julian, W. G. (1999). Lighting : basic concepts. Sydney: Department of Architectural and Design Science, University of Sydney.
Majoros, A. (1998). Daylighting. Brisbane : PLEA, Passive and Low Energy Architecture in association with the Dept. of Architecture, University of Queensland.
Moore, F. (1985). Concepts and practice of architectural daylighting. (illustrations by Gregory Anderson. New York : Van Nostrand Reinhold.
Royal Australian Institute of Architects (RAIA), Environment Design Guide, (1995 onwards). Canberra: RAIA.
Steven Winter Associates. (1998). Passive solar design and construction handbook. New York : Wiley.
Szokolay, Steven (2003) Introduction to architectural science : the basis of sustainable design Oxford : Architectural.
Szokolay, S. V. (1996). Solar geometry. Brisbane : PLEA, Passive and Low Energy Architecture International in assoc. with Dept. of Architecture, University of Queensland.
Szokolay, S. V. (1987). Thermal design of buildings. Canberra : RAIA Education Division.
Szokolay, S. V. (c1988). Climatic data and its use in design. Canberra : Royal Australian Institute of Architects, Education Division
Thomas, R (ed). (1999) Environmental design : an introduction for architects and engineers / edited by Randal Thomas, New York : E & FN Spon.

The UTS Library has many excellent books on sustainable architecture, environmental technology and thermal design case studies. You are encouraged to read widely to gain an appreciation for examples across the globe. Some acquisitions include:
Baird, G. (2001) The Architectural Expression of Environmental Control Systems, Spon
Bougdah, H, Sharples S, Zunde, J, (2009) Environment, Technology and Sustainability, Abingdon [England] ; Taylor & Francis
Buchanan, P, (2005) Ten shades of green : architecture and the natural world. New York, NY : c2005.
Drake, S., (2009) The elements of architecture : principles of environmental performance in buildings, London ; Earthscan, 2009.
Josep Maria Minguet, (2009) Bioclimatic Architecture, Monsa Publication
Liddell, H (2008) Ecominimalism : the antidote to eco-bling. London : Riba Publishing, 2008.
The environmental brief : pathways for green design, Abingdon, Oxon : Taylor & Francis, c2007.
Richardson, P, (2007) XS green : big ideas, small buildings London : Thames & Hudson,
Szokolay, S. V (2008) Introduction to architectural science : the basis of sustainable design
Amsterdam ; Elsevier/Architectural Press, 2008

Undergraduate Studio Cleaning
Please note the following cleaning policies for the undergraduate studio spaces:
•Items left in the studio spaces must be placed on a shelf and marked with student details.
•Cleaners will visit the studio weekly to discard anything left on the floor. Do not leave any valuables or model-making materials on the floor. Unless placed on a shelf, or in a locker, materials will be discarded.
•Anything identified as unsanitary (e.g. food), will be thrown out.
•Shelves are for temporary storage only, and are not meant to be long term storage spaces. As such, shelves will be cleared one week after mid-term reviews and one week after final reviews (see studio review schedule). Please make sure to have removed anything valuable by these times.
•Faculty lockers are cleared once a year on 15 January. Please remove all your items before this date.?