Undergraduate Course: Technology and Environment 2A: Building Environment (ARCH08028)
Course Outline
| School | Edinburgh College of Art |
College | College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 8 (Year 2 Undergraduate) |
Availability | Not available to visiting students |
| SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
| Summary | Building on first year courses Technology and Environment: Principles and Architectural Design: Assembly, Technology and Environment 2A: Building Environment further develops students' understanding, analysis, and the integration of environmental design in architecture. The course will examine the roles of energy, light, heat, ventilation, and sound in building design. An emphasis is placed on design integration and applying theory to practice. The course will also introduce sustainable technologies, methods of environmental assessment, and building services strategies, and discuss their implications for design.
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| Course description |
This course focuses on passive environmental strategies, but introduces mechanical systems as a supplement. The course also examines the application of sustainable building practices, including qualitative and quantitative assessments of environmental performance. The course will cover a wide range of environmental design topics such as the following:
- Macro- and micro-climates
- Bioclimatic design principles
- Solar geometry, daylighting, and artificial lighting
- Passive heating and cooling strategies
- Wellbeing, comfort, and other occupant needs
- Thermal comfort and balances
- Natural and mechanical ventilation systems
- Building services, energy and water conservation
- Acoustic fundamentals
This course consists of two lectures (approximately 1.5 hour each) and one 2-hour tutorial per week. Small group tutorials will take place from week 2 onwards. Attendance at all lectures and tutorials is mandatory. Students are expected to review the course materials weekly on their own after each lecture and to read the assigned pages in the reading list. Students can expect live-polling and short activities during lectures; and group and one-on-one discussions with tutors during tutorials.
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Course Delivery Information
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| Academic year 2024/25, Not available to visiting students (SS1)
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Quota: 125 |
| Course Start |
Semester 1 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
200
(
Lecture Hours 33,
Seminar/Tutorial Hours 20,
External Visit Hours 3,
Formative Assessment Hours 5,
Summative Assessment Hours 2,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
133 )
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| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
0 %,
Coursework
100 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
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| Additional Information (Assessment) |
This course has 2 assessment components:
1. One project (16-18 pages): 75%, due in week 10
2. Five (5) reflective writing entries (each 300-500 words): each 5% x 5 = 25%, due weekly to fortnightly between weeks 2-11
Project: One (1) group-based project to be submitted digitally. For the project you will carry out a suite of environmental analyses of a design precedent building and adapt it to respond to the impacts of climate change. This component assesses your competency against LO2 and LO3.
Reflective writing entries: Five (5) weekly to fortnightly short reflective writing entries in response to news articles relating to the nexus of architecture, sustainability, and society at large; or to building visits. Each entry is to be completed individually and submitted digitally one or two weeks after the writing prompt is posted. All deadlines will be published prior to the start of the semester. This component assesses your competency against LO1. |
| Feedback |
Formative Feedback
Formative feedback on group-based coursework will be given verbally during weekly tutorials by group tutors. Students are expected to develop their projects incrementally based on the feedback on a weekly basis until submission. The incremental feedback cycle prevents stressful last-minute workload prior to submission.
Formative feedback for short quizzes will be given verbally during weekly lectures or tutorials. Feedback will direct students to the corresponding lecture and reading materials, which they need to master in order to successfully apply the concepts to their group-based projects.
Summative feedback
Marks for each of the individual-based reflective writing entries will be available via LEARN as per university regulations. Summative feedback for each entry will be given by the group tutors verbally during weekly tutorials. Short written feedback will also be given for the first two entries to help students improve on later entries.
Summative feedback and marks for the group-based coursework will be given in a written format as per university regulations by the group tutors. |
| No Exam Information |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Apply understanding of the theories and science behind interior and exterior environmental principles, human needs, building performance standards, and precepts of sustainable design.
- Effectively communicate the results of simple calculations using scientific formulae to support environmental analysis of buildings with respect to energy, heat, ventilation, light, and sound.
- Identify, test, and adapt the environmental strategy of a design project in response to the changing relationship between buildings, people, and the environment.
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Reading List
- CIBSE. Guide A: Environmental Design. 8th Edition. London: Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE) 2015
- Kimpian, Judit, Sofie Pelsmakers, and Hattie Hartman. Energy, People, Buildings: Making Sustainable Architecture Work. Routledge, 2021.
- Szokolay, Steven. Introduction to architectural science: the basis of sustainable design. Third Edition. London: Routledge, 2014. |
Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Research and enquiry:
Students will develop their numeracy proficiency and confidence to assess the environmental performance of buildings. Precedent-based project assignments will provide opportunities for students to develop their analytical and problem solving skills, and to practice handling complexity and ambiguity. Reflective writing assignments will hone students¿ critical thinking skills and ability to apply their knowledge beyond the course to other areas of architecture.
Personal and intellectual autonomy:
Lecture topics will encourage students to recognise and address ethical dilemmas and social responsibilities on issues pertaining to sustainability especially in architecture and the building sector.
Personal Effectiveness:
Through group-based projects, students will learn to work effectively within team environments and with
people from a range of cultures and backgrounds.
Communication:
All assignments will develop students¿ ability to produce clear, structured written work. The project assignment will additionally develop students¿ ability to leverage a range of graphical methods and techniques to clearly communicate results of environmental analyses. Presentations of the project assignment will also develop students¿ verbal communication and presenting skills. |
| Special Arrangements |
Pre-requisite for T&E2A is Technology and Environment: Principles ARCH08002. |
| Additional Class Delivery Information |
22 lectures (2 per week) and 10 group tutorials (1 per week from week 2 to week 11). |
| Keywords | environmental design,passive strategies,energy conservation,occupant comfort,building services |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr W. Victoria Lee
Tel: (0131 6)50 9450
Email: w.victoria.lee@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Mr David Currie
Tel:
Email: dcurrie5@ed.ac.uk |
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