3 credits
Fall 2026 Lecture Upper Division
This course discusses the basic thermal processes in buildings and presents comprehensive methods for thermal design of envelope assemblies in commercial and residential buildings. The first part of the course includes steady-state transient conduction through envelope assemblies, convection and radiation heat transfer in buildings, solar radiation and solar gains, thermal performance of windows, internal gains, ventilation and infiltration. The second part of the course considers surface and room energy balance equations and presents analytical and computational models for calculation of hourly heating and cooling loads throughout the year. Climate-based standards, passive solar design, advanced energy guides, and innovative technologies for high performance buildings are discussed. The course also includes a design project on analytical heating/cooling load calculations for a commercial building.
Learning Outcomes1Calculate heat transfer through envelope assemblies for commercial and residential buildings.
2Solve energy balance equations for building surfaces and room air.
3Calculate solar and internal gains and predict transient hourly heating and cooling loads for a building throughout the year using analytical and computational models.
4Design building envelopes according to national standards.
5Understand principles of passive solar design and the application of innovative envelope technologies.
Prerequisites
Restrictions
made by Purdue students.