الري والهندسة المدنية

Course Description

This course introduces the fundamental principles of heat transfer and thermal behavior in buildings. It covers the three modes of heat transfer—conduction, convection, and radiation—and their combined effects in building envelopes such as walls, roofs, and glazing systems.

Students will explore how thermophysical properties of construction materials (thermal conductivity, diffusivity, heat capacity, and density) influence the energy efficiency and comfort performance of buildings. The course emphasizes the physical understanding required to design and evaluate thermally efficient structures, with applications to energy conservation, insulation design, and sustainable building materials.

By the end of the course, students will gain a comprehensive understanding of the thermal mechanisms that govern heat flow within and around buildings, enabling them to apply these principles to analyze, compare, and optimize the thermal performance of construction materials and systems.

Course Objectives

The main objectives of this course are to:

1. Provide a solid foundation in the physics of heat transfer relevant to building applications.

2. Explain the mechanisms of conduction, convection, and radiation and their interactions in building envelopes.

3. Develop the ability to model and analyze thermal behavior in common building elements (walls, roofs, floors, glazing).

4. Introduce and evaluate the thermophysical properties of materials used in construction.

5. Enable students to assess energy performance and identify strategies for thermal improvement and comfort optimization.

6. Promote awareness of energy efficiency and sustainability in material selection and building design.