Renewable Energy and Architecture MSc/PGDip

This module aims to provide students with a comprehensive grounding in renewable energy sources and allied conversion systems with the focus on their application within the built environment.

Specifically the module will cover:

1. energy principles
2. solar energy resources
3. solar thermal collectors
4. solar photovoltaics
5. wind energy
6. district heating and heat pumps
7. biomass energy
8. CHP
9. efficient boilers
10. heat recovery

For each of the renewable and energy efficient systems, the student will learn and develop an understanding of principle of operation, basic components, merit and limitations, and investigate the contribution they can make to a building's energy requirement with reference to their environmental impact.

Delivery

Assessment method

This module aims to provide students from architectural, engineering and relevant professional backgrounds with advanced knowledge and skills to perform 3D modelling of wind environments outside and inside buildings with simple and complex forms, using well known computer software to assess impact on building and site ventilation and indoor and outdoor human thermal comfort.

Detailed and realistic 3D modelling and simulation of wind environment outside and inside buildings (e.g. wind speed, direction and pressure at any point) is extremely important for town planners, urban designers, architects and building engineers. It allows building professionals (e.g. planners/architects and engineers) to produce climate responsive site planning and sustainable/energy efficient building form/shape and thermally comfortable indoor building layout/design, both at individual buildings and urban scale.

This is a modelling, simulation and design module. It will examine wind environment in the context of architecture, human thermal comfort and ventilation heat loss/gain employing advanced 3D computer simulation techniques (using CFD software ANSYS, plus other supporting computer tools).

The module will address the processes of wind induced ventilation focusing on site and envelope flows and internal air movement, considering different wind speeds and directions. It will also address the effects of building shape and orientation and building components such as partition walls, windows and doors on outdoor and indoor ventilation design. Students will also gain valuable skills in design and modelling performance of wind towers/catchers and their integration into the building envelope and for the siting of urban wind turbines.

Delivery

Assessment method

The aim of the module is to introduce students to the concepts, principles and application of passive solar building design and technology in different latitudes. Students use this knowledge and relevant computer software to design, test and optimize passive solar buildings, which support application of the module content and develop research skills.

This module introduces students from architectural, engineering and other relevant professional backgrounds to the concepts, principles and application of passive solar building design and technology in different latitudes.

The use and integration of passive solar systems will be addressed such as conservatories, Trombe walls, solar chimneys and mass walls. Students will be taught how to use software (EnergyPlus with Sketchup) to model passive solar building performance and assess the potential of day-lighting, solar control and ventilation for promoting energy saving and user comfort. Students from an architectural background will use their knowledge and computer skills to develop and test the design of a passive solar village as part of an individual design and simulation project.

Students from engineering and other backgrounds will use their knowledge and computer skills to test and optimize the design of passive solar systems and their effect on overall building energy performance.

This module will examine aspects of performance analysis and system design/sizing of renewable energy systems for building integration. The course provides opportunities to gain experience in issues of technology selection, system design, installation and performance analysis of a range of renewable energy systems. The module will emphasize solar energy technologies (photovoltaic and solar thermal systems) and small-scale wind turbines, and their integration into buildings.

This includes aspects of weather data resource/collection, system performance analysis, system design parameters, design/simulation tools, field evaluation of these technologies and cost appraisal.

This module aims to provide students with the knowledge and skills on designing climate responsive site and building design and technology in different climatic regions

Architects, engineers and other relevant professionals engaged in designing sustainable and energy efficient buildings and neighbourhoods require in-depth understanding of human thermal comfort and the impact of prevailing local site physical and climatic conditions on building design and its surrounding environment, (e.g. site topography/landscape, sun’s position and radiation, ambient temperature and humidity and onsite wind speed and direction).

In this module students will be introduced to the principles of site planning, building design and technology in different climates, employing critical review and analysis of examples of real building projects from different climatic regions. Lectures will also present and discuss results of field measurements and computer simulations of real traditional and modern buildings thermal performance.

Lectures will also be supported by relevant video presentations, to help students further understand module contents such as human thermal comfort and building energy performance.

This module will also examine the concepts of bioclimatic design and outdoor and indoor human thermal comfort at international level. These include the role of thermal mass, earth-sheltering/integration and ventilation in controlling indoor temperature. The module will also address climatic and socio-economic impacts on building form and structure in a global context.

Students will have the opportunity to work together in groups to produce climate responsive site plans and landscape for a complex of public building in different climatic regions. In their project, students use the knowledge gained from this module and well-known computer programs, such as EnergyPlus and ANSYS, which are taught as part of two other MSc autumn modules.

Students will also use other free computer tools which are specifically developed for this module for the assessment of human thermal comfort and development of the human comfort zone and potential of passive cooling and heating. 

