BArch Bachelor of Architecture Environmental Systems & Sustainability

Question 1

In HVAC design, what does the term 'psychrometric chart' help engineers determine?

Accepted Answer

Properties of air-water vapor mixtures including temperature, humidity, and enthalpy

Answer

Structural loads imposed by mechanical equipment

Answer

Duct sizing based on airflow velocity

Answer

Refrigerant pressure-temperature relationships

Question 2

What does 'daylighting' in architectural design primarily aim to achieve?

Accepted Answer

Use natural light from the sky to illuminate building interiors, reducing electric lighting energy use

Answer

Maximize views to the outdoors from every workspace

Answer

Eliminate all artificial lighting from commercial buildings

Answer

Ensure sunlight reaches all rooms for one hour per day

Question 3

What is the primary purpose of a building's 'thermal mass' in passive solar design?

Accepted Answer

Absorb heat during the day and release it slowly at night to moderate temperature swings

Answer

Increase the building's insulation value per inch

Answer

Reduce solar heat gain through the roof

Answer

Provide structural stability against seismic forces

Question 4

In mechanical systems, what does a VAV (Variable Air Volume) system control to match heating and cooling loads?

Accepted Answer

The volume of conditioned air delivered to each zone while maintaining constant supply air temperature

Answer

The supply air temperature while keeping airflow constant

Answer

The refrigerant flow rate in the chiller

Answer

The speed of the cooling tower fan only

Question 5

In architectural acoustics, what does the 'reverberation time' (RT60) measure?

Accepted Answer

Time for sound to decay 60 dB after the source stops

Answer

The delay between direct and reflected sound in milliseconds

Answer

Maximum allowable background noise level in a space

Answer

Speed of sound transmission through a partition

Question 6

What does the Energy Use Intensity (EUI) metric measure for a building?

Accepted Answer

Energy consumed per square foot of floor area per year (kBtu/sf/yr)

Answer

Peak electrical demand in kilowatts

Answer

Percentage of energy from renewable sources

Answer

Cost per kWh of electricity consumed