Module manager: Dr Douglas Booker
Email: D.D.Booker@leeds.ac.uk
Taught: Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) View Timetable
Year running 2025/26
The standard qualifications (or equivalent) set by the School of Civil Engineering for entry to any of its JBM accredited UG programmes.
This module is not approved as a discovery module
This module introduces students to the fundamental principles of building physics in the three main aspects including thermal, acoustics and lighting. Development of understanding these principles is set in the context of understanding human environmental demands and the relationships to climatic conditions and the design constraints imposed by minimizing carbon emissions. Students’ development of understanding of these fundamental principles enables them to both define and interpret design objectives in terms of thermal, air quality, visual and acoustic environments as well as the broader sustainability constraints.
The module aims to develop good understanding of the fundamental principles and basic competence in making essential design calculations with respect to heat losses, artificial and daylight levels, heating energy demands and acoustic conditions.
The objectives of this module are:
1- To appreciate the need for the thermal environment within buildings and evaluate the energy performance.
2- To identify the heat transfer mechanisms, understand the effect of the properties of building materials on heat transfer, and evaluate steady-state heat loss in practical problems.
3- To appreciate the need for ventilation, explain the strategies for ventilation and apply dilution theory.
4- To identify relevant properties of moist air and use them to evaluate the potential of condensation in context.
5- To understand the basic concept of sound and its propagation, undertake calculations of sound intensity, and evaluate the methods available for noise control.
6- Understand the meaning of absorption, transmission and reverberation, and appreciate their relevance in room acoustics, and undertake relevant calculations.
7- Understand the photometric environment in buildings and appreciate the need for integration with artificial light and their implementation according to requirements.
8- Carry out calculations for artificial lighting using simple design methods, and daylighting using sky components, and understand their integration.
On successful completion of the module students will have demonstrated the following learning outcomes relevant to the subject (contributing to the AHEP4 learning outcomes in brackets and ARB competences in square brackets):
1- Understand and apply an integrated or systems approach to the solution of building physics problems (M6) [CK6 part] including strategies for services, ventilation, thermal environment and lighting and acoustics that are appropriate to a project’s brief and context [D5 part];
2- Understand and evaluate aspects of the environmental and societal impact of solutions to building physics problems and minimise adverse impacts (M7) including principles of climate change and biodiversity as relevant to design and construction [CK4];
3- Use practical laboratory and workshop skills to investigate complex problems (M12);
4- Gain the knowledge to select and apply appropriate materials, equipment, engineering technologies and processes relevant to building physics, recognising their limitations (M13).
Skills Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the module, students will have demonstrated the following skills:
a- Technical and analytical skills
b- Problem solving skills
Topics studied include:
1) HEAT TRANSFER: Thermal comfort, elementary heat transfer, steady state heat transfer in buildings, ventilation, psychometrics, condensation causes and mitigation.
2) ACOUSTICS: Units and definitions, basic laws, nature of waves, measurement of sound, absorption, reverberation time & room acoustics, sound transmission, traffic noise, noise control.
3) LIGHTING: Units and definitions, basic laws, daylighting, daylight factors and prediction, effects of fenestration, artificial illumination, simple design methods.
4) ENERGY: Drivers for energy efficiency, carbon emission, degree day method, insulation and building fabric.
Methods of assessment
The assessment details for this module will be provided at the start of the academic year
| Delivery type | Number | Length hours | Student hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lectures | 20 | 1 | 20 |
| Practical | 1 | 3 | 3 |
| Seminar | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| Seminar | 5 | 1 | 5 |
| Private study hours | 70 | ||
| Total Contact hours | 30 | ||
| Total hours (100hr per 10 credits) | 100 | ||
Consultations and tutorials scheduled to cover topics discussed in lectures, and further practice using self-study questions. In-class quizzes to be completed in scheduled sessions, following individual topics.
The reading list is available from the Library website
Last updated: 30/04/2025
Errors, omissions, failed links etc should be notified to the Catalogue Team