Module: Building Physics & Systems

Latest Module Specifications

Current Academic Year 2025 - 2026

Module Title	Building Physics & Systems
Module Code	MEC1037 (ITS: MM419)
Faculty	Mechanical & Manufacturing Eng	School	Engineering & Computing
NFQ level	8	Credit Rating	7.5

Description

The building sector is responsible for approximately 40% of total energy consumption in European countries, offering significant opportunities for improved energy and sustainability performance. Therefore, building renovation measures have been widely used as a cost-effective approach to reducing building energy consumption and greenhouse emissions. It is important however that the potential impact of energy efficiency be studied holistically, taking into account other metrics of life quality such as indoor environmental quality, thermal comfort, health and the general well-being of occupants. Therefore, sustainable buildings should be energy efficient, thermally comfortable, healthy, and suit the purpose for which they were designed. This module focuses on the principles and applications of building physics and energy systems that support designing and modelling these sustainable buildings. The main objectives are to provide students with the knowledge, methods and tools to understand the need for suitable indoor environmental conditions, while mitigating the impact of the built environment on the natural environment.

Learning Outcomes

1. Analyse the role of different disciplines (architect, structural engineer, HVAC engineer, electrical engineer etc.) involved in design, construction and operation of buildings
2. Examine the physical principles and components involved in the building energy performance.
3. Apply principles of fluid dynamics, heat transfer, psychometrics, and thermodynamics in analysing building energy systems
4. Identify factors involved in Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) including thermal comfort and air quality
5. Perform an energy modelling analysis in a building to assess opportunities for efficiency improvement

*Type*	*Hours*	*Description*
Workload	Full time hours per semester
Lecture	24	2 hours lecture per week
Laboratory	12	Tutorial/computer lab sessions 1 hour per week
Fieldwork	45	Assignment completion
Independent Study	106	No Description
Total Workload: 187

Section Breakdown
CRN	10239	Part of Term	Semester 1
Coursework	0%	Examination Weight	0%
Grade Scale	40PASS	Pass Both Elements	Y
Resit Category	RC1	Best Mark	N
Module Co-ordinator	Reihaneh Aghamolaei	Module Teacher

Type	Description	% of total	Assessment Date
Assessment Breakdown
Assignment	Create an energy model of a buildign, run relevant simulations to calculate the current energy performance and carbon emission, suggest relevant retrofit actions to improve the performance of a typical Irish house, and finally report on findings and recommendations.	50%	n/a
Formal Examination	n/a	50%	End-of-Semester

Reassessment Requirement Type
Resit arrangements are explained by the following categories; RC1: A resit is available for both^* components of the module. RC2: No resit is available for a 100% coursework module. RC3: No resit is available for the coursework component where there is a coursework and summative examination element. ^* ‘Both’ is used in the context of the module having a coursework/summative examination split; where the module is 100% coursework, there will also be a resit of the assessment

Pre-requisite	None
Co-requisite	None
Compatibles	None
Incompatibles	None

All module information is indicative and subject to change. For further information,students are advised to refer to the University's Marks and Standards and Programme Specific Regulations at: http://www.dcu.ie/registry/examinations/index.shtml

Indicative Content and Learning Activities

Sustainability and energy efficiency in buildings: principles, standards, rating schemes
Energy in Buildings Directive, nZEB, Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM), Building Energy Rating (BER)

Physical aspects, processes and services
Heat and mass transfer in buildings; Materials; Psychometric analysis, Indoor air quality; Lighting; Heating, Ventilation, and Air conditioning systems (HVAC); Heat transfer in construction elements, Thermal bridge, Thermal mass, Thermal balance

Holistic building performance modelling
Computational building modelling and performance simulation including Energy simulation, heat loss analysis, CO2 emission, heating and cooling load calculations

Indicative Reading List

Books:

Ljubomir Jankovic: 0, Designing Zero Carbon Buildings Using Dynamic Simulation Methods, 3rd, Routledge, 9781138658318
SaÅ¡o Medved: 0, Sustainable Technologies for Nearly Zero Energy Buildings, 1st, Springer, 9783030028
Steven Szokolay: 0, Introduction to Architectural Science: The Basis of Sustainable Design, Routledge, 9780415824989

Articles:
None

Other Resources

None