Simon Fraser University
Engaging the World

Course Outlines

Fall 2024 - SEE 464 D100

Energy Systems Modeling for Buildings (3)

Class Number: 6176

Delivery Method: In Person

Overview

  • Course Times + Location:

    Sep 4 – Oct 11, 2024: Tue, 12:30–2:20 p.m.
    Surrey

    Oct 16 – Dec 3, 2024: Tue, 12:30–2:20 p.m.
    Surrey

    Sep 4 – Dec 3, 2024: Fri, 12:30–1:20 p.m.
    Surrey

  • Prerequisites:

    SEE 310 and SEE 324. MSE students who completed MSE 321 can take this course upon approval of the course instructor.

Description

CALENDAR DESCRIPTION:

Introduction to modeling energy systems for buildings, focusing on envelope and mechanical systems, and their effects on energy use. Using the applicable codes and standards to define schedules for the buildings, calculate heating and cooling loads, and set sustainability targets. Applying industry standard software to model, and experiment with innovative methods to enhance energy use, and reach sustainability targets.

COURSE DETAILS:

Course TA

Mehdi Nikkhah (mna89@sfu.ca)

Lectures

  • All lectures will be in person
  • Time: Tuesdays 12:30 – 2:20 pm and Fridays 12:30 am – 1:20 pm
    Note: Tuesday October 15th and Friday, October 18th classes are cancelled
  • Room: Please see the room numbers on go.sfu.ca

Computer Labs

  • All labs will be in person
  • Time: Mondays 3:30 – 6:20 pm; Monday, Sept. 23rd, 3:30 – 6:20 pm; and Monday, Nov. 4th, 3:30 – 6:320 pm
    Note: Monday, October 14th, lab is cancelled.
  • Room: Please see the room numbers on Canvas.
  • The first labs will be on Monday, September 9th, in the computer lab
  • You will learn IESVE, commercial software for building energy modelling - the same software will be used for the course project.
  • I will teach 1.5 out of 3 hours of labs, and you will practice and learn with the TA’s help for the remaining 1.5 hours.

Hands-on Labs

  • Two hands-on labs will be held on Monday, Sept. 23rd, and Monday, Nov. 4th. During these labs, you will learn about humidity measurement and psychrometry, wet cooling tower operation, and air—and water-source heat pumps.
  • Note: The hands-on labs will be held in multiple rooms; please check the course Canvas page for the correct room number before attending the labs. 

Kahoot!

  • Please install the Kahoot! app on your phones (you can also use the web interface).
  • You will be assigned a nickname in the format SEE464-XX.
  • Attend with the same nickname throughout the semester.

COURSE-LEVEL EDUCATIONAL GOALS:

Weekly Topics

  • Week 1 – Introduction to gas mixtures and psychrometry
  • Week 2 – Psychrometry and air-conditioning processes
  • Week 3 – Thermal comfort and internal gains
  • Week 4 – Architectural drawings (geometry), building types, and schedules
  • Week 5 – Building envelop, types, and appearance in architectural drawings
  • Week 6 – Building envelope, heat loss and thermal bridging
  • Week 7 – Mechanical systems - Airside
  • Week 8 – Mechanical systems - Waterside
  • Week 9 – Mechanical systems: ventilation and heat recovery
  • Week 10 – Mechanical systems (mechanical drawings and schedules)
  • Week 11 – Applicable codes and standards (ASHRAE 90.1, NECB, BCBC & STEP Code, VBBL, …)
  • Week 12 – Review of CoV Energy Modeling Guideline
  • Week 13 – Class presentations

Site visits and guest speakers

20-Sep

Dr. Suresh Vishwakarma, Senior Electrical Engineer, BC Hydro

27-Sep

Mick Elliot, MBA, Former Director and Senior Advisor of Indigenous Collaboration, Imperial Oil

4-Oct

Behzad Jahangiri, Principal Engineer, Aspect Engineers (TBC)

11-Oct

Christopher Black, Senior Building Science Consultant, LDR Engineering Group

18-Oct

Class cancelled

25-Oct

Roberto Bosco, P. Eng., National Solution Sales Manager, Armstrong Fluid Technology

1-Nov

West Village Energy Centre Site Visit

8-Nov

Dr. Sina Salari - CEO and Founder, SISA Energy

15-Nov

False Creek Energy Centre Site Visit

22-Nov

SRYE facilities visit

29-Nov

Dr. Mohammad Fakoor, Associate and Director of Sustainability, RJC

Course Learning Outcomes

  1. Explain and compare the purpose and function of different building components such as structure, envelope, and mechanical systems.
  2. Apply fundamental principles of thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, and heat transfer, plus the additional knowledge obtained in the course, to calculate a building’s heating and cooling load and predict its energy usage behaviour.
  3. Assess the necessity and effects of compromises and trade-offs on building sustainability measures.
  4. Given a real-world building, specify its energy usage over time by obtaining, estimating, and combining inputs such as effective insulation performance, mechanical systems type and efficiency, and internal and external loads (i.e., lighting, occupants, equipment, solar, etc.).
  5. Model a building energy system and use the result to propose existing or innovative designs (e.g., economizer, heat/energy recovery, or energy storage) to improve energy efficiency (sustainable engineering design project for built environments).
  6. Given a prepared lab setting of typical mechanical systems in teams or pairs, measure laboratory data and interpret the outcome using the knowledge obtained in the course.


