energy efficient building design, including: climate and thermal comfort encompassing: characteristics of the different Australian climatic types use of climatic data in published and electronic forms to extract the quantities relevant to energy efficient design relationship between climate and comfort using bioclimatic or psychrometric charts calculation of heating or cooling degree days or degree hours for various locations calculation of thermal neutrality for a given location solar geometry and radiation encompassing: definition of the terms: declination, hour angle, zenith angle, azimuth and altitude angles, and the equation of time conversion of solar time to local time and vice versa position of the sun and the length of shadows with the aid of algorithms, tables, sun charts or computer software daily irradiation incident on a wall, window or roof of a given tilt and orientation relative summer and winter irradiation of windows facing the cardinal orientations heat transfer encompassing: thermal processes of conduction, convection and radiation apply to the transfer of heat in buildings calculation of the summer and winter U-values of building elements using tables and software calculation of the infiltration heat transfer in a building glazing systems encompassing: different types of glazing systems and their characteristics different types of shading devices and the window orientations for which they are most appropriate solar heat gain for different glazing types and angles of incidence calculation of the average daily irradiation of a window partly shaded by eaves, using computer software calculation of the average daily heat gain through a window partly shaded by eaves insulation encompassing: different types of insulation and where they are used how different types of insulation are installed in roofs, walls and floors determination of the minimum R-values of roof insulation for different locations using Australian Standard AS 2627 Thermal insulation of dwellings or similar standards thermal mass encompassing: advantages and disadvantages of using substantial thermal mass in different climate types and for different heating and cooling regimes where thermal mass can be located in a building definition of the following terms: time lag, decrement factor, admittance and response factor comfort control strategies encompassing: interpretation of the usefulness of a design strategy with the aid of a psychrometric chart showing control potential zones for a particular location selection of the most useful comfort control strategies for Australian climatic regions energy efficiency in buildings encompassing: determination of the direction of the following: both true and magnetic, north winter and summer sunrise, winter and summer sunset solar access in summer and winter to various possible house locations on a site and room locations within the house how vegetation can be used to both funnel and deflect wind using cross ventilation as a cooling strategy thermal performance of a building encompassing: heating requirements of a building using the heating degree day or hour method dynamic performance predicted by a computer simulation program such as nationwide house energy rating scheme (NatHERS) or building energy rating scheme (BERS) integration of active solar systems encompassing: active solar system types available which can provide hot water, space heating and cooling the best location on the roof, and the optimum tilt and orientation of the collector panels function of the main components of an air or water-based solar space heating system schematic of the fluid circuit of an air or water-based space heating system main solar cooling system types energy rating schemes encompassing: differences in approach used by house energy rating schemes in Australia energy performance of a number of houses using a computer simulation program such as NatHERS or BERS other methods to reduce energy consumption within and outside a building, including appliance efficiency, human behaviour changes, building management strategies and transportation minimisation additional cost of energy efficiency measures and cost savings using life cycle cost or simple pay back methods according to AS 3595 and AS/NZS 4536 Life cycle costing sustainable and safe building materials encompassing: common building materials and their embodied energy content environmental impact of the production of various building materials problems associated with the use or disposal of building materials engineering principles relevant job safety assessments or risk mitigation processes relevant manufacturer specifications relevant WHS/OHS legislated requirements relevant workplace documentation relevant workplace policies and procedures sustainable energy principles and practices. |