An appropriate acoustic and lighting environment is essential in ensuring a quality of internal environment while minimising energy consumption. This module covers the areas of artificial & natural lighting and acoustics theory.An appropriate acoustic and lighting environment is essential in ensuring a quality of internal environment while minimising energy consumption. This module covers the areas of artificial & natural lighting and acoustics theory.
Acoustics
General principles of acoustics: wavelength and frequency; sound pressure, intensity and power; sound power level and sound pressure level; decibel scale; addition of sound pressure levels; point, line and planar sound sources; the frequency spectrum. Sound propagation. A weighting; frequency response of the ear;
Variation of noise over time. Continuous equivalent noise level, LAeq.
Noise from HVAC systems; Typical sources of noise and their characteristics, NR/NC and noise assessment criteria. Plant room noise and its control.
Transmission and control of noise in ductwork systems: Assessment of fan sound power level; ductwork attenuation; regenerative noise; room side and atmospheric side noise assessment; flanking transmission; noise break-out from ducts; cross-talk.
Sound in rooms: Direct and reverberant components; sound absorption, reflection and directivity effects; the room effect; reverberation time, live, dead and semi-reverberant rooms; sound transmission through partitions; sound transmission from inside to outside.
Vibration and vibration control: Fundamentals of vibration and vibration control. Sources of vibration in HVAC. Vibration isolation and transmissibility, Common types of vibration isolator and their selection, vibration isolation of pipework and ductwork.
Lighting
Fundamentals of light and lighting: The function of lighting. Natural light and artificial light in interiors. Definitions and terminology.
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Point source & linear light sources: Formula, luminance, illuminance, point sources, light output ratios, linear sources, polar curves.
Lumen method: Formula, utilisation factor, maintenance factor, uniformity, spacing to height ratios.
General principles of daylighting: Basics and principles, benefits and problems, potential energy savings, Uniform and CIE standard overcast sky conditions, diffuse and direct sunlight.
Daylight factor: Sky component, internal reflected component, external reflected component, effect of different window shapes. Point to point prediction of the amount of daylight.
Correction factors for daylighting: Window types, building location, application and orientation.
Lighting Quality: Glare and glare control. Calculation of glare index
Lighting types: Luminaires and fixtures.
Emergency escape route lighting: Design recommendations, luminaire and lamp types, response time, duration.
| Lectures, class discussion, problem solving exercises, video, laboratory and self-directed learning
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| Module Content & Assessment | |
|---|---|
| Assessment Breakdown | % |
| Formal Examination | 80 |
| Other Assessment(s) | 20 |