University at Buffalo (SUNY) – School of Architecture
ARC 241/541
Introduction to Building Technology
FALL 2013
MEETING TIME: 11:30AM – 12:40PM M/F
LOCATION: Wende 114
CREDIT S / GRADING: 3 credits / ABCD (with +/-) and F
COURSE FORMAT: Lecture, discussion, in class exercises and homework projects.
PRE-REQUISITES: MTH 121 Or MTH 131 a nd Architecture ma jor/minor only
Cl a s s #: 12070
INSTRUCTOR: Laura Garófalo: l bg2@buffalo.edu
Offi ce Hours: M 10 a m-11 a m and by a ppointment
Loca ti on: Hayes Annex C Room 01
TA’s: Wayne Fung: wfung3@buffalo.edu Office Hours: Tuesdays 7pm-8pm
Sara Mirzarasoolzadeh: s a ra mirz@buffalo.edu Office Hours: Tuesdays 3a m-4pm
William Pople: wepople@buffalo.edu Offi ce Hours: Wednesdays 10a m-11 a m
Loca ti on: Hayes Annex C Room 01 (Pl ease do not s eek the TA’s out in their s tudios unless they s chedule a meeting with you there.)
UBlearns: ARC241LEC000: Intro to Building Tech
Syl l a bus , l ecture PDF’s , rea di ngs , voca bul a ry l i s ts , tutori a l s , a nd a s s i gnment wi l l be i n the UB l ea rns cours e webs i te.
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
Thi s course offers a n introduction of building technologies and techniques. This course is i ntroductory, broad, and gea red towa rd des i gners .
The emphasis of the course is on general principles and their bearing on architectural design, ra ther than on s peci fi c techni ca l i nforma ti on.
Its focus is the interrelationship between environment and building: between natural s ystems a nd a rchitecture. The concept of the
envi ronment as a cultural product and a dynamic process will be addressed in relation to i ts ramification on architecture. A ra nge of issues
bea ring on a rchitectural design will be i ntroduced, s pecifically site design, ecological and sustainability issues, passive a nd a ctive building
s ys tems, materials a nd a ssemblies. Ways of observing, understanding, and ultimately i ntegrating i nto building technology a nd techniques the
envi ronmental forces - fi re, earth, water, a nd air - wi ll be presented. How a building may be inspired and i nformed by these forces and by
rel a ted patterns of settlement will be s tudied. Ecological design concepts will be presented.
PEDAGOCICAL OBJECTIVES:
•
To i ntroduce a n unders ta ndi ng the rel a ti ons hi p between envi ronmenta l forces a nd a rchi tecture.
•
To i ntroduce pri nci pl es of s i te des i gn res pons i ve to na tura l a nd ma nma de condi ti ons s uch a s topogra phy a nd cl i ma te.
•
To understand assessment, s election, and integration of envi ronmenta l a nd cons tructi on s ys tems , a nd bui l di ng ma teri a l s a nd
a s s embl i es a s they rel a te to des i gn deci s i on-ma ki ng a nd bui l t form.
•
To provoke alert, thoughtful, and inspired attention to natural forces, s ite ecology, a nd building technology i n the design of buildings.
NAAB REQUIREMENTS
•
Si te design – Ability to respond to natural and built site characteristics in the development of a program a nd design of a project
•
Sus tainable Design – Ability the principles of s ustainability i n making a rchitecture and urban design decisions that conserve natural and
bui lt resources, i ncluding culturally i mportant buildings and sites, and in the creation of healthful buildings and communities
•
Li fe s afety – Ability
•
Bui lding Envelope Systems –Understanding of the basic principles a nd appropriate a pplication and performance of building envelope
ma terials a nd assemblies
•
Envi ronmental Systems – Understanding of the ba sic principles and appropriate a pplication and performance of environmental s ystems,
i ncl uding lighting, and climate modification systems, and energy use, integrated with the building envelope
•
Bui lding Ma terials a nd Assemblies – Understanding of the ba sic principles and appropriate a pplication a nd performance of construction
ma terials, products, components, a nd assemblies, i ncluding their environmental i mpact a nd reuse
COURSE WORK:
•
Requi red Rea di ngs : provi ded on cours e UB l ea rns webs i te.
•
Tes ti ng: qui zzes , two tes ts
•
Semester project. Gra duate students i n the course a re required to work individually. Undergraduate s tudents will work i n teams of 3
peopl e.
