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Fundamentals of Building Physics Group 5
1.1 Principles of Heat Transfer Kiranshree
Modes of heat transfer: Conduction, Convection, Radiation Swetha
Governing equations: Fourier’s law, Newton’s law of cooling, Stefan-Boltzmann law
Cheran
Thermal resistance (R-value), thermal transmittance (U-value)
Composite walls and layered systems
Maria Sakshi
Thermal bridging and its mitigation Ayushi
Heat transfer in transient vs steady-state conditions
1.2 Thermal Comfort Parameters (ASHRAE Standards)
ASHRAE 55: Thermal Environmental Conditions for Human Occupancy
PMV (Predicted Mean Vote) and PPD (Predicted Percentage of Dissatisfied)
Factors affecting thermal comfort:
Air temperature
Mean radiant temperature
Relative humidity
Air velocity
Metabolic rate (activity level)
Clothing insulation
Adaptive thermal comfort models
1.3 Psychrometrics and Indoor Air Quality
Psychrometric chart components
Dry-bulb temperature
Wet-bulb temperature
Dew point
Relative humidity
Enthalpy
Air mixing processes: heating, cooling, humidification, dehumidification
IAQ parameters: CO₂ levels, VOCs, PM2.5, formaldehyde
Natural vs mechanical ventilation
Filtration standards (MERV, HEPA)
1.4 Thermal Mass and Heat Storage
Thermal mass vs insulation
Materials with high thermal inertia
Time lag and decrement factor
Placement of thermal mass: floors, walls
Diurnal heat exchange strategy
Use in passive solar heating and cooling
1.5 Climate and Microclimate Impact
Macro vs microclimate influence on design
Climate zones (Köppen, ASHRAE, ECBC)
Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect
Topography, vegetation, and water bodies as microclimate modifiers
Site analysis tools: sun path diagrams, wind rose, shadow studies
2. Building Envelope Performance Group 4
2.1 High-Performance Wall Assemblies Sara
Components: cladding, air barrier, vapor barrier, insulation, structural wall Jennie
Insulation materials and types (EPS, XPS, mineral wool)
Padhma
Moisture management: vapor diffusion, condensation control
Air tightness strategies and blower door tests
Sivagami
2.2 Glazing Technologies and U-Values
Single, double, triple glazing systems
Low-E coatings, spectrally selective glazing
Gas fills: Air,Argon, Krypton
Thermochromic and electrochromic glass
Window-to-wall ratio (WWR) optimization
2.3 Reflective and Insulating Roofing Systems
Cool roofs: high reflectivity, high emissivity materials
Insulation below or above roof deck
TPO, EPDM, PVC membranes
Roof assembly thermal performance (R-value/U-value)
Solar reflective index (SRI)
2.4 Dynamic Facade Systems
Double-skin façades: ventilated vs non-ventilated
ETFE (ethylene tetrafluoroethylene) cushions and foils
Kinetic facades: operable louvers, blinds, screens
Automated shading controls based on solar angle and radiation
3. Passive Thermal Control Strategies Group 7
3.1 Building Orientation and Form Suraj
Solar orientation for different climates Tamil
North-south vs east-west axis design strategies
Thamarai
Building form factor (surface-area-to-volume ratio)
Compactness vs porosity trade-offs
Shakil
Wind channeling and deflection by form Umaya
3.2 Natural Ventilation and Stack Effect
Cross-ventilation strategies and air paths
Stack ventilation: buoyancy-driven air movement
Wind towers, solar chimneys
Design parameters: inlet/outlet size, height differences
Venturi effect utilization
Low energry cooling
3.3 Thermal Mass Utilization
Placement of thermal mass for diurnal temperature swings
Passive heating with solar gain
Night flushing in hot climates
Integrating with radiant systems (mixed-mode)
3.4 Shading Devices and Daylighting
Fixed and movable shading devices
Horizontal overhangs vs vertical fins
