Course introduction In 2013 40% of all energy consumed in the U.S. occurred within commercial and residential buildings, with similar rates in most countries. Buildings comprise 70% of all electricity consumption in the U.S., and account for close to 40% of all carbon dioxide emissions. The U.S. building sector alone is responsible for more emissions than any other country except China. As we are faced with volatile energy prices and emerging impacts of climate change, it is imperative that builders and planners have both the quantitative and policy skills needed to understand how best to create energy efficient urban systems.
Course objective The goal of the first half of the course is to develop the conceptual understanding and quantitative analysis skills needed to understand the energy industry and assess the energy impact of the built environment, particularly with respect to electricity use and heating in buildings. While there is no need for prior background in physics or math, emphasis during the first half will be quantitative analysis of energy related topics. The second part of the course will take a closer look at what tools are available for analyzing sustainability related aspects of the built environment, and regulatory and market mechanisms that can motivate change. The final weeks of the course will focus on the application of new skills and understanding. Students will work in small groups to collect data to evaluate an energy issue in our built environment, and develop a socially and economically viable solution.
Course format The course will be composed of lectures and discussions, supplemented by weekly reading. There will be 4-5 homework sets that will be assigned during the first half of the course. While these will be computationally intensive, no prerequisites are necessary.
Contact
Dr. Christian E. Casillas, [email protected]
Course objective The goal of the first half of the course is to develop the conceptual understanding and quantitative analysis skills needed to understand the energy industry and assess the energy impact of the built environment, particularly with respect to electricity use and heating in buildings. While there is no need for prior background in physics or math, emphasis during the first half will be quantitative analysis of energy related topics. The second part of the course will take a closer look at what tools are available for analyzing sustainability related aspects of the built environment, and regulatory and market mechanisms that can motivate change. The final weeks of the course will focus on the application of new skills and understanding. Students will work in small groups to collect data to evaluate an energy issue in our built environment, and develop a socially and economically viable solution.
Course format The course will be composed of lectures and discussions, supplemented by weekly reading. There will be 4-5 homework sets that will be assigned during the first half of the course. While these will be computationally intensive, no prerequisites are necessary.
Contact
Dr. Christian E. Casillas, [email protected]