•
The cours e wi l l requi re 2.5 conta ct hours per week, a nd 5 s tudent prepa ra ti on hours per week.
a. Readings: The topics covered in class a re supplemented wi th rea di ng a s s i gnments . Thes e wi l l be on-l i ne a t UB l ea rns under Course
Documents. You a re required to complete the reading by the first cl ass of the corresponding week. For reference these will be numbered by the
week that they a re assigned in. In-class exercises a nd homework will be based on reading a ssignments as well a s cl a s s notes . Qui zzes on the
ma terial may ta ke place on either day. There are weekly required readings. Some weeks will have recommended readings for your reference.
b. Quizzes and Tests: The ma terial to be tested will be covered both in class l ectures a nd assigned readings. While there will be s ome overlap in
the i deas and information presented, it will be necessary to a ttend all lectures a nd read a ll a ssigned material in order to be prepared for tes ts .
Due to the strong visual emphasis of the course and reliance on example to demonstrate design principles, a ttendance a t lectures is imperative
for exposure to the course material. There will be no make-up gi ven for a missed quiz or test or extension gra nted on project a nd homework
University at Buffalo (SUNY) – School of Architecture
ARC 241/541
Introduction to Building Technology
due dates, except for a legitimately documented excused absence [see Attendance]. PDF’s of the class slides will be i n UBlearns under Cours e
Documents , you wi l l need to ta ke notes to s uppl ement the i nforma ti on on the s l i des to s tudy for the tes ts .
c. Semester Project: The most meaningful l earning occurs when we make discoveries ourselves. An important component of this course
i nvol ves your i ndependent application of the i nformation being covered. The purpose of this project is to s tudy va rious aspects of the
rel a tionship between site, the natural environment and building form through a rchitecture a nd related technologies. Students will develop
envi ronmentally a ppropriate s trategies for sitting, building envelope a nd materials, ventilation, interaction with water of a single 24’x24’x24’
s pa ce. The assignment proposes the integration of passive systems to a chieve thermal comfort. Students will a ddress climate responsive design
by s ta rti ng first with a n understanding of the physical l ocation’s environmental data—sun, wind, light and rainfall—which then drives
a rchi tectural design.
The project will be broken up into weekly a nd by-weekly assignments. Schedule permi tti ng the a s s i gnments wi l l be due on Monda ys a nd
returned on Fridays so to inform the next phase of the project. Students will need to dra ft, di a gra m, a nd ma ke di gi ta l model s i n order to
compl ete these assignments. Tutorials will be provi ded on-line, in class, a nd during office hours. At the end of the s emes ter you mus t turn i n:
1)the cumulative developments of these a s s i gnments wi th correcti ons , 2) a l l the gra ded a s s i gnments tha t were returned to you. We
recommend that you scan the work we return to you and keep i t in a digital file, you may turn i n the digital file a nd/or a pri nt of your gra ded
work. Students worki ng i n tea ms wi l l be requi red to eva l ua te the tea m members a t va ri ous i nterva l s .
d. Semester Notebook: Students are required to maintain a loose-leaf s emester notebook. This notebook shoul d conta i n dra wi ngs , photos ,
s ketches, reading summaries or notes, i mages and assignments, and class notes. This notebook is to be turned in with your midterm a nd fi na l
exa m. No phone or l a ptop us e i s permi tted i n the cl a s s room.
e. Homework and In-Class Assignments: Short i n-class exercises will be given to supplement the understanding of given topics. Some of thes e
ma y need to be completed as homework. These a re to be i ncluded in your project notebook, and will be reviewed during cl ass. These exercises
wi l l be pa rt of the tes t ma teri a l s .
ATTENDANCE: Al l a ttenda nce ma tters , s uch a s excus ed a bs ences , wi l l be a ddres s ed to the cl a s s TAs .
Uni versity rules require that a ttendance for all 200 l evel courses be mandatory a nd recorded. Further, due to the hea vy rel i a nce on i n-cl a s s
l ectures, discussions, a nd a ssignments for covering the course material, attendance is essential to gain the benefi t of the cours e. Unexcus ed
a bs ences will result in a l owering of your final grade in this course because you ca n mi s s ei ther a qui z or a n i n cl a s s a s s i gnment. Chroni c
a bs enteeism - ten or more a bsences total - will result i n automatic failure i n the course, regardless of other cours e requi rements compl eted
a nd gra des earned on completed work. Please note that these requirements ma y be more stringent than thos e of the Uni vers i ty or of other
cours es within the College of Design. The guidelines for l egitimately excusable a bsences are described in the University’s Aca demic Regulations.
GRADING:
Undergraduate Students:
Gra duate Students:
Qui zzes 20%
Qui zzes 20%
Exa ms (2) 40%
Exa ms (2) 40%
Semester Project 40%
Semester Project 40%
*For a tota l of: 100%
For a tota l of: 100%
*Note: pl ease remember that failure to regularly a ttend class a nd take notes will have a serious a nd detrimental effect on a student’s final
gra de.
