ARCH324 Environmental Systems 1
09:00AM- 12:05PM, MC26- Rm409
Matthias Altwicker – -
Introduction
The provision for comfort, health and safety is one of the most basic objectives in architecture. Developing a basic understanding of how to achieve and maintain these provisions and how to integrate them into the architectural design process is the main goal of the Environmental Systems course sequence.
Through a combination of theoretical seminars and practical design assignments the following main topics will be addressed over the course of the semester: Climate Responsive Design, Solar Orientation, Indoor Air Quality, Performance Assessment Tools, Carbon Neutral Design, Bioclimatic Design, Energy Efficiency, Performance of Envelope Systems, Moisture Transfer, Thermal Control, Active/Passive Heating and Cooling, Water and Waste, Plumbing and Acoustics.
In the subsequent semester the Environmental Systems 2 course will address the topics Daylighting, Electrical Lighting, Electricity, Fire Protection, Security and Vertical Transportation.
Five sequential studio assignmentsexplore the inter-relationship between passive architectural design and active mechanical design through direct application on a small project. Students are asked to make climate responsive architectural modifications to a given project, calculate the resulting heat gain/heat loss and subsequently size the thermal control and water/waste systems. In addition to the studio assignments, two exams will be given.
Integrated Design
The design of environmental control systems cannot be understood as an isolated technical discipline that follows once the architectural design of a project is completed. On the contrary, in order to design a building that offers maximum user comfort while using the least amount of energy, an integrated design process needs to be adopted where architectural design and building services technology are part of one coordinated holistic system.
Even though architects are rarely responsible for the design of building services it is crucial that they understand the underlying principles and basic design approaches so they can productively communicate and collaborate with engineers and other design team members. The structure of the Environmental Systems course sequence and assignment requirements emphasize collaboration and clear communication as important aspects of the integrated design process.
“Solar Design is not about fashion - it is about survival”
Sir Norman Foster
Green Design and Sustainability
In the United States, the construction, renovation and maintenance of the built environment consume huge amounts of non-renewable energy and are responsible for over 40% of all nationwide CO2 emissions. Green design is no longer a choice but a necessity.
Even though this is not a course specifically or exclusively about green design, all lecture content and assignments will be analyzed and evaluated based on their environmental impact. By permeating all aspects of the course, green design is understood as a cohesive design methodology rather than a series of environmental strategies applied to a design project and will enable student to design projects that optimize, conserve, or reuse natural and built resources, provide healthful environments for occupants/users, and reduce the environmental impacts of building construction and operations on future generations through means such as carbon-neutral design, bioclimatic design, and energy efficiency.
Course Structure
Classes typically are structured in the following way:
Seminar (1-1.5hrs):
The seminar portion consists of lectures focusing on the different types of environmental systems, their history, underlying concepts and applications. Case studies illustrate these systems’ influence on the architectural design process and the final architectural project.
Studio:
Work and review sessions fill the remaining class time and are used to develop and discuss the studio assignments in a studio-like setting. Each class will have required assignments, due at the beginning of class.
Reading Assignments:
The required textbook for this course is Heating, Cooling, Lighting – Sustainable Design Methods for Architects, 3rd edition (HCL).Students are required to purchase their own copy, new or used. In preparation for the lecture each week there will be a reading assignment from the HCL book and/or from additional handouts. It is imperative that students read the required reading before class.
Additional sources of information which all of you should become familiar with and accustomed to using are:
Mechanical and Electrical Equipment for Buildings by Stein, Reynolds, McGuiness
The architect’s studio companion by Allen, Iano
Sun, Wind & Light by Brown, DeKay
The green studio handbook by Kwok, Grondzik
Mechanical Systems for Architects by Dadras
Studio Assignments:
There are five sequential design exercises throughout the semester exploring the inter-relationship between passive architectural design and active mechanical design through direct application on a small project. All studio assignments will be completed as teamwork (group size TBD). Teams will be determined in the first class.
Assignment 01: Empirical Climate Design
Build a physical model of one interior room with the intent of maintaining a comfortable and constant interior temperature while the model is being exposed to the elements. The models will be placed outdoors for a period of two months(September – November) and the interior temperature will be continuously measured with a remote Temperature Data Logger. In regular intervals the temperature measurements will be downloaded and compared and each group has an opportunity to make adjustments to the design, based on analysis of the measurements taken.
Assignment 02: Architectural Climate Adaptation
A generic design for a small building is given to all groups. Each group is assigned a site within one of the four major climate zones of the North American continent (cool, temperate, hot-arid, and hot-humid). After researching the basic environmental attributes of the site and climate zone and learning about climate responsive design, each team will propose envelope modifications to the generic design in order to reduce its heating and/or cooling loads. Possible modifications are of course dependent on the climate zone and include but are not limited to building orientation, wall construction, shading devices, and fenestration.
Assignment 03: Comparative Heating and Cooling Load Calculation
Each team will conduct a Heating Load Calculation for both the generic and the modified design. The results of the calculation will help in understanding the effectiveness of the chosen design strategy and may result in further modification of the envelope.
