Course code BūvZ3011

Credit points 1.50

Effective Enclosing Constructions of Buildings

Total Hours in Course40

Number of hours for lectures8

Number of hours for seminars and practical classes8

Responsible UnitInstitute of Civil Engineering and Wood Processing

Course developer

author lect.

Sandris Liepiņš

Mg. sc. ing.

Prior knowledge

BūvZ2041, Building Physics

BūvZ2056, Building Materials I

BūvZ2061, Building Materials

Course abstract

Students gain knowledge about the creation of the building's enclosing structures from the load-bearing, insulation and finishing layers, depending on the basic functional rules of the building and economic considerations, taking into account modern possibilities and basic principles of building physics. Acquires ecological construction, its tasks and modern construction technology systems.

Learning outcomes and their assessment


• Knowledge of heat transfer processes, factors influencing them, temperature and humidity regimes of building envelopes. Test
• Skills to evaluate and calculate the thermal permeability, thermal inertia, humidity, air - transfer processes of building elements in specific cases and solutions. Test
• Competence on indicators affecting the energy efficiency of a building.Test

Course Content(Calendar)

1. Introductory lecture. Requirements for building envelopes, depending on the function of the building, the environment to be provided in the premises (1 hour lectures, practical classes)
2. Introductory lesson for course work development (1 hour lectures, practical classes)
3. Distribution of functions between the constituent layers of the enclosing structure. Applied materials (1 hour lectures, practical classes)
4. Building insulation issues. Construction types and construction materials of floors, external walls, floors (1 hour lectures, practical classes)
5. Evaluation of ecological issues in the creation of enclosing structures, their influence on the choice of materials to be used (1 hour lectures, practical classes)
6. Insulation and acoustic issues (1 hour lectures, practical classes)
7. Construction methods for energy conservation in enclosing structures. Thermal inertia (1 hour lectures, practical classes)
8. Structural solutions of floors, external walls, floors, cross thermal bridges and their calculation methods (1 hour lectures, practical classes)
9. Construction technologies for facilitating the construction of enclosing structures (1 hour lectures, practical classes)
10. Building insulation issues with natural, synthetic and mineral thermal insulation materials (product properties, advantages and disadvantages) (1 hour lectures, practical classes)
11. Materials and constructions for ensuring fire safety and sound insulation (1 hour lectures, practical classes)
12. Flat, sloping and ventilated roof constructions, ventilated attics, applied materials (1 hour lectures, practical classes)
13. Principles of enclosing structures and their creation for improvement of room impact, humidity regime. Room climate and air circulation in it (1 hour lectures, practical classes)
14. Floors and materials used in them, t-type thermal bridges, problems and thermal engineering calculation in the foundation part (1 hour lectures, practical classes)
15. Use of solid components for equalization of temperature differences. Calculation of temperature curve and amount of heat, time constant, calculation of water vapor balance in wall and ceiling constructions (1 hour lectures, practical classes)
16. Industry news. Defending and passing the final test paper (1 hour lectures, practical classes)

Requirements for awarding credit points

The individual worksheet, which the student defends in the assessment process, must be completed. The student proves with his / her 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 on the page for each type of calculation, 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 Law on Energy Efficiency of Buildings and regulatory enactments subordinate to these laws on the application of State Standards in relation to construction heat engineering, conducts studies of literature (books, periodicals and Internet resources).
The student individually develops a test paper, according to the content of the individual task sheet (worksheet).

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 course evaluation: participation in lectures and practical classes 10%; completed and defended practical task sheet (worksheet) 80%; control questions answered 10%.
Distribution of assessments according to the content of the individual task:
1. Graphically draw a drawing of the wall / ceiling / floor construction thermal bridge using the dimensions given in the variant (0.5 points)
2. Calculate the time constant (τ, [tau] 1) for the wall structure (0.5 points)
3. Calculate the time constant (τ, [tau] 2) for the structure of the ceiling or floor construction above the basement (0.5 points)
4. Dimension the ceiling / floor structure (No. (X)) to the condition tau1 = tau2 (0.5 points)
5. Calculate heat permeability U1 [W/(m2*K)] for external wall construction according to LBN 002-19 and LVS EN ISO 6946 (1.0 points)
6. Calculate the thermal transmittance U2 [W/(m2*K)] of the floor or floor above the basement structure according to LBN 002-19 and LVS EN ISO 6946 (1.0 points)
7. Perform thermal bridge calculation (Ψ [W/K]) in HEAT2 v.7.1 (or equivalent). In the case of the thermal bridge value Ψ> Ψm [LBN 002-19; W/(m*K)], to make a structural and strength improvement of the cross thermal bridge in accordance with the condition of stability, which eliminates the conditions of the thermal bridge with minimal investment. Calculate the value of the thermal bridge Ψ (2) [W/(m*K)] with the performed structural improvement, for which the condition Ψ (2) <Ψm [W/(m*K)] is fulfilled (1.0 points)
8. Calculate the water vapor condensation balance according to LVS EN ISO 13788 external wall construction (1) (gc1 kgH2O/m2 per month), compiling the temperature drop curve (1.1), partial pressure/Sd curve (1.2) and calculating the condensate amount gc1 ( 2.5 points)
9. Calculate the water vapor condensation balance according to LVS EN ISO 13788 floor or basement construction (2) (gc2 kgH2O/m2 per month), compiling the temperature drop curve (2.1), partial pressure/Sd curve (2.2) and calculating the condensate amount of gc2 (2.5 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 lpp.
4. Āboliņš J., Jurevics E. Siltums ražošanā un sadzīvē. Rīga: Zinātne, 1986. 123 lpp. - (Zinātne laikiem)
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 (piemēram, LVS EN ISO 6946, 10211, 13788).