Syllabus academic year 2009/2010
(Created 2009-08-11.)
URBAN CLIMATE AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OF BUILT ENVIRONMENTABA002

Higher education credits: 6. Grading scale: UG. Level: A (Second level). Language of instruction: The course will be given in English on demand. ABA002 overlap following cours/es: ABA001 och TNA016. Optional for: A4. Course coordinator: Erik Johansson, erik.johansson@hdm.lth.se och Laura Liuke, laura.liuke@hdm.lth.se, Boende och bostadsutveckling. Recommended prerequisits: Basic courses in town planning or similar. The course might be cancelled if the numer of applicants is less than 10. Assessment: Requirements for pass: at least 80% attendance at lectures and supervised exercises and satisfactory completion of assignments. Further information: The course will be held with the minimum of 10 students. Home page: http://www.hdm.lth.se.

Aim
The aim of the course is to deepen the students’ understanding of how the design of the built environment influences the climatic quality of the environment and its sustainable development.

The course aims to develop the students’ ability to develop projects, in a critical, independent and creative manner and using adequate architectural method and synthesis that promote sustainable urban development within a given framework both in Sweden and abroad.

The course aims at creating an ability to apply knowledge about climate aspects in planning and designing the built environment.

Knowledge and understanding
For a passing grade the student must

Skills and abilities
For a passing grade the student must

Judgement and approach
For a passing grade the student must

Contents
The course gives an insight on how the built environment affects thermal comfort in the urban environment taking both Swedish and international conditions into account. The following aspects are included:

- The influence of the built environment on the urban microclimate, especially wind patterns, solar exposure and temperature. Examples are shown from Sweden as well as warm climates such as Morocco and Sri Lanka.

- People’s perception of thermal comfort in urban areas. Examples are shown from Sweden and Europe as well as from cities in warm climates.

- Orientation of how the urban structure influences air quality both in a Swedish and international perspective.

- Tools and models for climate-conscious urban planning and for prediction of the influence of urban design on the microclimate.

Moreover, the course deals with the relationship between urban design and indoor climate and energy use in buildings.

- Orientation about the latest research results regarding thermal comfort in buildings including psychological and cultural aspects. Both Swedish conditions and those of warm climates are discussed.

- Energy-efficient design of buildings in different climates including passive techniques such as solar heating and natural ventilation.

The course structure consists of a theoretical part with lectures that are given parallel to an exercise. The exercise consists of a climatic analysis of an existing built up area and of planning and design of new development.

Literature
Adamson, B, och Åberg, O (1993): Design for climatization: houses in warm-humid areas, Building issues 5:1. Lund: Lund Centre for Habitat Studies. ISSN 1100-9446
Cullen, G (1971): The Concise Townscape. Amsterdam: Architectural Press. ISBN 0-7506-2018-8
Emmanuel, M R (2005): An Urban Approach to Climate-Sensitive Design. London: Spon Press. ISBN 0-415-33410-1
Gehl, J (2001): Life Between Buildings – Using Public Space. Köpenhamn: The Danish Architectural Press.
Givoni, B (1998): Climate Considerations in Building and Urban Design. New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold. ISBN 0-442-00991-7
Glaumann, M (1993): Klimatstudier som underlag för bebyggelseplanering. Gävle: Statens institut för byggnadsforskning. ISBN 91-7111-063-1
Glaumann, M, och Westerberg, U (1988): Klimatplanering Vind. Stockholm: Svensk Byggtjänst 1988. ISBN 91-7332-371-3
Oke, T R (1987): Boundary Layer Climates. London: Routledge. ISBN 0-415-04319-0
Rosenlund, H (2000): Climatic design of buildings using passive techniques, Building issues 10:1. Lund: Housing Development & Management. ISSN 1100-9446
Svensson, M, och Eliasson, I (1997): Grönstrukturens betydelse för stadens ventilation. Rapport 4779. Stockholm: Naturvårdsverket. ISBN 91-620-4779-5
Westerberg, U (2004): Climate and the use of public spaces. In: Built environments and environmental buildings (proc. of the 21st PLEA conf.), Eindhoven, 19-22 September, p. 1179-1184.
Westerberg, U, Lindberg, F, Sandberg, M, och Claesson, L (2004): Windiness in an urban space described with different methods. In: Proceedings of the International Conference on Urban Wind Engineering and Building Aerodynamics, May 5 - 7, Von Karman Institute.