Building Technology Fundamentals: Passive Design and Ventilation

Modern architecture demands sustainable, energy-efficient solutions that work in harmony with the natural environment. Understanding how heat, air, and light interact with physical structures is the first step toward designing comfortable, eco-friendly spaces. This text-based course guides you through the fundamental principles of building technology, focusing on passive design strategies and natural environmental control systems. You will transition from learning basic physical concepts to analyzing real-world building performance. What you'll learn: - Understand the core principles of heat transfer, thermal mass, and building thermodynamics. - Analyze passive heating and cooling strategies to minimize reliance on mechanical HVAC systems. - Evaluate natural ventilation techniques using wind-driven and thermally driven airflow principles. - Design effective daylighting configurations while managing glare and unwanted solar heat gain. - Explore modern indoor air quality standards and sustainable materials for climate-resilient construction. The course begins with foundational definitions of thermodynamics and light behavior before moving into detailed written analyses of ventilation, passive solar systems, and modern energy-efficiency metrics. You will study conceptual design scenarios and step-by-step calculation methods to evaluate building performance. This course is designed for beginners in architecture, engineering, or sustainable design, with no prior technical background required. Start building your foundational knowledge of sustainable building science today.