Assignment 04: Heating and Cooling System Design
Based on the results of Assignment 03 each team will select, design and schematically draw the heating and cooling system for their modified design. In additional to conventional heating and cooling systems students will explore the potential of on-site renewable energy sources.
Assignment 05: Water Supply and Waste System Design
The objective of this exercise is to become familiar with layout of toilet rooms and the piping that makes up a water supply and waste system. The modified design from Assignment 03 will be used as the base for this assignment. In addition to a conventional system students will explore water conservation strategies.
Assignment Values
55%Studio Assignments (5 total at 11% each)
30%Exams (2 total at 15% each), dates TBD
15%Class Participation
Each student is required to keep detailed, graphic notes from class lectures and the readings.
5% Adjustment factor to any evaluation based on the students’ intensity of effort and commitment to the course. It can be assumed that a minimum effort on these assignments will result in a poor evaluation.
Attendance
Attendance at every class is expected. No work-related issues or medical appointments are to be scheduled for class time regardless of convenience. The School of Architecture has a very specific policy regarding attendance: two unexcused absences will result in a substantial lowering of your grade; three unexcused absences require a withdrawal from the course.
Arriving to class more than 15 minutes late will be considered an absence. All of you are well aware of traffic and public transportation problems, so give yourself ample time to arrive in the classroom.
Cell phones are to be turned off during class time and will be confiscated if they disrupt the class.
No eating during class time.
Portfolio
It is required that students submit a digital portfolioat the end of the semester in order to receive a final grade. It is to include reproductions of all final drawings and calculations of all assignments.
A Note on Computer Use
It is important to remember that the computer is a tool for production and not an excuse for late or unfinished work. If you are new to using the computer do not use this class as a means to learn how to use it. The expectations for both computer and hand drawings will be the same.
Evaluation
Grades will consider the appropriateness of the idea, the project's completeness, the quality of presentation, and the effort put into the submission. Both content and presentation are crucial to the evaluation of assignments. Evaluation for content is based on the general quality, clarity, and development of the solution. Evaluation of presentation will consider the quality, precision, and craft of the presentation. As in studio, neither merely completing all the presentation requirements, nor merely having a good idea, will be enough to achieve a good grade. All work is expected to be completed by the assigned due date at the beginning of class.
The grading scale put forth in the university catalog will be used in this course:
ASuperiorA -Excellent
B+Very GoodBGood
B - CompetentC+Fair
CSatisfactory, AverageC - Marginal
DUnsatisfactoryFFailure
IIncomplete; this will only be assigned when a student misses class with an Institute-approved absence and is unable to make up the work by the end of the term.
Preliminary Weekly Schedule
09/11Class 01Lecture:Class Overview and Introduction
Studio:Handout and Explanation of Assignment 01
09/18Class 02Lecture:Basic Principles I
Studio:Desk Critique to review in-progress of Assignment 01
Reading:HCL Chapter 3+4
09/25Class 03Lecture:Design Strategies, Indoor Air Quality (IAQ)
Studio:Assignment 01 due
Reading:HCL Chapter 5
09/28Class 04Lecture:Solar Geometry, Shading Devices, Principles of Heat Flow
Studio:Desk Critique to review in-progress of Assignment 02
Reading:HCL Chapter 6+9
SRM Chapter 6
10/02Class 05Lecture:Designing for Heating and Cooling
Summer Heat Gain Guidelines, Method for Calculating Heat Loss and Heat Gain
Studio:Assignment 02 due
Reading:HCL Chapter 9+15
10/09Class 06Lecture:Designing for Heating and Cooling
Studio:Desk Critique to review in-progress of Assignment 03
Reading:HCL 7+10
10/16Class 07Lecture:HVAC for Smaller Buildings
Studio:Assignment 03 due
Reading:HCL 16, pp530-552
10/23Class 08Lecture:HVAC for Large Buildings
HVAC Design Process, Equipment Location, Systems Overview
Studio:Desk Critique to review in-progress of Assignment 04
Reading:SRM Chapter 6
10/30Class 09Lecture:HVAC for Large Buildings
Studio:Heating and Cooling System Design
Reading:SRM Chapter 6
11/06Class 10Lecture:Water and Basic Design
Studio:Assignment 04 due
Reading:SRM Chapter 7+8
11/13Class 11Lecture:Water Supply
Water Sources, Treatments, Conservation Strategies, Pipe Sizing
Studio:Desk Critique to review in-progress of Assignment 05
Reading:SRM Chapter 9
11/20Class 12Lecture:Liquid and Solid Waste
Principles of Drainage, Waste Piping Design, Treatment Systems
Studio:Desk Critique to review in-progress of Assignment 05
Reading:SRM Chapter 10+12
11/27Class 13Lecture:Bathroom Design
Studio:Assignment 05 due
Reading:SRM Chapter 11
12/04Make-Up Day
12/11REVIEW WEEK
12/18Class 14FINAL
NYIT School of Architecture and Design ARCH324 Environmental Systems 1