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Concordia University

Building Engineering Courses

Prerequisite/Corequisite:

Students must be enrolled in an MEng program offered by the Department of Building, Civil and Environmental Engineering.

Description:

MEng students attend a set of seminars identified by the Department.

Component(s):

Lecture

Notes:


  • This course cannot be taken by MASc or PhD students.
  • This course is equivalent to BCEE 6961. Students who have completed BCEE 6961 cannot take this course for credit.

Description:

Building components and assembled systems. Structural efficiency and economy: rigid frames, shear walls, framed tube, latticed structures; membrane, air and cable supported structures. Selection and preliminary design of building structural systems, materials and components. Case studies.

Component(s):

Lecture

Description:

Atmospheric circulations; atmospheric boundary layer; wind structure; wind speed and turbulence measurements; bluff body aerodynamics; mean and fluctuating wind forces on buildings; internal wind pressures; along-wind, across-wind and torsional building response to wind; snow drifting and accumulation problems; dispersion of gaseous pollutants. A case study or a project is required.

Component(s):

Lecture

Description:

This course introduces the topic of smart buildings operation, with emphasis on HVAC and lighting systems. Basic concepts of building operation dynamics are presented, including analytical and numerical methods to model the thermal response of buildings to weather conditions and user loads. An overview of the structure of building automation systems (BAS) and building energy management systems (BEMS) is presented. The role of utility fee structures is presented, along with the concept of building-grid interaction and energy flexibility. Finally, a brief introduction to occupants' behaviour considerations, and applications of artificial intelligence techniques are presented. A project is required.

Component(s):

Lecture

This is a cross-listed course.

Description:

Introduction to artificial intelligence techniques in an engineering context; heuristic search methods, logical reasoning, knowledge-based systems, neural networks, genetics algorithms, and case-based reasoning. Algorithmic versus knowledge-based programming for engineering applications. Emphasis on knowledge-based systems and their characteristics, capabilities and limitations. Case studies in design, failure diagnosis and processing of standards. A project is required.

Component(s):

Lecture

Description:

Topics include introduction to Building Information Modelling (BIM) technologies; BIM implementation at different project stages - pre-construction, construction, and facility management; BIM-Aided design alternatives, constructability analysis, and development of space-time-cost models; BIM visualization for trade coordination and processes monitoring. A project is required.

Component(s):

Lecture

Notes:


  • This is a cross-listed course. Students who have completed BLDG 480 and the same topic under BLDG 498 may not take this course for credit.

Description:

Two- and three-dimensional steady-state and transient conductive heat transfer together with convection and radiation is studied as applied to building materials, geometries and orientation. Heating and cooling load analyses are carried out including the effects of building envelope type, construction type, solar radiation, wind speed, and daily load variations. Thermal load analysis is modelled using computer applications. A project is required.

Component(s):

Lecture

Notes:



  • This course is equivalent to BLDG 476. Students who have received credit for BLDG 476 may not take this course for credit.

Description:

Development of economic performance measures of interest to developers, owners, contractors and users. Sources of finance and the determinants of the cost of money. Elementary estimating; cost indices; forecasting techniques; value of money; economic comparison techniques; evaluation of projects in private and public sectors; tax regulations; inflation; life-cycle costing; risk analysis; non-economic attributes. Case studies of economic analysis of projects, single building and building components. A project is required.

Component(s):

Lecture

Notes:


  • Students who have received credit for ENGR 301 may not take this course for credit.

Description:

Introduction to managing the development, design and construction of buildings. Examination of project management for the total development process, including inter-relationships between owners, developers, financing sources, designers, contractors and users; methods of project delivery; introduction to planning and scheduling; role and tasks of the project manager; feasibility analyses; construction claims; financing and cash-flow analysis; government regulations; environmental and social constraints; introduction to control of cost, time and technical performance; human factors; computer applications. A project is required.

Component(s):

Lecture

Description:

Development of a basic theory of decision making under uncertainty. Rationales of decision makers, utility, the concept of the value of perfect information. The Bayesian approach to decision making; pre-posterior analysis and optimal fixed-sized analysis for random processes. Decision analysis with multiple objective, structuring the problem, multi-attributed utility functions, case studies. A project is required.

Component(s):

Lecture

Prerequisite/Corequisite:

The following course must be completed previously: BLDG 6611.

Description:

Schematic and detail design of walls, windows and roofs. Complex building types will be examined to show the relationships between massing, materials, energy conservation and building use. Solar shading, daylighting, rainscreen and air barrier principles will be emphasized. A project is required.

Component(s):

Lecture

Notes:


  • Students who have completed BLDG 463 may not take this course for credit.

Description:

Environmental exterior and interior influences on inner environmental control. Topics include: thermal energy exchanges, psychrometrics, vapour and fluid flow, air leakage, ventilation and design comfort conditions, selection of materials and building systems. A case study or a project is required.

Component(s):

Lecture

Notes:



  • Students who have completed BLDG 365 may not take this course for credit.

