CE1BSF-Building Services 1: Fundamentals

Module Provider: School of Construction Management and Engineering, School of Built Environment
Number of credits: 10 [5 ECTS credits]
Level:4
Terms in which taught: Autumn term module
Pre-requisites:
Non-modular pre-requisites:
Co-requisites:
Modules excluded:
Current from: 2021/2

Module Convenor: Dr Emmanuel Essah
Email: e.a.essah@reading.ac.uk

Type of module:

Summary module description:

This module introduces the fundamentals of building services including basics of thermal comfort, fire protection and fire safety in buildings, electricity distribution, supply and transportation systems in buildings.

Students would be able to apply the knowledge they gained, in the module of “Design project 1 (CE1DPR)” that will be delivered in the spring term and Building Services 2: Fundamentals (CE2BSF) in the second year of their studies. This integrated approach enables the theories and concepts learnt in CE1BSF to be used and applied in other modules throughout the entire programme and helps better understanding the concept of building services as well as its application.

Aims:

The aim of this module is to provide students with the principle of building services including basics of thermal comfort, fire protection and fire safety in buildings, electricity distribution, supply and transportation systems in buildings.

Assessable learning outcomes:

On successful completion of this module the student should be able to:

• Describe the basic laws of electricity including atoms, electrons, charge, current, voltage, resistance and Ohm’s Law,


• To describe the function of capacitors and inductors in AC circuits, and to analyse AC/DC circuits,


• Develop an intuitive understanding of the relationship between voltage and current in DC circuits,


• Compare single and th ree-phase supplies in electricity systems,


• Evaluate the energy performance of main power supply technologies,


• Characterise the main transportation systems in buildings,


• Determine the energy consumptions associated with transportation systems in buildings,


• Impact of design and building performance on the thermal comfort of its occupant.


• Design implication of fire safety requirements in buildings


• Explai n the functional requirements of the Building Regulations regarding fire safety.

Additional outcomes:

• To describe the benefits of small, local electricity generation and distribution networks,


• To explain the working of electrical motors, electricity generators, and transformers,


• To explain different types of electricity generation such as conventional generation and renewable generation and their associated characteristics,


• To analyse an electrical system comprising of��supply, distribution, and load,


• To perform simple power and energy calculations,


• To describe the function of capacitors and inductors in AC circuits,

Outline content:

• Principles of electricity and application of induction in electricity generators, transformers, electric motors,


• Alternating current properties; Single and three-phase electricity,


• Power supply systems and different type of power stations,


• Principles of renewable power generators,


• Electricity distribution systems,


• Electrical circuits and their analysis,


• Balance in electrical supply and demands,


• Health and safety issues in building electrical services,


• Design factors for transportation systems in buildings,


• Types of transportation systems in buildings,


• Interior circulation


• Lifts, escalators and moving walks and their associated energy consumptions,


• Transport facilities in buildings for people with disabilities,


• Occupancy Hazard Classification

Global context:

The skills and knowledge that students will acquire from this module have global applications.

Brief description of teaching and learning methods:

Teaching i