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MEEN30130

Academic Year 2024/2025

Energy Systems in Buildings I (MEEN30130)

Subject:
Mechanical Engineering
College:
Engineering & Architecture
School:
Mechanical & Materials Eng
Level:
3 (Degree)
Credits:
5
Module Coordinator:
Assoc Professor James O'Donnell
Trimester:
Spring
Mode of Delivery:
Blended
Internship Module:
No
How will I be graded?
Letter grades

Curricular information is subject to change.

This undergraduate module, "Energy Systems in Buildings 1," provides a comprehensive exploration of the principles and applications of building energy systems. The course is designed for students in engineering and architecture, focusing on the intersection of energy efficiency, electrical systems, and building design.

The module content is as follows:

1. Building Energy Analysis:
- Introduction to concepts of building energy analysis.
- Understanding thermal performance of building materials and structures through U values.

2. Psychrometrics:
- Detailed study of psychrometric concepts and theory.
- Practical use of the Psychrometric chart in building systems.
- Analysis of air conditioning processes including heating, cooling, humidification, and dehumidification.

3. Steady State and Seasonal Analysis:
- Examination of steady-state and seasonal variations in building energy needs.
- Case studies on summer cooling/dehumidification and winter heating/humidification.

4. Electricity Supply System:
- Overview of the electricity supply system, from generation to distribution and utilization in buildings.
- Basic concepts of DC and AC circuit analysis.
- Power and energy metering techniques.
- Reactive power and power factor correction methods.

5. Electrical Services in Buildings:
- Fundamentals of single-phase and three-phase electrical services in buildings.
- Electrical safety principles, including overcurrent protection, earthing, equipotential bonding, and earth fault protection.

6. Lightning Protection:
- Survey of causes and processes of lightning.
- Incidence and impact of lightning on buildings and equipment.
- Strategies and systems for lightning protection in buildings.

There is no specific text for the module, however the following are recommended as supplementary reading:

Heating and Cooling of Buildings. Kreider. 2 Ed. ISBN: 0072496762 (2002).
Heating, Ventilating and Air Conditioning Analysis and Design. Mc Quiston. 6 Ed. ISBN: 0471470155 (2004).
A Handbook on Low-Energy Buildings and District-Energy Systems: Fundamentals, Techniques and Examples. Harvey. 1st Ed. ISBN: 1844072436 (2006).



About this Module

Learning Outcomes:

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
- Understand and analyze the energy performance of buildings.
- Apply psychrometric principles in designing and evaluating HVAC systems.
- Conduct steady state and seasonal energy analyses for various building types.
- Comprehend the electricity supply system and its impact on building energy use.
- Perform basic electrical circuit analysis relevant to building services.
- Design and evaluate electrical safety and lightning protection systems in buildings.

Student Effort Hours:
Student Effort Type Hours
Lectures

36
Specified Learning Activities

12
Autonomous Student Learning

72
Total

120

Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
Summative feedback per assessment component

Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations
Learning Requirements:

It is required that students have taken either module MEEN10040 Engineering Thermodynamics I or MEEN10010 Engineering Thermodynamics and Fluid Mechanics I


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Equivalents:
Building Energy Systems (EEME30030)


 

Assessment Strategy
Description Timing Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade In Module Component Repeat Offered
Assignment(Including Essay): Mechanical Poster Assignment Week 8 Standard conversion grade scale 40% No
10
 No
Exam (In-person): Mechanical Mid-trimester MCQ Week 7 Standard conversion grade scale 40% No
10
 No
Exam (In-person): End of trimester exam End of trimester
Duration:
2 hr(s)
 Standard conversion grade scale 40% Yes
60
 Yes
Assignment(Including Essay): Electrical Assignment Week 6 Alternative linear conversion grade scale 40% No
10
 No
Exam (In-person): Class test Electrical Week 9 Alternative linear conversion grade scale 40% No
10
 No

Carry forward of passed components
No
 

Resit In Terminal Exam
Summer Yes - 2 Hour
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 

Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment
• Group/class feedback, post-assessment

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

General class feedback and student specific feedback will be provided after grading of both the Mechanical and Electrical assignments Answer keys will be provided after both the Mechanical and Electrical class tests.

Name Role
Mr Adamantios Bampoulas Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Dr Paul Cuffe Lecturer / Co-Lecturer

Timetabling information is displayed only for guidance purposes, relates to the current Academic Year only and is subject to change.
Spring Lecture Offering 1 Week(s) - 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 29, 30, 31, 33 Fri 10:00 - 10:50
Spring Lecture Offering 1 Week(s) - 20, 21, 23, 24, 25, 26, 29, 30, 31, 32 Mon 13:00 - 13:50
Spring Lecture Offering 1 Week(s) - 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33 Wed 13:00 - 13:50
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