Indicative Learning Activities

  • Guest expert(s) from the industry
  • Group assignment on specific topics - research and class presentation
  • Lab experiments and reports
  • Term project – Identify and analyze a real-world building energy simulation.

 Corresponding CEAB Graduate Attributes Achieved in the Course

  • GA 3 Investigation (GAI 3.2)
  • GA 4 Design (GAI 4.4)
  • GA 7 Communication (GAIs 7.2, 7.3, and 7.4)
  • GA 11 Economics and Project Management (GAI 11.2)

Grading

  • Class Participation 10%
  • Labs 20%
  • Pop Quizzes 20%
  • Project 30%
  • Technical Presentations 20%

NOTES:

Grading Scale

Letter Grade

Performance

Numeric Equivalent

% Grade

A+

Excellent

4.33

90 – 100

A

4.00

85 – 89

A-

3.67

80 – 84

B+

Good

3.33

76 – 79

B

3.00

73 – 75

B-

2.67

69 – 72

C+

Satisfactory

2.33

65 – 68

C

2.00

60 – 64

C-

Marginal

1.67

55 – 59

D

1.00

50 – 54

F

Fail

0.00

0 – 49


Workload

Class participation: 10%
  • Attending the lectures and site visits
  • Contribution to class discussions
Labs: 20%
  • 10 computer labs covering IESVE, 1% each (individual)
  • 2 labs with experiments, 5% each
  • Report due is 2 weeks after the lab is conducted (group)
Pop quizzes: 20%
  • 4 pop quizzes, 5% each
  • The questions will be selected from lectures and guest speakers' notes
Project: 30%
  • Group project
  • Due: Friday, December 6th
Technical presentation: 20%
  • Research and present a topic relevant to the course content that is or is not covered in the class
  • The topics must be discussed with me and finalized by November 19th
  • Group presentations on Tuesday, December 3rd

REQUIREMENTS:

  • Late submissions are accepted only up to 48 hours after the deadline, with a 25% penalty per day (1 second after the deadline in counted full day).
  •  
  • You are allowed to miss up to two assessments (pop quiz or lab) with no penalty – this is to allow for life’s unforeseen events.
  • All the missed assessments must be communicated (preferably in advance) with me; otherwise, the assigned mark will be zero.
  • This does not apply to project and lab reports; no participation in those will get you a zero mark.
  • For the missed assessment(s), you will receive your mark from the following similar assessment. If you miss the last assessment in the term, you will receive the average grades in the past assessments.
  • Only one of the two missed assessments can be a pop quiz!
  • If you don’t miss any assessments, the lowest grade from all the course in-class assessments will be dropped for you!
  • If lack of participation in the group assessments (lab reports and project) is reported by more than half of your group members, you will lose a minimum of 50% and up to 100% of that assessment’s mark.

Materials

RECOMMENDED READING:

Multiple sources will be shared with you as needed.

REQUIRED READING NOTES:

Your personalized Course Material list, including digital and physical textbooks, are available through the SFU Bookstore website by simply entering your Computing ID at: shop.sfu.ca/course-materials/my-personalized-course-materials.

Registrar Notes:

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: YOUR WORK, YOUR SUCCESS

SFU’s Academic Integrity website http://www.sfu.ca/students/academicintegrity.html is filled with information on what is meant by academic dishonesty, where you can find resources to help with your studies and the consequences of cheating. Check out the site for more information and videos that help explain the issues in plain English.

Each student is responsible for his or her conduct as it affects the university community. Academic dishonesty, in whatever form, is ultimately destructive of the values of the university. Furthermore, it is unfair and discouraging to the majority of students who pursue their studies honestly. Scholarly integrity is required of all members of the university. http://www.sfu.ca/policies/gazette/student/s10-01.html

RELIGIOUS ACCOMMODATION

Students with a faith background who may need accommodations during the term are encouraged to assess their needs as soon as possible and review the Multifaith religious accommodations website. The page outlines ways they begin working toward an accommodation and ensure solutions can be reached in a timely fashion.