In the process, students are expected to give group PowerPoint presentations of their final projects. Students will also work individually to produce detailed climate responsive building design and energy efficient building envelope/structure, depending on their professional backgrounds. Students will receive studio-style tutorial support during their group and individual project work.

Delivery

Assessment method

This module aims to provide students from architecture, engineering and other relevant professional backgrounds computer programming skills, which they can use to gain a better understanding of the key parameters used in building heating and cooling load calculations, model the performance of passive solar systems, such as Mass Walls, Sun-spaces and Water Walls, and model the performance of PV systems and wind turbines.

For building professionals (e.g. architects, engineers and others from relevant professional backgrounds) to be able to design buildings with an optimised energy saving shape, layout and structure and make the best use of available renewable energy sources/technologies, they need detailed knowledge and understanding of key parameters/factors involved and their impact on building energy performance/rating.

This module provides students from architecture, engineering and other relevant professional backgrounds a powerful research tool, which can be used to gain understanding of key parameters affecting building heating and cooling load calculations, to model the performance of passive solar systems, such as Mass Walls, Sun-spaces and Water Walls, and model the performance of PV systems and wind turbines.

Designed to support students who have little or no previous experience of computer programming, this module allows them to develop their own software tools for modelling building energy performance and gain in-depth understanding of the key design parameters/variables. Use is also made of commercially available energy modelling/simulation tools (e.g. EnergyPlus) to carry out advanced simulations/research on renewable energy and energy efficient design applied to complex building forms.

Delivery

Assessment method

This module enables students to acquire the core skills used in research, and to practice these through exploration of a specialist subject relevant to architecture and the built environment.

This module covers the skills and resources needed to conduct independent academic research, including how to present findings effectively. It will cover choosing a research topic, how to shape research literature search techniques, including the use of the web.

As a result, students will be able to conduct their own primary research, including quantitative and qualitative methodologies; data collection and simple statistical analysis. Opportunities to practice these skills will be presented through participation in a mixture of lectures, seminars and workshops designed to introduce specialist subject areas relevant to the field of architecture and related disciplines.

Delivery

Assessment method

This module aims to enable students to plan, implement and write up a substantial piece of original research which will make a contribution to the intellectual life of the discipline.

This module seeks to enable students to:

• demonstrate and develop research skills in their chosen area of study
• select a topic of inquiry in consultation with relevant members of academic staff
• search and critically review the appropriate literature
• develop appropriate research questions for their chosen area of study
• consider the ethical aspects of their investigation
• select an appropriate methodology for their investigation
• collect data, rigorously explore and critically analyse it
• interpret findings against what is already known in the field of study
• critically evaluate/reflect on the study itself; make appropriate suggestions for further research

Delivery

Assessment method

The aim of the module is to introduce students to the concepts, principles and application of passive solar building design and technology in different latitudes. Students use this knowledge and relevant computer software to design, test and optimize passive solar buildings, which support application of the module content and develop research skills.

This module introduces students from architectural, engineering and other relevant professional backgrounds to the concepts, principles and application of passive solar building design and technology in different latitudes.

The use and integration of passive solar systems will be addressed such as conservatories, Trombe walls, solar chimneys and mass walls. Students will be taught how to use software (EnergyPlus with Sketchup) to model passive solar building performance and assess the potential of day-lighting, solar control and ventilation for promoting energy saving and user comfort. Students from an architectural background will use their knowledge and computer skills to develop and test the design of a passive solar village as part of an individual design and simulation project.

Students from engineering and other backgrounds will use their knowledge and computer skills to test and optimize the design of passive solar systems and their effect on overall building energy performance.

This module aims to provide students from architectural, engineering and relevant professional backgrounds with advanced knowledge and skills to perform 3D modelling of wind environments outside and inside buildings with simple and complex forms, using well known computer software to assess impact on building and site ventilation and indoor and outdoor human thermal comfort.

Detailed and realistic 3D modelling and simulation of wind environment outside and inside buildings (e.g. wind speed, direction and pressure at any point) is extremely important for town planners, urban designers, architects and building engineers. It allows building professionals (e.g. planners/architects and engineers) to produce climate responsive site planning and sustainable/energy efficient building form/shape and thermally comfortable indoor building layout/design, both at individual buildings and urban scale.

This is a modelling, simulation and design module. It will examine wind environment in the context of architecture, human thermal comfort and ventilation heat loss/gain employing advanced 3D computer simulation techniques (using CFD software ANSYS, plus other supporting computer tools).

The module will address the processes of wind induced ventilation focusing on site and envelope flows and internal air movement, considering different wind speeds and directions. It will also address the effects of building shape and orientation and building components such as partition walls, windows and doors on outdoor and indoor ventilation design. Students will also gain valuable skills in design and modelling performance of wind towers/catchers and their integration into the building envelope and for the siting of urban wind turbines.

