433 - Breakthrough Energy Efficiency and Net Zero Buildings
Core/Elective: Core
Credits: 0.5
Quarter Taught: Spring
Synopsis:
This course dives into the opportunity to accelerate development in the built environment and to set a pathway to net zero buildings. The class will build on foundational energy efficiency courses and establish a perspective on more advanced and accelerated growth of zero carbon solutions in the buildings sector.
Course Objectives:
- Understand the concept of sustainable buildings and how they relate to the UN SDGs
- Ability to explain passive design and net zero buildings as energy-efficient solutions
- Describe the passive buildings design strategies, to use renewable energy sources such as the sun, wind and geothermal, to provide natural heating, cooling, ventilation and lighting for indoor environments.
- Identify net zero energy building systems and applications, to convert (on-site/off-site) renewable energies into electrical and thermal energy.
- Build exposure to emerging standards such as Passive House Institute US (PHIUS) and Net Zero Energy Building (NZEB) certification programs
- Review the future of energy efficiency considering:
- Conventional vs. integrative design
- Passive thermal comfort in cold, hot, and humid climates
- Lighting
- Water heating
- Appliances and other loads
- Discussion of practical considerations:
- Design, construction, commissioning, improvement, and adaptation
- Real-estate implications