AREN 3050

AREN 3130

AREN 4110

AREN 4317

CVEN 5010

CVEN 5070

CVEN 5080

During my tenure at the University of Colorado, I have taught courses from fundamental thermodynamics and heat transfer to HVAC control systems. The following list gives general descriptions of the courses. Most have links to dedicated websites.

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AREN 2110 Thermodynamics

Thermodynamics is the study of energy conversion and transfer. This course focuses on classical thermodynamics with applications to civil, environmental, and architectural engineering issues. It has been many years since I taught this course at CU. I have also taught a customized version, including a laboratory, as a Visiting Professor at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, NY.

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AREN 3010 Thermal Comfort in Buildings

Lecture course on the basic design of buildings and their systems to satisfy the requirements for a comfortable and healthy indoor environment. Topics include the application of thermodynamics, fluid dynamics, and heat and mass transfer in providing comfort.

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AREN 3050 Environmental Systems for Buildings 1

This course introduces the operation and design of building systems for providing a comfortable, healthy, and productive indoor environment. Major topics include indoor environmental quality, heat and moisture in buildings, and the mechanical systems for environmental control. Subsequent course (AREN 3060) addresses life safety, electrical systems, illumination, acoustics, and vertical transportation. For non-engineering majors.

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AREN 3130 Building Energy Laboratory

This course will give you "hands-on" experience with building energy systems and expose you to the fundamentals of measurements, instrumentation, data acquisiton, and data analysis. Our measurements and experiments will allow evaluation of building construction material, building heating and cooling loads, fans, pumps, heat and mass exchangers, and solar energy devices, among others. This semester, the main context for the course will be the CU Solar Decathlon house, but the fundamental principles will apply to any building energy analysis. Through these systems, the basic principles of thermodynamics, fluid dynamics, and heat transfer will be demonstrated and analyzed. You are also likely to further develop your ability to recognize and rationalize the differences between academic theory and the real world.

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AREN 4110 HVAC Design

The overall objective of this course is to prepare students for professional practice in the area of mechanical system design for commercial buildings. Upon completion of the course, students will possess the skills to calculate heating, cooling, and ventilation requirements, design and evaluate air and water distribution systems, and design and evaluate central plants and distributed air handlers.

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AREN 4317 Architectural Engineering Design

The objective of this course is to provide a capstone design experience in Architectural Engineering. The objective will be met through the complete and integrated engineering design of a modest commercial building. The building design process will be followed through conceptual design, schematic design, and design development. Students will work in small teams with members working on all aspects of architectural engineering design, including structural, HVAC, electrical, plumbing, and lighting. Students will also evaluate the architectural design in the context of life safety and acoustic considerations. Final submissions will be professional-quality design documents.

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CVEN 5010 HVAC Control Systems

Proper control of building energy systems is crucial for maintaining occupant comfort with minimal energy consumption. This course treats the design and analysis of building energy control systems from both theoretical and practical perspectives. Consideration of analog and digital control theory and building energy control hardware leads to specific applications for control of building energy systems.

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CVEN 5070 Thermal Analysis of Buildings

Lecture/discussion course on the analysis of dynamic heating and cooling requirements in buildings and building systems. The course develops the mathematical foundation for heat and mass transfer analysis using finite difference, analytical, and transfer function-based methods of analysis. Methods are developed for modeling the transient heat and mass transfer and storage in building elements, radiative exchange within buildings, ground coupling, and interactions of solar radiation with buildings. Students apply the methods using state-of-the-art dynamic building simulation programs.

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CVEN 5080 Computer Simulation of Building Energy Systems

Graduate lecture course on the modeling and analysis of building energy systems using computer simulation tools. The course draws on undergraduate topics in thermodynamics, heat transfer, and fluid dynamics to describe the thermal interactions in buildings and the performance of mechanical equipment used to maintain a comfortable and healthy indoor environment. Topics include steady state modeling of mechanical equipment (e.g., pumps, fans, heat exchangers, chillers), dynamic simulation of heating and cooling loads in buildings, integration of equipment and building loads in simulation of complete building systems, and modeling of fluid systems in buildings.

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CVEN 5110 HVAC Design

Same as AREN 4110.

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CVEN 5830 Special Topics: Green Building Design

Design course on the engineering of sustainable buildings. The objective of this course is to produce an integrated engineering design for a small commercial building that minimizes energy use and environmental impact while providing a comfortable, healthy, and productive indoor environment. Topics include the analysis of passive heating, cooling, and ventilating systems, renewable energy mechanical and electrical systems, and indoor environmental quality.

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CVEN 5830 Special Topics: Building Energy Systems

Lecture course on the analysis of buildings and their systems to satisfy the requirements for a comfortable, healthy, and productive indoor environment. The course focuses on the application of physics, electrical circuits, thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, and heat transfer for the design and analysis of energy efficient buildings. Topics include indoor environmental quality, solar energy, building thermal analysis, building electrical systems, and lighting analysis. First piloted in Fall 2006, this course is expected to be a required regular course for Buidling Systems Program students.

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