Light shelves and light tubes
Glare control strategies
Daylight autonomy, spatial daylight autonomy (sDA)
3.5 Cool Roofs and Green Roofs
Extensive vs intensive green roofs
Layers: root barrier, drainage, growing medium
Evapotranspiration cooling effect
Performance metrics: thermal resistance, stormwater retention
4. Active Thermal Control Strategies Group 3
4.1 Radiant Heating and Cooling Nanet
Radiant floor, ceiling, and wall systems Nithyashree
Surface temperature and human comfort
Nabeeha
Heat transfer mediums: water vs electric
Integration with passive systems
Theresa
Thermal zoning with radiant systems
4.2 HVAC Zoning Based on Functional Clusters
Occupancy-based zoning: offices, labs, lecture halls, lounges
Demand-Controlled Ventilation (DCV)
Zoning control strategies: VAV, VRV, chilled beams
Peak load balancing across clusters
4.3 Smart Building Automation
BMS (Building Management Systems) and BAS
Sensors: temperature, CO₂, occupancy, light
Adaptive setpoint controls
Energy dashboard and feedback systems
IoT in building systems
5. Energy Performance and Simulation Group 8
5.1 Energy Modeling Tools Dhanakumar
Software overview: EnergyPlus, DesignBuilder, IES VE, eQuest Talhah Tharun
Simulation inputs: weather data, envelope properties, schedules
Farhan
Calibration using real data (measurement and verification)
5.2 Energy Efficiency Metrics
EUI (Energy Use Intensity) – kWh/m²/yr
EPI (Energy Performance Index)
Energy Star rating, BEE rating
Net Zero Energy Building (NZEB) goals
5.3 Renewable Energy Integration
Solar PV: on-grid, off-grid, hybrid
Solar thermal systems: flat plate, evacuated tube collectors
Building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV)
Battery storage and smart grid integration
6. Building Energy Codes Group 6
6.1 Energy Codes and Rating Systems Imtiyaz
ECBC (India), ASHRAE 90.1, IECC Rilwan
Green building rating systems:
Ali basha
LEED (USGBC)
IGBC (India)
Rehan
GRIHA (India) Adnaan
WELL (IWBI)
Mandatory vs voluntary compliance
Prescriptive vs performance-based paths
7. Climate-Responsive Design for Research Campuses Group 2
7.1 Climate Analysis Tools Kabilan
Climate Consultant, Climate Tool, WeatherTool Hareta
Data interpretation: dry bulb, humidity, wind, solar radiation
Abisheik
Bio-climatic chart analysis
7.2 Vernacular Approaches
Shruti
Courtyards, jaalis, verandahs Ansari
Thermal comfort without mechanical systems
Region-specific materials and techniques
Passive cooling strategies in traditional architecture
7.3 Building Orientation and Form Optimization
Master planning by wind and solar analysis
Cluster layout to optimize shading and ventilation
Built-unbuilt ratio optimization
7.4 Landscape as Microclimate Modifier
Green buffers, tree canopies, water bodies
Permeable surfaces and evapotranspiration
Windbreaks and shading with vegetation
7.5 Wind Flow and Shading at Campus Scale
CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) modeling
Group 2
Kabilan
Hareta
Abisheik
Shruti
Ansari
Solar path tracking for large sites
Central vs distributed cooling zones based on wind flow
8. Alternate Technologies Group 1
8.1 Earth-Based and Sustainable Materials Smriti
CSEB (Compressed Stabilized Earth Blocks) Amrutha
Rammed Earth
Vishwa
Adobe Bricks
Ferrocement
Shaqeel Danish
Bamboo construction
Comparative thermal performance and embodied energy
8.2 Construction Techniques
Arches, Vaults, and Domes for compressive strength and thermal mass
Shallow and deep foundation techniques for earth buildings
Traditional binding materials and mortars
8.3 Case Studies
Laurie Baker projects (India)
Auroville Earth Institute projects
Nari Gandhi, Didi Contractor examples
International examples: Hassan Fathy (Egypt), Francis Kéré (Africa)
Presentation : A2/A2+ Size sheets
