Energy and comfort in buildings

Summary

The course presents the fundamentals of energy demand in buildings while emphasizing the need for the comfort and well-being of occupants. In addition, prioritizations and trade-offs between energy and comfort are discussed.

Content

Keywords

Energy demand; human comfort; indoor environmental quality; building envelope, building simulation

Learning Prerequisites

Recommended courses

• Elementary building physics
• General physics: thermodynamics PHYS-106
• Fundamentals of indoor climate CIVIL-212
• Urban thermodynamics CIVIL-309

Important concepts to start the course

• Heat transfer, psychometrics
• Human comfort and indoor climate

Learning Outcomes

By the end of the course, the student must be able to:

• Estimate heat flows and energy demand in buildings
• Assess / Evaluate interactions between comfort needs of occupants, building envelope and HVAC systems
• Interpret indoor environmental quality standards
• Use building energy simulation software to assess energy and comfort performance of buildings

Transversal skills

• Plan and carry out activities in a way which makes optimal use of available time and other resources.
• Access and evaluate appropriate sources of information.
• Demonstrate the capacity for critical thinking
• Take feedback (critique) and respond in an appropriate manner.
• Communicate effectively, being understood, including across different languages and cultures.
• Make an oral presentation.

Teaching methods

Lecture presentations, group discussions, exercises, course project

Expected student activities

To actively participate in lectures, class discussions, and group projects

Assessment methods

2 x written tests on the course material: 30%+30%

1 x course project: 40%

Supervision

Resources

Virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI)

No

Bibliography

• Lecture notes (primary source)
• Edward Allen. How Buildings Work: The natural Order of Architecture, 3rd ed.
• ASHRAE Handbook of Fundamentals, 2018
• Different building standards such as ISO 17772, ISO 6946, ASHRAE 55, ASHRAE 62.1, SIA 380/1, SIA 2024.
• Peer-reviewed papers and websites (will be provided throughout the semester)

• How Buildings Work / Allen
• ASHRAE Handbook : Fundamentals (2021)
• ASHRAE 55
• ISO 6946, ISO 17772 (normes ISO en ligne)
• SIA 380/1 (normes SIA en ligne)
• SIA Cahier technique 2024
• ASHRAE 62.1

Ressources en bibliothèque

• ISO standards , online acces (restricted EPFL Members)
• Find the references at the Library
• SIA standards available online (restricted EPFL members)

Moodle Link

• https://go.epfl.ch/CIVIL-407

Prerequisite for

• Thermodynamics of comfort in buildings CIVIL-450
• Indoor air quality and ventilation CIVIL-460