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Building Physics

Course developer

Prior knowledge

BūvZ2047, Building Materials

Fizi2009, Physics

Course abstract

Students will gain knowledge about the thermal engineering - temperature and humidity conditions, acoustics, sound insulation and lighting in the building envelope.
Students should learn the basic principles of designing enclosing structures, be able to analyze the heat and moisture processes of structures.

Learning outcomes and their assessment

After completing the course student will have:
• knowledge of the heat transfer processes and their effects as well as temperature and humidity conditions in building envelope.
• skills to calculate energy transfer and water vapor condensation risk of the building elements.
• competence on building energy performance key influencing factors.
• evaluation in accordance with the criteria for the performance of practical work.

Course Content(Calendar)

1. Introductory lecture. Description of the study course, acquisition calendar plan and requirements for its implementation. (1 hour lecture and practical lesson)
2. Basics of thermodynamics: heat conduction, convection, diffusion, radiation, humidity in enclosing structures, and air tightness. Influencing factors. (1 hour lecture and practical lesson)
3. Water vapor, basics of heat transfer theory. (1 hour lecture and practical lesson)
4. Calculation of water vapor parameters with Mollier diagram. (1 hour lecture and practical lesson)
5. Thermotechnical properties of building materials. Thermal conductivity and thermal resistance. (1 hour lecture and practical lesson)
6. Thermal engineering of building structures, calculation of heat transfer values of building enclosing structures (boundary constructions - exterior walls, floors, floors on the ground, basements, windows and doors). Procedures and standards. (1 hour lecture and practical lesson)
7. Thermotechnical calculation of thermally inhomogeneous structures. (1 hour lecture and practical lesson)
8. Thermal bridges of enclosing structures, their thermal calculation. (1 hour lecture and practical lesson)
9. Regulatory requirements, calculation methodologies and software. (1 hour lecture and practical lesson)
10. Heat resistance of enclosing structures, time constant, calculations, characteristic indicators. (1 hour lecture and practical lesson)
11. Moisture regime of building structures; calculation of humidity regime of building structures. (1 hour lecture and practical lesson)
12. Air permeability, air tightness of the building, regulatory requirements, detection possibilities in the object. (1 hour lecture and practical lesson)
13. Measurements of thermal bridges on the site. (1 hour lecture and practical lesson)
14. Sound and noise insulation solutions. Principles of thermal engineering, load-bearing capacity of structures, insulation, acoustics, fire safety. (1 hour lecture and practical lesson)
15. Energy efficient lighting solutions. Natural and artificial lighting. Insolation. (1 hour lecture and practical lesson)
16. Calculation of building energy efficiency indicators. Introduction to simplified calculation of energy efficiency indicators. Industry news (1 hour lecture and practical lesson)

Requirements for awarding credit points

Practical worksheets that the student defends in the assessment process must be completed. The student proves with answers about the course of the performed calculations and the obtained results that he/she has acquired the amount of knowledge and skills provided for in the discipline, which is characterized by 10 points. When counting the number of points obtained in ten task sheets, at least 4 (four) points are required to pass the course.

Description of the organization and tasks of students’ independent work

The student independently gets acquainted with the Latvian Construction Law, the Law on Energy Efficiency of Buildings and the regulatory enactments subordinate to these laws on the application of State standards in relation to construction heat engineering, studies literature (books, periodicals and Internet resources).

Criteria for Evaluating Learning Outcomes

The student is able to prove the knowledge gained in lectures, practical work and independent work by answering control questions. Distribution of evaluation to pass the course: participation in lectures and practical classes 10%; completed on the defended practical task sheet 80%; control questions answered 10%.
Distribution of thematic evaluations:
1) Basics of thermodynamics: heat conduction, convection, diffusion, radiation, humidity in building structures, and air tightness. Influencing factors (1.0 points)
2) Symbols used in building physics, units of measurement, pressure calculation in Newtons, calculation of water vapor resistance coefficient, calculation of energy content for water and air heating (0.5 points)
3) Building materials. Indoor temperatures. Thermal calculation norms and building standards (0.5 points)
4) Calculation of heat transfer for external wall construction according to LBN 002-19 and LVS EN ISO 6946 (0.5 points)
5) Calculation of heat transfer for composite, inhomogeneous external wall or floor construction according to LBN 002-19 and LVS EN ISO 6946 (1.0 points)
6) Calculation of heat transfer for floor construction on the ground according to LBN 002-19 and LVS EN ISO 13370 (0.5 points)
7) Compilation of the temperature drop curve in the building structure, calculation of the time constant (τ) (1.0 points)
8) Calculation of thermal bridge according to ISO 10211 (1.0 points)
9) Calculation of water vapor condensation balance according to LVS EN ISO 13788 (2.5 points)
10) Calculation of energy efficiency indicators of an individual variant residential house (1.5 points)

Compulsory reading

1. Akmens P., Krēsliņš A. Ēku apkure un ventilācija. 2.daļa, Rīga: Zvaigzne ABC, 1995. 155 lpp.
2. Borodiņecs A., Krēsliņš A. Būvniecības siltumfizika ēku projektētājiem. Rīga: RTU izdevniecība, 2007. 131 lpp.

Further reading

1. LBN 002-19 "Ēku norobežojošo konstrukciju siltumtehnika". Noteikumi par Latvijas būvnormatīvu LBN 002-19 “Ēku norobežojošo konstrukciju siltumtehnika” [tiešsaiste]: MK noteikumi Nr.495. Pieņemti: 25.06.2019. Stājas spēkā 01.01.2020. [Skatīts 08.03.2021.]. Pieejams: https://likumi.lv/ta/id/307966
2. Akmens P., Krēsliņš A. Ēku apkure un ventilācija. 1.daļa. Rīga: Zvaigzne ABC, 1995. 168 lpp.
3. Hagentoft C.E. Introduction to building physics, Studentlitteratur. Lund, 2001. 444 p.
4. Āboliņš J., Jurevics E. Siltums ražošanā un sadzīvē. Rīga: Zinātne, 1986. 123 lpp.
5. Тихомиров K. B. Теплотехника, теплогазоснабжение и вентиляция: учебник по специальности "Промышленное и гражданское строительство". 3-е изд., перераб. и доп. Москва: Стройиздат, 1981. 272 с.

Periodicals and other sources

Latvijas Būvniecība: ceļvedis būvniecības nozares virzītājiem. Rīga: Lilita. ISSN 1691-4058.
Būvniecības likums, Ēku energoefektivitātes likums, tiem pakārtotie normatīvie akti un starptautiskie standarti

Notes

Compulsory Course for the First level professional higher educational programme “Civil Engineering”