ARCH324 ENVIRONMENTAL SYSTEMS 1
09:00AM- 12:05PM, MC26 - Rm 409
Matthias Altwicker – maltwick@nyit.edu - http://iris.nyit.edu/~maltwick/
Marc-Antoine Laugier, Essai sur
l'Architecture 1755: Allegorical
engraving of the Vitruvian primitive hut
The Bank of America Tower at One Bryant Park,
Cook+Fox Architects
Sun Path Diagram
Introduction
The provision for comfort, health and safety is one of the most basic objectives in architecture. Developing a basic
understanding of how to achieve and maintain these provisions and how to integrate them into the architectural
design process is the main goal of the Environmental Systems course sequence.
Through a combination of theoretical seminars and practical design assignments the following main topics will be
addressed over the course of the semester: Climate Responsive Design, Solar Orientation, Indoor Air Quality,
Performance Assessment Tools, Carbon Neutral Design, Bioclimatic Design, Energy Efficiency, Performance of
Envelope Systems, Moisture Transfer, Thermal Control, Active/Passive Heating and Cooling, Water and Waste,
Plumbing and Acoustics.
In the subsequent semester the Environmental Systems 2 course will address the topics Daylighting, Electrical
Lighting, Electricity, Fire Protection, Security and Vertical Transportation.
Five sequential studio assignments explore the inter-relationship between passive architectural design and active
mechanical design through direct application on a small project. Students are asked to make climate responsive
architectural modifications to a given project, calculate the resulting heat gain/heat loss and subsequently size the
thermal control and water/waste systems. In addition to the studio assignments, two exams will be given.
Integrated Design
The design of environmental control systems cannot be understood as an isolated technical discipline that follows
once the architectural design of a project is completed. On the contrary, in order to design a building that offers
maximum user comfort while using the least amount of energy, an integrated design process needs to be adopted
where architectural design and building services technology are part of one coordinated holistic system.
Even though architects are rarely responsible for the design of building services it is crucial that they understand the
underlying principles and basic design approaches so they can productively communicate and collaborate with
engineers and other design team members. The structure of the Environmental Systems course sequence and
assignment requirements emphasize collaboration and clear communication as important aspects of the integrated
design process.
NYIT School of Architecture and Design
ARCH324 Environmental Systems 1
“Solar Design is not about fashion - it is about survival”
Sir Norman Foster
Psychometric Chart
SIEEB Beijing, Mario Cucinella Architects
Natural Light and Shading
Green Design and Sustainability
In the United States, the construction, renovation and maintenance of the built environment consume huge amounts
of non-renewable energy and are responsible for over 40% of all nationwide CO2 emissions. Green design is no
longer a choice but a necessity.
Even though this is not a course specifically or exclusively about green design, all lecture content and assignments
will be analyzed and evaluated based on their environmental impact. By permeating all aspects of the course, green
design is understood as a cohesive design methodology rather than a series of environmental strategies applied to
a design project and will enable student to design projects that optimize, conserve, or reuse natural and built
resources, provide healthful environments for occupants/users, and reduce the environmental impacts of building
construction and operations on future generations through means such as carbon-neutral design, bioclimatic design,
and energy efficiency.
Course Structure
Classes typically are structured in the following way:
Seminar (1-1.5hrs):
The seminar portion consists of lectures focusing on the different types of environmental systems, their history,
underlying concepts and applications. Case studies illustrate these systems’ influence on the architectural design
process and the final architectural project.
Studio:
Work and review sessions fill the remaining class time and are used to develop and discuss the studio assignments
in a studio-like setting. Each class will have required assignments, due at the beginning of class.
Reading Assignments:
The required textbook for this course is Heating, Cooling, Lighting – Sustainable Design Methods for Architects, 3rd
edition (HCL). Students are required to purchase their own copy, new or used. In preparation for the lecture each
week there will be a reading assignment from the HCL book and/or from additional handouts. It is imperative that
students read the required reading before class.
Additional sources of information which all of you should become familiar with and accustomed to using are:
Mechanical and Electrical Equipment for Buildings by Stein, Reynolds, McGuiness
The architect’s studio companion by Allen, Iano
Sun, Wind & Light by Brown, DeKay
The green studio handbook by Kwok, Grondzik
Mechanical Systems for Architects by Dadras
NYIT School of Architecture and Design
ARCH324 Environmental Systems 1
Studio Assignments:
There are five sequential design exercises throughout the semester exploring the inter-relationship between passive
architectural design and active mechanical design through direct application on a small project. All studio
assignments will be completed as teamwork (group size TBD). Teams will be determined in the first class.
Assignment 01: Empirical Climate Design
Build a physical model of one interior room with the intent of maintaining a comfortable and constant interior
temperature while the model is being exposed to the elements. The models will be placed outdoors for a period of
two months (September – November) and the interior temperature will be continuously measured with a remote
Temperature Data Logger. In regular intervals the temperature measurements will be downloaded and compared
and each group has an opportunity to make adjustments to the design, based on analysis of the measurements
taken.
Assignment 02: Architectural Climate Adaptation
A generic design for a small building is given to all groups. Each group is assigned a site within one of the four major
climate zones of the North American continent (cool, temperate, hot-arid, and hot-humid). After researching the
basic environmental attributes of the site and climate zone and learning about climate responsive design, each team
will propose envelope modifications to the generic design in order to reduce its heating and/or cooling loads.
Possible modifications are of course dependent on the climate zone and include but are not limited to building
orientation, wall construction, shading devices, and fenestration.
