This class will introduce – with lecture, slides, demonstrations, and discussion – the principles of heat loss and heat gain in building envelopes, the characteristics of insulation materials and insulation systems, and explore a variety of energy-efficient design details and their effects on the living environment, including super-insulation options. You will learn to perform a heat-loss analysis on a wall section and an entire house plan and calculate the solar and internal gains from passive strategies. We will consider the embodied energy of building materials as well as their contribution to future energy savings, health effects of materials and design, the importance of ventilation both inside and outside the thermal envelope, and the efficient use of natural resources in building design and construction. If you’re working on a design project, feel free to share it with the class and enjoy the benefit of feedback from both students and instructor. All Levels.

14 Learning Units

Certificate in Sustainable Building and Design