ARH 440 Building Systems: Mechanical, Electrical & Plumbing

Investigate the critical relationship between energy and the built environment. You will learn to make educated design decisions based on the inter-connectedness of building shape, climate, occupant comfort, thermal envelope, conditioning and lighting systems, acoustics, and building energy consumption. (This course is cross-listed with ARH 605)

Prerequisites: ARH 350 & ARH 430

Course Learning Outcomes

• Articulate the importance of related professional disciplines in the process of design.
• Evaluate and select appropriate mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and acoustical systems for a building.
• Relate systems into building design and construction.
• Make an educated design decision based on their understanding of the inter-connectedness of climate, building shape, occupant comfort, thermal envelope, conditioning systems, lighting systems, acoustics, and whole building energy consumption.

NAAB Criteria

• PC 3 Ecological Knowledge and Responsibility How the program instills in students a holistic understanding of the dynamic between built and natural environments, enabling future architects to mitigate climate change responsibly by leveraging ecological, advanced building performance, adaptation, and resilience principles in their work and advocacy activities.
• SC 1 Health, Safety, Welfare in the Built Environment (understanding) How the program ensures that students understand the impact of the built environment on human health, safety, and welfare at multiple scales, from buildings to cities
• SC 4 Technical Knowledge (understanding) How the program ensures that students understand the established and emerging systems, technologies, and assemblies of building construction, and the methods and criteria architects use to assess those technologies against the design, economics, and performance objectives of projects.
• SC 6 Building Integration (Ability) How the program ensures that students develop the ability to make design decisions within architectural projects while demonstrating integration of building envelope systems and assemblies, structural systems, environmental control systems, life safety systems,
  and the measurable outcomes of building performance.