course-details-portlet

AAR4335

Fundamentals of Building Physics

Choose study year

Assessments and mandatory activities may be changed until September 20th.

Credits 7.5
Level Foundation courses, level I
Course start Spring 2026
Duration 1 semester
Language of instruction English and norwegian
Location Trondheim
Examination arrangement School exam

About

About the course

Course content

The course gives an introduction to different topics in building physics such as indoor and outdoor climate, heat transfer including introduction to energy use in buildings, moisture transfer, acoustics and lighting. Theory and simple calculation methods will be introduced and used to evaluate buildings and building constructions against the Norwegian Building Code and other requirements to support the design of sustainable buildings.

Learning outcome

Knowledge: The candidate will acquire knowledge of: - Basic building physical laws which provides the foundation for correct building construction design. - How to find and evaluate materials and components for use in buildings based on their building physical properties. - The properties of common building materials. Skills: The candidate will acquire skills to: - Evaluate the outdoor climate and effect on a building site. - Evaluate the indoor thermal climate and user comfort. - Carry out basic heat transfer calculations in order to find the thermal resistance and transmittance (U-value). - Perform simple building energy simulations. - Perform basic moisture calculations in order to evaluate the moisture properties of building materials and assemblies. - Select building materials and constructions with the right acoustic properties. General competence: At the end of the course the candidate will have competence: - To select proper constructions and materials from technical requirements. - To apply building physics to design sustainable buildings.

Learning methods and activities

Lectures, group works, assignments, and exercises. To be granted access to the exam, it is required that the student submits at least 3 out of 5 tests conducted during the semester. The tests consist of various tasks aimed at preparing students for the exam and promoting a self-assessment of their knowledge levels throughout the semester. The tests are approved upon submission.

In this subject, a temporary exemption from the requirement of Norwegian as the language of instruction has been made due to the lack of access to Norwegian-speaking instructors.

Compulsory assignments

  • Compulsory tests (module 1 - 5 test)

Further on evaluation

The standard form of assessment is a 4-hour written school exam, which accounts for 100% of the final grade.

Postponed exams are usually held during the Summer exam period, typically in mid-August. The department may decide to replace postponed written exams (re-sit exams) with oral exams.

Specific conditions

Admission to a programme of study is required:
Architecture (MAAR)

Required previous knowledge

Matriculated student in the Architecture program at the Faculty of Architecture and Design

Course materials

Recommended books:

J.V. Thue. Bygningsfysikk - Grunnlag. 2016, Fagbokforlaget ISBN: 9788245019940

S. V. Szokolay. Introduction to Architectural Science: The Basis of Sustainable Design. 2014, Taylor & Francis (Routledge) ISBN: 9780415824989 Various Norwegian Standards.

Video lectures, hands out and exercises are provided during the course by the teaching team.

Subject areas

  • Energy- and Environmental Physics
  • Architectural Design, History and Technology
  • Building and construction technology

Contact information

Course coordinator

Lecturers

Department with academic responsibility

Department of Architecture and Technology

Examination

Examination

Examination arrangement: School exam
Grade: Letter grades

Ordinary examination - Spring 2026

School exam
Weighting 100/100 Examination aids Code C Duration 4 hours Exam system Inspera Assessment Place and room Not specified yet.

Re-sit examination - Summer 2026

School exam
Weighting 100/100 Examination aids Code C Duration 4 hours Exam system Inspera Assessment Place and room Not specified yet.