Module overview
This module gives an overview of the policy issues, various planning aids and assessment methods available to quantify energy efficiency and sustainability in buildings. Students will be able to use different tools to investigate building energy performance of existing buildings and new building designs as well as to critically assess the results given by the various rating systems. The focus is to create awareness of appropriate forms of energy performance assessment for a given task in order to improve energy efficiency of the UK building stock.
Aims and Objectives
Learning Outcomes
Knowledge and Understanding
Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:
- The policies, economic and societal issues influencing energy performance assessment of buildings. [EL11M, EL12M]
- Understanding Part L and its impact on building energy performance. [EL12M]
- SBEM and the Code for Sustainable Homes, Passivhaus (newbuild and EnerPHit). [EL11M, EL12M, P12m, P9m]
- The functionality of building performance simulation tools such as TRNSYS. [EA6M, D9M, D10M]
- Producing design recommendations for buildings to deliver energy efficiency improvements. [SM7M, SM8M, EA5M, D9M, P12M, P9m]
- Kingdom for domestic and commercial buildings. This includes: BREEAM, EPC, DEC, SAP. [EL11M, EL12M, P9m]
- Undertaking Target Emission Rate (TER) calculations using SAP/SBEM for simple buildings. [SM7M, SM9M]
- The energy and sustainability assessment methods and certificates used in the United
Subject Specific Practical Skills
Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:
- Use SAP/SBEM tools available for building performance assessment. [SM9M, EA6M, EA5M, D9M, D10M, EL11M, EL12M, P12M, P9m]
- Construct a basic TRNSYS simulation model or SAP simulation model. [EA6M, EA7M]
- Conduct a simple walk through energy performance assessment of a building. [EA5M, EA7M, EL13M, G1]
Subject Specific Intellectual and Research Skills
Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:
- Develop ideas for improving the energy performance of existing buildings. [SM7M, SM8M, SM9M, EA5M, EL12M, EL13M, P12M, P9m]
- Link energy policy targets to energy efficiency requirements in buildings. [EL8M, EL11M, EL12M]
- Conduct a simple SAP/SBEM assessment. [SM7M, SM8M, SM9M, EA6M, EA5M, EA7M, D9M, D10M, EL8M, EL9M, EL11M, EL12M, EL13M, P12M, P9m, P10m, G1]
- Analyse and critically assess the energy and comfort performance of buildings. [SM7M, SM8M, SM9M, EL13M]
Transferable and Generic Skills
Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:
- Produce a concise technical report. [G1]
- Problem solving. [EA6M, EA5M, EA7M, D9M, D10M]
- Use assessment methods to support decisions. [EA6M, D10M, EL13M, P9m, P10m]
- Make appropriate decisions based on judgement. [EA5M, D9M, EL13M]
Syllabus
The module links legislation with the technical understanding required to demonstrate the compliance of a building design approach. It comprises the following:
1. An overview of the following regulations and assessment tools: BREEAM (BRE Environmental Assessment Method), EPBD (EU Directive on the Energy Performance of Buildings), Part L of the
Building Regulations, EPC (Energy Performance Certificates), DEC (Display Energy Certificates), SAP (Standard Assessment Procedure), SBEM (Simplified Building Energy Model), Code for
Sustainable Homes, SPEAR (Arup). Pure energy rating systems such as SBEM and SAP will be bridged to more broad sustainability based rating systems such as BREEAM. The students will be given an overview of each tool but the focus will be on building regulation compliance assessment using SBEM, Energy Performance Certificates, Display Energy Certificates (for public buildings) and the Code for Sustainable Homes (for domestic buildings).
2. Building physics, including heating energy requirement calculations for simple buildings using the traditional elemental methods.
3. Valuing of microgeneration / low and zero carbon technologies in carbon calculations (photovoltaics, solar thermal, microwind, ground source and air source heat pumps, micro-CHP, biomass boilers and heating systems). Calculating carbon payback times of low carbon technologies.
4. EPC and DEC certificates – the difference between ‘design’ and ‘in operation’ energy performance.
5. Measuring energy performance in walk through surveys and long-term data monitoring.
6. Understanding human comfort and user behaviour.
7. Dynamic computer simulation. Basic principles of dynamic simulation and introduction to software simulation packages.
Learning and Teaching
Teaching and learning methods
The course will comprise lectures and computer classes on the use of the SAP (NHER Plan
Assessor), iSBEM and TRNSYS software tools to model simple case study buildings.
Type | Hours |
---|---|
Revision | 32 |
Wider reading or practice | 50 |
Lecture | 36 |
Supervised time in studio/workshop | 12 |
Completion of assessment task | 20 |
Total study time | 150 |
Resources & Reading list
Internet Resources
Assessment
Summative
This is how we’ll formally assess what you have learned in this module.
Method | Percentage contribution |
---|---|
Continuous Assessment | 40% |
Final Assessment | 60% |
Referral
This is how we’ll assess you if you don’t meet the criteria to pass this module.
Method | Percentage contribution |
---|---|
Set Task | 100% |
Repeat
An internal repeat is where you take all of your modules again, including any you passed. An external repeat is where you only re-take the modules you failed.
Method | Percentage contribution |
---|---|
Set Task | 100% |
Repeat Information
Repeat type: Internal & External