Description:

The mechanical, thermal and hygrothermal properties of non-traditional building materials are discussed, such as: plastics, fibres, adhesives, sealants and coatings, plastic cellular foams, sandwich panels, composites, polymer and fibre-reinforced mortars, polymer and polymer composite membranes, water resistive membrane and air and vapour control barriers. The degradation of materials is introduced including the effects of actions due to corrosion, biological agents, heat and solar radiation, and thermal dilation. The application of materials and building products in buildings is demonstrated through the use of specifications, their performance assessment by testing, and relation to the building code. A project is required.

Component(s):

Lecture; Reading

Notes:


  • This course is cross-listed with BLDG 462. Students who have completed BLDG 462 cannot take this course for credit.

Description:

Concepts underlying the long-term performance of traditional and non-traditional building materials are discussed. Traditional materials covered include: wood and wood-based products, stone, tile and brick masonry, stucco, concretes, steel and selected mortar and concrete composite materials. Nontraditional materials covered include sealants and coatings, plastic foam, glass and mineral fibre insulation products, polymer-based membranes used for waterproofing, air and vapour control barriers. Failure mechanisms under combined actions of mechanical and environmental loads (temperature, moisture, freezethaw, solar radiation, salt solutions, and biological agents) are introduced. A project is required.

Notes:


  • Students who have completed BLDG 7601 may not take this course for credit.

Description:

Systems approach to planning, organization and implementation of a facility, including space allocation, leasing and marketing, operation, maintenance, and renovation over the life of the building. Forecast of budget requirements for effective operation, maintenance, and renovation. Correlation between the operation of the building and health risks, comfort, productivity, and costs. Integrated approach to the planning, analysis, evaluation, organization and optimization of physical systems of facilities. Case studies.

Component(s):

Lecture

Notes:


  • This course is cross-listed with BLDG 481. Students who have completed BLDG 481 or the same topic under BLDG 498 may not take this course for credit.

Description:

This course covers fundamentals of modular and off-site construction (MOC). The MOC design strategic and operational planning, continuous improvement, just-in-time production, “pull” philosophy, value stream mapping (VSM), 5S (Standardize, Sort, Shine,Sustain, and Straighten) and the visual workplace are discussed in terms of productivity improvement. The physical demand assessment and management using ergonomic posture assessment techniques is introduced for the development of workplace design and factory layout in timely completion of MOC without sacrificing safety. A project is required.

Component(s):

Lecture

Prerequisite/Corequisite:

The following course must be completed previously: BLDG 6611.

Description:

Topics treated include: fire and smoke control; failure mechanisms of building enclosure, illustrated by case studies; performance codes for enclosure systems; enclosure design for extreme operation environments. A project is required.

Component(s):

Lecture

Notes:


  • This course is cross-listed with undergraduate course BLDG 465. Students who have completed BLDG 465 may not take this course for credit.

Prerequisite/Corequisite:

The following course must be completed previously or concurrently: BLDG 6611.

Description:

This course covers modelling of dynamic building envelope thermal performance including thermal bridges, modelling of transient moisture transfer, condensation and accumulation. Strategies for heat and moisture control such as advanced glazings and active building envelope components are analyzed. Experimental techniques for performance evaluation of the building envelope including infrared thermography, guarded hot box and calibrated hot box tests are introduced. A project is required.

Component(s):

Lecture

Description:

Failures in building envelopes. Modes of deterioration including freeze-thaw, chemical, movements. Diagnostics and investigation techniques including field survey instruments. Assessment of intervention magnitude and performance of proposed solutions. Codes, standards and regulations. Case studies.

Component(s):

Lecture

Notes:


  • This course is cross-listed with BLDG 484. Students who have completed BLDG 484 or the same topic under BLDG 498 may not take this course for credit.

Description:

Design criteria of indoor environment. Assessment of thermal comfort and sensation. Mathematical models of thermal comfort: predictive models and adaptive models. Prediction of thermal sensation using: computer simulation, and measurements with thermal comfort meter. Verification of compliance with standards. Visual comfort. Standards for quality of visual environment. Calculation of photometric parameters. Preliminary design of the indoor lighting system. Evaluation of illuminance level using commercially available software packages. Acoustical comfort. Standards for quality of acoustical environment. Sound control measures through the design of buildings and HVAC systems. Two projects.

Component(s):

Lecture

Prerequisite/Corequisite:

The following course must be completed previously or concurrently: BLDG 6701.

Description:

HVAC Systems. Analysis, selection and operation; design of air and water distribution systems in buildings; waste water disposal and sprinkler systems. A project is required.

Component(s):

Lecture

Description:

An understanding of sound and an examination of the major factors which contribute to a controlled acoustic environment in buildings. Topics covered include: basic vibration, sources, measurement and description of environmental noise, psychological and physiological aspects of sound perception; sound transmission through building elements; reverberation, measurement and control; and room acoustics. Case studies and a project are required.

