Content

Chapter 1: Application fields of bio-environmental control

1.1. Response of the living organism (human, animal, plant and biological product) to the surrounding climate: definitions; 1.2. Influence of the micro-environment on the living organism: the field of application; 1.3. Basic laws and units

Chapter 2: Psychrometrics

2.1. Variables that quantify humid air; 2.2. Relationship between relative and absolute humidity; 2.3. Phenomenon of cooling; 2.4. Total energy content of humid air; 2.5. Dry bulb temperature, wet bulb temperature and dew point temperature

Chapter 3: Basic laws of heat transfer

3.1. Conduction; 3.2. Convection; 3.3. Radiation

Chapter 4: Steady-state thermal analysis

4.1. Heat transfer through walls; 4.2. Heat transfer through ceilings, glazing and doors; 4.3. Heat transfer through floors on grade

Chapter 5: Steady-state energy and mass balances

5.1. Introduction; 5.2. Sensible heat balance; 5.3. Moisture balance; 5.4. Total heat balance and enthalpy balance; 5.5. Mass balance; 5.6. Expansion; 5.7. Exercises; 5.8. Energy consumption and losses of buildings

Chapter 6: Ventilation

6.1. Introduction; 6.2. Animal housing ventilation; 6.3. Greenhouse ventilation and control; 6.4. Air jets and outlets; 6.5. Ventilation efficiency and cost of ventilation

Chapter 7: Thermal insulation and moisture barrier design

7.1. Introduction; 7.2. Optimum insulation thickness; 7.3. Condensation on wall surfaces

Chapter 8: Occupant-centric building control (OCC)

8.1. Introduction; 8.2. Thermal comfort; 8.3. occupant-centric methodology; 8.4. Indoor CO2 control and air quality; 8.5. Computer vision and machine learning for occupant-centric control (OCC) assistance

Course material

Lecture notes (chapters 1-8): are available in pdf format.

Reference scientific articles (chapter 8): are available in pdf format.

Suggested textbook (chapters 1-7): is available at the KU Leuven Library (Arenberg Campus). Sample pages are available in pdf format upon request.

Albright LD (1990). Environmental Control for Animals and Plants. American Society of Agricultural Engineers (ASAE), St. Joseph, MN, USA. ISBN: 978-0929355085.

Stanfield C, Skaves D (2022) Fundamentals of HVACR. Fourth Ed., Pearson Education Inc., USA. ISBN: 978-0137574612

Format: more information

Blended learning

Combination of online and physical lectures, with emphasis on interaction.

Content

Exercise session 1: Humid air

Exercise session 2: Conduction and convection

Exercise session 3: Heat transfer

Exercise session 4: Heat transfer

Exercise session 5: Energy and Mass Balances

Exercise session 6: Energy and Mass Balances

Exercise session 7: Constant regime analysis of the controller

Exercise session 8: Constant regime analysis of the controller

Course material

Lecture notes (chapters 1-8): are available in pdf format.

Reference scientific articles (chapter 8): are available in pdf format.

Suggested textbook (chapters 1-7): is available at the KU Leuven Library (Arenberg Campus). Sample pages are available in pdf format upon request.

Albright LD (1990). Environmental Control for Animals and Plants. American Society of Agricultural Engineers (ASAE), St. Joseph, MN, USA. ISBN: 978-0929355085.

Stanfield C, Skaves D (2022) Fundamentals of HVACR. Fourth Ed., Pearson Education Inc., USA. ISBN: 978-0137574612

Format: more information

Practice session