Design Strategies for Energy Efficiency

3 units

High-performance, zero-energy buildings are an integral part of addressing climate change, pollution, social inequality, and other urgent contemporary issues due to the outsized impact the built environment has on global energy use. The course will allow students an opportunity to learn the technical skills required to design highly efficient buildings using energy modeling and simulations. The energy impact of the building's orientation, thermal envelope, fenestration, shading, air sealing, thermal bridging, thermal mass, ground contact, natural ventilation, and mechanical systems will be examined. Emphasis will be placed on cost, performance, sustainability, renewable energy, and the professional designer's role in efficient buildings. The course concludes with each student completing a cumulative project which encompasses a whole building approach to energy efficient design. Each of these projects will be specific to the individual student and focused on the energy efficiency design principles which relate to the type of building, occupancy, climate, and design aesthetics of the project. Students will need to exhibit mastery of the concepts and techniques used throughout the semester in order to synthesize the existing constraints with energy efficiency, sustainability, and design excellence.