Academic Integrity The following statement has been provided by the Office of Academic Affairs:
Students a re reminded of University Policy regarding Aca demic Integrity, a s stated i n the University at Buffalo Undergraduate Catalog 20012002: "The Uni versity has a responsibility to promote academic honesty a nd i ntegrity a nd to develop procedures to deal effectively with
i ns tances of a cademic dishonesty. Students are responsible for the honest completion and representation of their work, for the a ppropriate
ci ta tion of sources, and for respect for others’ academic endeavors. By pl acing their name on a cademic work, s tudents certify originality of all
work not otherwise i dentified by a ppropriate a cknowledgments."
Thi s policy i ncludes, but is not limited to, the following:
Students s hould not cheat on exams.
Students s hould not submit previously completed work as original work.
Students s hould not submit work done for one cl ass to fulfill the requirements of a nother course without the permission of the i nstructor.
Specific Needs The following statement has been provi ded by the Office of Disability Services:
Students with specific needs that require attention should i nform the instructor a t the beginning of the s emester. If you have a disability
(phys ical, learning, or psychological) which may make it difficult for you to carry out the course work as outlined, and/or requires
a ccommodations such as recruiting note ta kers, readers, or extended ti me on exams a nd a ssignments, please contact the Office of Disability
Servi ces, 25 Ca pen Hall, 645-2608. The office will provide you with i nformation and review appropriate a rrangements for reasonable
a ccommodations.
University at Buffalo (SUNY) – School of Architecture
ARC 241/541
Introduction to Building Technology
COURSE SCHEDULE
Cours e s chedul e i t i s subject to change as progress through the semester warrants. Gues t Lecture da tes ma y cha nge.
PART 1- Designing with Climate: Cl i mate s ensitive design techniques, passive building techni ques wi l l be pres ented. An unders ta ndi ng of
a rchi tecture as interaction between people a nd their environment will be presented. Thi s i s a n i ntroducti on to the rel a ti ons hi p between
envi ronmenta l forces a nd a rchi tecture a s i nterrel a ted s ys tems .
Week 1:
M 8/26
F 8/30
Week 2:
M 9/2
F 9/6
Pres enta ti on of Syl l a bus a nd Semes ter Project / As s i gnment 1 gi ven
Atmos pheri c Context 1: Des i gni ng wi th Cl i ma te / As s i gnment 2 gi ven
Due 8/30: As s i gnment 1: Groups a nd Cl i ma te Zone Preferences
Reading 1: Design With Climate, Vi ctor Ol gya y: Cha pter I “Genera l Introducti on”, p. 1-13.
NO CLASS - La bor Da y Obs erved
Atmos pheri c Context 2
Qui z 1: Design with Climate ch. 1 & 2 (NOTE: further quizzes are not in the schedule but there will be one every week)
Reading 2: Design With Climate, Vi ctor Ol gya y: Cha pter II “The Bi ocl i ma ti c Approa ch”, p. 14-23.
PART 2– Designing With Natural Systems:
Si ghting, tectonics, and building sys tems wi l l be exa mi ned wi th res pect to the i ntera cti on of bui l di ngs a nd l a nd, wa ter, s un, a nd a i r.
PART 2.1 – Fire: Pa s sive s olar concepts will be presented. Exa mples of climate s pecific building tra ditions will be i l l us tra ted a l ong wi th s ol a r
control and shading devices, building s kins, etc. Alternative climate modification technologies will be pres ented. Da y l i ghti ng a nd a rti fi ci a l
l i ghti ng pri nci pl es wi l l be i l l us tra ted. Fi re s a fety techni ques i n rel a ti on to technol ogy, s tructure, a nd egres s wi l l be pres ented.
Week 3:
M 9/9
Week 4:
M 9/16
Sun I
Due 9/9: As s i gnment 2: Cl i ma te Zone Stra tegi es .
F 9/13
Sun II
Reading 3: A. “Pa s s i ve Sol a r Concept”, The Passive Solar House, excerpt.
B. “Computi ng Overha ngs for Sol a r Energy Control ” Cha pter 9 i n Shelter and the Sustainable Landscape p.100-113.
Sun III
As s i gnment 3A due for revi ew (opti ona l )
F 9/20
Sun IV
Reading 4: “Hea ti ng Shel ters wi th the Sun” Cha pter 10 i n Shelter and the Sustainable Landscape p.114-137.
