The Well-Tempered Environment

This course offers an historical perspective on the development of techniques for the management of environmental conditions in buildings. Putting on a sweater, sitting near a hearth, or opening up a window or a door for cross-ventilation are ways that humans interact with architecture. Mechanical systems, including the principles of the trombe wall, passive solar, green roofs, etc. are discussed and evaluated. The idea of buildings as instruments to be tuned and refined is of primary focus. Well-tempered buildings are drawn from across time and from various cultures, while energy modeling software is introduced. Prereq.: ARCH 2326