Comfort in Buildings

The course provides a comprehensive overview of sustainability in construction, emphasizing the depletion of natural resources, global energy utilization, and challenges faced. It explores site selection parameters, the impact on the environment, and methods for preserving site resources. The integrated design approach and its benefits are discussed, along with the importance of basic amenities and the urban heat island effect. The course covers various aspects of building environmental considerations, focusing on heat transfer, thermal and visual comfort, and sustainable building practices. Heat transfer is explained through conduction, convection, and radiation, with a specific emphasis on heat gain in buildings, both internal and external. The discussion extends to thermal comfort, considering factors influencing human perception of heat and cold, and includes models for air-conditioned and non-air-conditioned spaces. Visual comfort is explored in terms of lighting design, covering daylighting strategies and artificial lighting parameters in compliance with building codes.