BArch Bachelor of Architecture Environmental Design and Sustainability 2

Question 1

Which HVAC system delivers both heating and cooling through a single pipe and coil unit mounted at the perimeter?

Accepted Answer

Fan coil unit (FCU) system

Answer

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?

Accepted Answer

Transfer heat between exhaust and supply air streams to maintain ventilation efficiency

Answer

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?

Accepted Answer

A building that produces as much energy on-site as it consumes annually

Answer

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?

Accepted Answer

Higher temperatures in urban areas relative to surrounding rural areas due to paved surfaces and waste heat

Answer

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?

Accepted Answer

Solar heat gain coefficient (SHGC)

Answer

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.

BArch Bachelor of Architecture Practice Test

BArch Bachelor of Architecture Practice Test

BArch Bachelor of Architecture Environmental Design and Sustainability 2