Overview

This specialization is intended for engineers and architects seeking to develop the skills to design efficient and low-carbon solutions for building energy systems of the future. Through three courses, you will learn the engineering foundations of building energy systems, the design of HVAC distribution and delivery systems, and the opportunity to improve energy and emissions performance of buildings as well as their integration into the evolving electric grid powered by renewable energy sources. Upon completion of this specialization, you are prepared to work on the design and analysis of building energy systems within the building construction industry and engage in research and development of novel solutions. Potential employers include architecture and engineering consulting firms, mechanical system manufacturers and design consultants, electrical utilities, real estate developers, construction contractors, and R&D organizations.

Syllabus

Course 1: Engineering Foundation for Building Energy Systems
Course 2: Design of HVAC Distribution and Delivery Systems
Course 3: Electrification of Building Energy Systems

Courses

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1 day 8 hours 11 minutes
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Building energy systems are responsible for moving energy around in buildings through air, water, and refrigerant distribution systems to meet heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) needs of the occupied spaces. This course will train engineers and architects to design these HVAC systems based on the engineering foundation established in the previous course. Students will learn the design objectives dictated by occupant comfort and health, apply engineering principles to heat and mass exchangers, design both air and water distribution systems, and explore alternative methods for providing indoor environmental comfort to occupants.
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1 day 7 hours 8 minutes
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For the past half century, there has been an emphasis on reducing energy consumption in buildings through improvements in equipment and overall building performance, regardless of energy source. While climate sensitive and energy efficient building design remain the first steps, the emphasis has recently shifted to prioritize the elimination of fossil fuels in buildings by favoring renewably-generated electrical sources to address mounting concerns about climate change. In this course, you will explore of emerging trends in building energy system design to address electrification and decarbonization. You will focus on electrically driven vapor compression and heat pump technologies to address heating and cooling needs in building and explore opportunities to integrate buildings into electric grid operations.
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1 day 18 hours 1 minute
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Building energy systems have a profound impact on the human condition, providing a comfortable, healthy, and productive indoor environment for daily life, while being responsible for significant energy, environmental, and economic costs. Buildings must meet increasingly complex objectives to achieve greater electrification and decarbonization and respond to societal needs for affordable housing and changes in the use of commercial buildings. To design effective solutions and analyze their performance, both engineers and architects need to stand on a solid foundation of engineering fundamentals, which this course intends to impart. After reviewing the motivation, history, and trends in building energy system design, you will learn psychrometric applications and analysis, the climate factors that affect building system design, the application of heat transfer to building heat gains and losses, and the calculation of heating and cooling loads that drive the engineering design of building energy systems, covered in subsequent courses.