Environmental Building Systems

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2013:

120 Hours

For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Student Support and Engagement Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Overview, Learning Outcomes, Assessment and Generic Skills sections of this entry.

It is University policy to take all reasonable steps to minimise the impact of disability upon academic study, and reasonable adjustments will be made to enhance a student's participation in the University's programs. Students who feel their disability may impact on meeting the requirements of this subject are encouraged to discuss this matter with a Faculty Student Adviser and Student Equity and Disability Support: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/disability

This subject covers key elements of building services and sustainability at a residential and commercial scale. The subject aims to teach the basic terminology and concepts behind providing comfortable and effectively functioning buildings in terms of sun, envelope, services (water, waste, gas, electricity, data, fire protection), heating and cooling, air quality, acoustics and vertical transport. Using the sustainability tools being used in the industry (FirstRate, Accurate, NABERS and Green Star) students will be given a framework in which to understand how buildings perform and their impact on the environment. They will also be introduced to modelling software that will enable them to carry out performance analysis of initial designs.

On completion of this subject students will be able to:

• understand the terminology, principles and techniques of environmental control systems at both small and medium scale;
• integrate environmental controls into architectural designs in a sustainable manner.

• Submission and presentation of written and/or graphic material to the equivalent of 3000 words (60%);
• A 2-hour examination (40%).

Regardless of assignment results, a minimum of 40% must be achieved in the examination in order to pass the subject.

Course reader

Drake, Scott. The Third Skin, UNSW Press, 2007.

This subject potentially can be taken as a breadth subject component for the following courses:

• Bachelor of Arts
• Bachelor of Biomedicine
• Bachelor of Commerce
• Bachelor of Music
• Bachelor of Science
• Bachelor of Engineering

You should visit learn more about breadth subjects and read the breadth requirements for your degree, and should discuss your choice with your student adviser, before deciding on your subjects.

The following skills should be obtained upon completion of the subject:

• written, verbal and graphic presentation of ideas;
• critical thinking and analysis;
• evaluation of existing knowledge;
• appropriate use of design terminology;
• application of generic theories to specific examples.