CEM221-Energy in Buildings

Module Provider: School of Construction Management and Engineering, School of Built Environment
Number of credits: 10 [5 ECTS credits]
Level:7
Terms in which taught: Spring term module
Pre-requisites:
Non-modular pre-requisites:
Co-requisites:
Modules excluded:
Current from: 2022/3

Module Convenor: Dr Mehdi Shahrestani
Email: m.shahrestani@reading.ac.uk

Type of module:

Summary module description:
Buildings account for more than 40% of total energy consumption in most countries. Considering this significant energy consumption, this module will provide an overview of the energy policies, demand and supply load profiles in buildings and also will address the main approaches to assess and improve the energy performance of buildings. In addition, sustainable and renewable energy generation technologies applicable to buildings will be introduced and the potential capability of these technologies to mitigate the building energy related CO2 emissions will be discussed. Moreover, this module will address the building energy systems and the concept of heat transfer together with detailed analysis of the heating, cooling and ventilation processes.

Aims:
The aim of this module is to provide a broad understanding of the extent of energy consumption in buildings and to introduce the concept of building energy performance assessment. The students will also develop an understanding and skills required to critically analyse different approach toward reducing energy consumption and energy related CO2 emissions in buildings.

Assessable learning outcomes:

• Understand policies and socio-technical issues relating to building energy efficiency,


• Understand energy demand and load profiles in buildings


• Describe and compare the main categories of Heating, Ventilation, Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration (HVAC&R) systems,


• Analyse the heating, cooling and ventilation processes in HVAC&R systems,


• Analyse the potential benefits and drawbacks of sustainable technologies including heat pump and combined heat and power systems compared to other alternatives,


• Understand the concept of heat transfer in buildings,


• Analyse the heat transfer through the building fabric,


• Describe the need for buildings performance assessments,


• Implement the concept of weather adjustment for buildings energy performance assessment,


• Identify sustainable energy systems that are suitable for use in buildings


• Propose solutions to design buildings with both low energy consumption and low CO2 emissions

Additional outcomes:
Numerical calculation skills

Outline content:

• Renewable and sustainable energy generation


• Introduction to energy in Buildings


• Solar energy systems


• Combined Heat and Power (CHP) in buildings


• Energy policy and demand and storage


• Domestic energy demand and supply load profile


• Energy policy and social issues


• Heat transfer theory and building energy systems


• Theory of heat transfer


• Heating ventilation and air conditioning systems


• Heat pump systems


• Sustainable materials and buildings energy performance assessment


• Sustainable materials in building design


• Building energy performance assessment

Brief description of teaching and learning methods:
Lectures and seminars

Contact hours:

	Autumn	Spring	Summer
Lectures		18
Seminars		4
Tutorials		2
External visits		6
Guided independent study:		70
Total hours by term	0	100	0
Total hours for module	100

Summative Assessment Methods:

Method	Percentage
Written exam	100

Summative assessment- Examinations:

2-hour examination 

Summative assessment- Coursework and in-class tests:

Formative assessment methods:

Penalties for late submission:

The below information applies to students on taught programmes except those on Postgraduate Flexible programmes. Penalties for late submission, and the associated procedures, which apply to Postgraduate Flexible programmes are specified in the policy £Penalties for late submission for Postgraduate Flexible programmes£, which can be found here: https://www.reading.ac.uk/cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/cqsd-old-site-documents/penaltiesforlatesubmissionpgflexible.pdf
The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

• where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each working day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of five working days;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than five working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: https://www.reading.ac.uk/cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/cqsd-old-site-documents/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf
You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Assessment requirements for a pass:
A mark of 50% overall

Reassessment arrangements:
To be reassessed by re examination /assignment only. You are required to contact the School to confirm reassessment arrangements.

Additional Costs (specified where applicable):

1) Required text books:  None

2) Specialist equipment or materials:  None

3) Specialist clothing, footwear or headgear:  None

4) Printing and binding:  None

5) Computers and devices with a particular specification:  None

6) Travel, accommodation and subsistence:  None

Last updated: 22 September 2022