BArch Bachelor of Architecture Environmental Design and Sustainability 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which HVAC system delivers both heating and cooling through a single pipe and coil unit mounted at the perimeter?
- Variable air volume (VAV) system
- Fan coil unit (FCU) system (Correct answer)
- Radiant floor heating system
- Chilled beam system
Correct answer: Fan coil unit (FCU) system
Fan coil units receive chilled or hot water from central plants and recirculate room air through the coil, making them common in hotels and apartment buildings.
Question 2: What is the purpose of a heat recovery ventilator (HRV) in a tight building envelope?
- Generate electricity from waste heat
- Transfer heat between exhaust and supply air streams to maintain ventilation efficiency (Correct answer)
- Store thermal energy in phase-change materials
- Filter particulate matter from incoming air
Correct answer: Transfer heat between exhaust and supply air streams to maintain ventilation efficiency
An HRV recovers heat from stale exhaust air and transfers it to incoming fresh air, maintaining indoor air quality without losing the energy invested in conditioning.
Question 3: In sustainable design, what does 'net-zero energy building' mean?
- A building that uses no energy at all
- A building that produces as much energy on-site as it consumes annually (Correct answer)
- A building with no mechanical systems
- A building that exports more energy than it uses every day
Correct answer: A building that produces as much energy on-site as it consumes annually
A net-zero energy building balances its total annual energy consumption with renewable energy generated on-site, typically via photovoltaic panels.
Question 4: What is the 'urban heat island' effect?
- Increased humidity in coastal cities
- Higher temperatures in urban areas relative to surrounding rural areas due to paved surfaces and waste heat (Correct answer)
- Frost accumulation around HVAC equipment
- Localized flooding from impervious surfaces
Correct answer: Higher temperatures in urban areas relative to surrounding rural areas due to paved surfaces and waste heat
Urban heat islands form because dark paved surfaces absorb solar radiation and buildings emit waste heat, raising city temperatures several degrees above rural areas.
Question 5: Which glazing property measures the fraction of solar radiation transmitted through a window?
- U-factor
- Solar heat gain coefficient (SHGC) (Correct answer)
- Visible transmittance (VT)
- Air leakage rate
Correct answer: Solar heat gain coefficient (SHGC)
The solar heat gain coefficient (SHGC) indicates the fraction of incident solar radiation admitted through a window, both directly transmitted and absorbed then re-emitted inward.
Question 6: Which strategy best describes 'biophilic design' in architecture?
- Using only bio-based (natural) building materials
- Integrating nature, natural light, and organic forms to strengthen occupant connection to the natural world (Correct answer)
- Designing buildings that mimic animal habitats
- Installing rooftop gardens exclusively
Correct answer: Integrating nature, natural light, and organic forms to strengthen occupant connection to the natural world
Biophilic design incorporates natural elements — plants, water features, daylight, views, and organic patterns — to fulfill humans' innate need to connect with nature and improve well-being.
BArch Bachelor of Architecture Environmental Design and Sustainability 2
Which HVAC system delivers both heating and cooling through a single pipe and coil unit mounted at the perimeter?