Assignment 03: Comparative Heating and Cooling Load Calculation
Each team will conduct a Heating Load Calculation for both the generic and the modified design. The results of the
calculation will help in understanding the effectiveness of the chosen design strategy and may result in further
modification of the envelope.
Assignment 04: Heating and Cooling System Design
Based on the results of Assignment 03 each team will select, design and schematically draw the heating and cooling
system for their modified design. In additional to conventional heating and cooling systems students will explore the
potential of on-site renewable energy sources.
Assignment 05: Water Supply and Waste System Design
The objective of this exercise is to become familiar with layout of toilet rooms and the piping that makes up a water
supply and waste system. The modified design from Assignment 03 will be used as the base for this assignment. In
addition to a conventional system students will explore water conservation strategies.
Assignment Values
55%
Studio Assignments (5 total at 11% each)
30%
Exams (2 total at 15% each), dates TBD
15%
Class Participation
Each student is required to keep detailed, graphic notes from class lectures and the readings.
5%
Adjustment factor to any evaluation based on the students’ intensity of effort and commitment to the course.
It can be assumed that a minimum effort on these assignments will result in a poor evaluation.
NYIT School of Architecture and Design
ARCH324 Environmental Systems 1
Attendance
Attendance at every class is expected. No work-related issues or medical appointments are to be scheduled for
class time regardless of convenience. The School of Architecture has a very specific policy regarding attendance:
two unexcused absences will result in a substantial lowering of your grade; three unexcused absences require a
withdrawal from the course.
Arriving to class more than 15 minutes late will be considered an absence. All of you are well aware of traffic and
public transportation problems, so give yourself ample time to arrive in the classroom.
Cell phones are to be turned off during class time and will be confiscated if they disrupt the class.
No eating during class time.
Portfolio
It is required that students submit a digital portfolio at the end of the semester in order to receive a final grade. It is
to include reproductions of all final drawings and calculations of all assignments.
A Note on Computer Use
It is important to remember that the computer is a tool for production and not an excuse for late or unfinished work. If
you are new to using the computer do not use this class as a means to learn how to use it. The expectations for
both computer and hand drawings will be the same.
Evaluation
Grades will consider the appropriateness of the idea, the project's completeness, the quality of presentation, and the
effort put into the submission. Both content and presentation are crucial to the evaluation of assignments.
Evaluation for content is based on the general quality, clarity, and development of the solution. Evaluation of
presentation will consider the quality, precision, and craft of the presentation. As in studio, neither merely completing
all the presentation requirements, nor merely having a good idea, will be enough to achieve a good grade. All work
is expected to be completed by the assigned due date at the beginning of class.
The grading scale put forth in the university catalog will be used in this course:
A
Superior
A-
Excellent
B+
Very Good
B
Good
B-
Competent
C+
Fair
C
Satisfactory, Average
C-
Marginal
D
Unsatisfactory
F
Failure
I
Incomplete; this will only be assigned when a student misses class with an Institute-approved absence and
is unable to make up the work by the end of the term.
NYIT School of Architecture and Design
ARCH324 Environmental Systems 1
Preliminary Weekly Schedule
09/11
Class 01
Lecture:
Studio:
Class Overview and Introduction
Handout and Explanation of Assignment 01
09/18
Class 02
Lecture:
Studio:
Reading:
Basic Principles I
Desk Critique to review in-progress of Assignment 01
HCL Chapter 3+4
09/25
Class 03
Lecture:
Studio:
Reading:
Design Strategies, Indoor Air Quality (IAQ)
Assignment 01 due
HCL Chapter 5
09/28
Class 04
Lecture:
Studio:
Reading:
Solar Geometry, Shading Devices, Principles of Heat Flow
Desk Critique to review in-progress of Assignment 02
HCL Chapter 6+9
SRM Chapter 6
10/02
Class 05
Lecture:
Designing for Heating and Cooling
Summer Heat Gain Guidelines, Method for Calculating Heat Loss and Heat Gain
Studio:
Assignment 02 due
Reading:
HCL Chapter 9+15
10/09
Class 06
Lecture:
Studio:
Reading:
Designing for Heating and Cooling
Desk Critique to review in-progress of Assignment 03
HCL 7+10
10/16
Class 07
Lecture:
Studio:
Reading:
HVAC for Smaller Buildings
Assignment 03 due
HCL 16, pp530-552
10/23
Class 08
Lecture:
HVAC for Large Buildings
HVAC Design Process, Equipment Location, Systems Overview
Studio:
Desk Critique to review in-progress of Assignment 04
Reading:
SRM Chapter 6
10/30
Class 09
Lecture:
Studio:
Reading:
HVAC for Large Buildings
Heating and Cooling System Design
SRM Chapter 6
11/06
Class 10
Lecture:
Studio:
Reading:
Water and Basic Design
Assignment 04 due
SRM Chapter 7+8
11/13
Class 11
Lecture:
Water Supply
Water Sources, Treatments, Conservation Strategies, Pipe Sizing
Studio:
Desk Critique to review in-progress of Assignment 05
Reading:
SRM Chapter 9
11/20
Class 12
Lecture:
Liquid and Solid Waste
Principles of Drainage, Waste Piping Design, Treatment Systems
Studio:
Desk Critique to review in-progress of Assignment 05
Reading:
SRM Chapter 10+12
11/27
Class 13
Lecture:
Studio:
Reading:
12/04
Make-Up Day
12/11
REVIEW WEEK
12/18
Class 14
Bathroom Design
Assignment 05 due
SRM Chapter 11
FINAL
NYIT School of Architecture and Design
ARCH324 Environmental Systems 1