Some of the Course Distinguishing Features

Multi-disciplinary team and individual large scale Urban, landscape and Building Design and Construction projects, in which students use Google Earth to search for and select their project sites in specified climatic zones. In the process students, carryout detailed site echo/climatic/environmental and topographical analyses, using data from Google Earth and available meteorological data and records from NASA TERRA/MODIS satellite imaging. Students often select sites in their hometowns/countries.

Design decisions are based on scientific evidence produced by simulations using advanced engineering software tools.  Scientifically verified design decisions, are applied at all stages of the design process, from site planning to landscape design to urban and detailed building design and construction. Students will learn and use powerful software packages, taught in the course (CFD-Ansys and EneryPlus with SketchUp and EuClid) to test and optimize their planning, design, and construction ideas.  

Students will also use other software tools, specifically developed for this course. An example of such tools is WINCOM, which is used to calculate Human Outdoor Thermal Sensation Index, (TSI). WINCOM was developed based on published research.  

Integration of renewable energy, energy efficient technologies and passive and bio-climatic design strategies in large scale Urban and Building Design and Construction projects.

In their projects, students use course knowledge about world modern and vernacular architecture and its environmentally adaptive design and construction solutions. Many of these world examples of climatically adaptive buildings have been the subject of widely published research. This helps students to produce design ideas adaptive to local climate and local architectural style.