Week 5: M 9/23
Sun V
As s i gnment 3B due for revi ew (opti ona l )
F 9/27
Sun VI
Reading 5: A. “Control l i ng Fi re” Cha pter 19 i n Ed Al l en, How Buildings Work. p. 213-226
B. TBA
PART2.2 – Air: Ba sic principles of natural ventilation will be covered a long with envi ronmental factors a nd their i nfluence on a i r movement,
temperature, a nd humidity. Al ternative cl imate modification s ystems will be discussed. Cl imate s pecific building tra ditions will be di s cus s ed
a l ong with models of s ustai na bl e technol ogi es . Infl a ta bl e bui l di ng a s s embl i es a nd pa s s i ve envel ope s ys tems wi l l be pres ented.
Week 6:
M 9/30
Ai r I /
Due 9/30: As s i gnment 3 Sol a r Control a nd Sha di ng
F 10/4
Ai r II
Reading 6: “Wi nd Effects a nd Ai r Fl ow Pa tterns ” i n Vi ctor Ol gya y, Design With Climate, Pri nceton Pres s . pp. 94-113.
Week7:
M 10/7
Ai r III
F 10/11 Ai r IV
Reading 7: “ECS Des i gn Intenti ons ”, Cha pter 9, i n Da vi d Lee Smi th, Environmental Issues for Architecture. p. 301-314
Week 8:
M 10/14
F 10/18
Reading 8: TBA
Ai r IV
TEST 1
University at Buffalo (SUNY) – School of Architecture
ARC 241/541
Introduction to Building Technology
2.3 Land
Si ghting, tectonics, and building systems will be examined with respect to the i nteraction of buildings and the land. This s es s i on pres ents a
qua litative inquiry i nto the seam between the building a nd the ground. It is also a survey of the different wa ys bui l di ngs meet the ground,
how they perform, and what each signifies. The topographic means and conventions by which the shape of the ground i s measured, recorded,
a nd changed will be introduced a long with basic concepts of grading and drainage (under Water). Construction technology will be discussed in
reference to bui l di ng envel ope s ys tems a nd a s s embl i es , founda ti ons , a nd therma l hea t ga i n.
Week 9
M 10/21
La nd I
Due 10/21: As s i gnment 4- Venti l a ti on/a i r fl ow
F 10/25
La nd II
Reading 9: “Founda ti on-Pl i nth” by Al oi s Di ethel m, i n Construction Architecture, Andrea Depl a zes ed.
Week 10:
M 10/28 La nd III
F 11/1
La nd IV
Reading 10: A. Site Planning, Kevi n Lynch, Cha pter 8 . “Ea rthwork a nd Uti l i ti es ” p. 223-233
B. TBA
2.4 Water
Si ghting, tectonics, and building systems will be examined with respect to the i nteraction of buildings and the water. A historical pers pecti ve
wi l l be given on how water has influenced our built environment a nd s ettlement pa tters . Stra tegi es of wa ter cons erva ti on deri ved from
ecol ogical processes will be introduced. Applications of water i n building s ystems will be presented. Applications of building envelope s ystems
tha t res pond to or a re deri ved from i ntera cti on wi th wa ter wi l l be pres ented. Wa ter a s a bui l di ng ma teri a l wi l l be di s cus s ed.
Week 11:
M 11/4
Wa ter I
Due 11/4: As s ignment 5- Foundation
F 11/8
Wa ter II
Reading 11 A. Site Planning, Kevi n Lynch, Cha pter 8 . “Ea rthwork a nd Uti l i ti es ” p. 233-250
B. “Wa s te a nd Wa ter”, Green Studi o Ha ndbook, p. 225-264
Week 12:
M 11/11 Wa ter III
Due 11/11: As s i gnment 6 _Gra di ng + Dra i na ge
F 11/15 Wa ter IV
Reading 12: Cha pter 6 “Us ing Domestic Gray Wa ter” i n Water in the Sustainable Landscape, p.56-63
Recommended: Chapter 5 “Ra inwater Harvesting” in Water in the Sustainable Landscape, p.38-55
Week 13:
M 11/18 Mi xed Sys tems
Due 11/18: As s i gnment 7: Wa ter
F 11/22
Mi xed Sys tems /Revi ew
Reading 13: TBA
Week 14:
M 11/25
F 11/29
TEST 2
FALL BREAK – No Cl a s s
Week 15:
M 12/2
F 11/6
Fi na l As s i gnment Revi ew - Cl a s s opti ona l
Exa m revi ew
M 11/9
FINAL ASSIGNMENT SUBMISSION
1. Corrected a s s i gnments 2. Al l gra ded a s s i gnments tha t were returned to you (di gi ta l or ha rd copy).
Recommended readings:
Design With Climate: Bioclimatic Approach to Architectural Regionalism, Vi ctor Ol gya y
Site Planning, Kevi n Lynch
Design with Nature, Ia n McHa rg
Green Studio Handbook, Al i s on Kwok & Wa l ter Grondzi k
How Buildings Work, Ed Al l en