Delivery

Assessment method

This module aims to provide students with a comprehensive grounding in renewable energy sources and allied conversion systems with the focus on their application within the built environment.

Specifically the module will cover:

1. energy principles
2. solar energy resources
3. solar thermal collectors
4. solar photovoltaics
5. wind energy
6. district heating and heat pumps
7. biomass energy
8. CHP
9. efficient boilers
10. heat recovery

For each of the renewable and energy efficient systems, the student will learn and develop an understanding of principle of operation, basic components, merit and limitations, and investigate the contribution they can make to a building's energy requirement with reference to their environmental impact.

Delivery

Assessment method

This module enables students to acquire the core skills used in research, and to practice these through exploration of a specialist subject relevant to architecture and the built environment.

This module covers the skills and resources needed to conduct independent academic research, including how to present findings effectively. It will cover choosing a research topic, how to shape research literature search techniques, including the use of the web.

As a result, students will be able to conduct their own primary research, including quantitative and qualitative methodologies; data collection and simple statistical analysis. Opportunities to practice these skills will be presented through participation in a mixture of lectures, seminars and workshops designed to introduce specialist subject areas relevant to the field of architecture and related disciplines.

Delivery

Assessment method

This module will examine aspects of performance analysis and system design/sizing of renewable energy systems for building integration. The course provides opportunities to gain experience in issues of technology selection, system design, installation and performance analysis of a range of renewable energy systems. The module will emphasize solar energy technologies (photovoltaic and solar thermal systems) and small-scale wind turbines, and their integration into buildings.

This includes aspects of weather data resource/collection, system performance analysis, system design parameters, design/simulation tools, field evaluation of these technologies and cost appraisal.

This module aims to provide students with the knowledge and skills on designing climate responsive site and building design and technology in different climatic regions

Architects, engineers and other relevant professionals engaged in designing sustainable and energy efficient buildings and neighbourhoods require in-depth understanding of human thermal comfort and the impact of prevailing local site physical and climatic conditions on building design and its surrounding environment, (e.g. site topography/landscape, sun’s position and radiation, ambient temperature and humidity and onsite wind speed and direction).

In this module students will be introduced to the principles of site planning, building design and technology in different climates, employing critical review and analysis of examples of real building projects from different climatic regions. Lectures will also present and discuss results of field measurements and computer simulations of real traditional and modern buildings thermal performance.

Lectures will also be supported by relevant video presentations, to help students further understand module contents such as human thermal comfort and building energy performance.

This module will also examine the concepts of bioclimatic design and outdoor and indoor human thermal comfort at international level. These include the role of thermal mass, earth-sheltering/integration and ventilation in controlling indoor temperature. The module will also address climatic and socio-economic impacts on building form and structure in a global context.

Students will have the opportunity to work together in groups to produce climate responsive site plans and landscape for a complex of public building in different climatic regions. In their project, students use the knowledge gained from this module and well-known computer programs, such as EnergyPlus and ANSYS, which are taught as part of two other MSc autumn modules.

Students will also use other free computer tools which are specifically developed for this module for the assessment of human thermal comfort and development of the human comfort zone and potential of passive cooling and heating. 

In the process, students are expected to give group PowerPoint presentations of their final projects. Students will also work individually to produce detailed climate responsive building design and energy efficient building envelope/structure, depending on their professional backgrounds. Students will receive studio-style tutorial support during their group and individual project work.

Delivery

Assessment method

This module aims to provide students from architecture, engineering and other relevant professional backgrounds computer programming skills, which they can use to gain a better understanding of the key parameters used in building heating and cooling load calculations, model the performance of passive solar systems, such as Mass Walls, Sun-spaces and Water Walls, and model the performance of PV systems and wind turbines.

For building professionals (e.g. architects, engineers and others from relevant professional backgrounds) to be able to design buildings with an optimised energy saving shape, layout and structure and make the best use of available renewable energy sources/technologies, they need detailed knowledge and understanding of key parameters/factors involved and their impact on building energy performance/rating.

This module provides students from architecture, engineering and other relevant professional backgrounds a powerful research tool, which can be used to gain understanding of key parameters affecting building heating and cooling load calculations, to model the performance of passive solar systems, such as Mass Walls, Sun-spaces and Water Walls, and model the performance of PV systems and wind turbines.

Designed to support students who have little or no previous experience of computer programming, this module allows them to develop their own software tools for modelling building energy performance and gain in-depth understanding of the key design parameters/variables. Use is also made of commercially available energy modelling/simulation tools (e.g. EnergyPlus) to carry out advanced simulations/research on renewable energy and energy efficient design applied to complex building forms.

Delivery

Assessment method