Component(s):

Lecture

Notes:


  • This course is cross-listed with undergraduate course BLDG 473. Students who have completed BLDG 473 may not take this course for credit.

Description:

Radiative transfer in enclosures, quantitative and qualitative aspects of illumination systems are introduced. Photometric parameters, visual perception and colour theory concepts, lighting standards, daylight and artificial illumination systems are presented. An overview of lighting systems and their design for improved energy efficiency is given. Design of advanced fenestration systems for daylighting, including motorized shading and semi-transparent photovoltaics is presented. High-performance building case studies are presented. Computer simulation techniques and software for lighting and daylighting are introduced.. A project is required.

Component(s):

Lecture

Notes:


  • This course is cross-listed with undergraduate course BLDG 474. Students who have completed BLDG 474 may not take this course for credit.

Description:

HVAC control loops: classification and structure, specifications, hardware, tuning and testing. Optimization of single- and multi-loop control systems. Energy management systems for monitoring, control and diagnostics of HVAC system operation. A project is required.

Description:

History and development of indoor air science. Relevant national and provincial standards and regulations. Principles of occupational hygiene; identification, evaluation and control of physical, biological, and chemical agents in indoor environment. Ventilation requirements. Definition of ventilation efficiency and removal effectiveness; measurement techniques and modelling. Indoor air monitoring; field studies of gases, fumes, solvents, and dusts. Plan for building walkthrough evaluations; strategies for improving indoor air quality. Building design for acceptable indoor air quality, material selection and specification. A case study or project.

Component(s):

Lecture

Notes:


  • This course is cross-listed with undergraduate course BLDG 475. Students who have completed BLDG 475 may not take this course for credit.

Description:

Issues related to the Intelligent Building; automation, communication and security. Mechanical, electrical, electronic subsystems and their integration within the building; configuration and operational characteristics; performance specifications; analytical models; design methods; case studies. A project is required.

Component(s):

Lecture

Prerequisite/Corequisite:

The following course must be completed previously or concurrently: BLDG 6611.

Description:

Energy-related standards, codes and by-laws. Methods of assessment of the actual energy performance. Conventional and innovative measurement and analysis techniques. Energy-oriented renovation or replacement of building sub-systems (e.g. HVAC and lighting systems). Prediction of energy and cost savings using commercially available software packages. Verification of compliance with standards. Life cycle analysis. A case study and project.

Component(s):

Lecture

Notes:


  • This course is cross-listed with undergraduate course BLDG 472. Students who have completed BLDG 472 may not take this course for credit.

Prerequisite/Corequisite:

The following course must be completed previously: BLDG 6611.

Description:

Mathematical models of heat and mass transfer phenomena through building components: transfer function methods and numerical methods. Models of radiative and convective heat transfer phenomena within buildings. Application to equipment-based modelling of HVAC systems: first principle models and correlation-based models. System-based modelling of HVAC systems. Validation of computer models. A project is required.

Component(s):

Lecture

Prerequisite/Corequisite:

The following course must be completed previously: BLDG 6571.

Description:

Methods of delivering construction. Contractual relationships and organizational structures. Phases of project development. Estimating resource requirements; costs and durations. Bidding strategies. Network analysis using CPM and PERT, time-cost trade-off, resource allocation. Cash flow analysis. Earned-value concept for integrated time and cost control. Quality control. Value engineering. A case study and project.

Component(s):

Lecture

Notes:


  • This course is cross-listed with undergraduate course BCEE 465. Students who have completed BCEE 465 may not take this course for credit.

Description:

The study of labour legislation with special emphasis on the construction industry, union organization, the theory and practice of negotiations, mediation, contract administration and arbitration. Review of actual contracts, discussion of future trends. Case studies.

Component(s):

Lecture

Notes:


  • This course is cross-listed with undergraduate course BCEE 491. Students who have completed BCEE 491 may not take this course for credit.

Description:

Legal concepts and processes applicable to the development of constructed facilities and to the operation of the construction firm. Emphasis on Quebec law and institutions. Case studies.

Component(s):

Lecture

Notes:


  • This course is cross-listed with undergraduate course BCEE 493. Students who have completed BCEE 493 may not take this course for credit.

Description:

A study of current construction methods and techniques. The subjects include wood framing, masonry, concrete forming, slipforming, precast construction, industrialized building, deep excavation shoring and underpinning. The methods are described in terms of materials involved, equipment required, current field practice and safety considerations. Case studies.

Component(s):

Lecture

Notes:


  • This course is cross-listed with undergraduate course BCEE 492. Students who have completed BCEE 492 may not take this course for credit.

Description:

Techniques and procedures used for estimating cost of construction projects. Topics include: cost estimation process; elements of project cost; conceptual and detailed cost estimation methods; risk assessment and range estimating; case studies; computer-aided estimating. A project is required.

Component(s):

Lecture

Notes:


  • This course is cross-listed with undergraduate course BCEE 464. Students who have completed BCEE 464 may not take this course for credit.

Prerequisite/Corequisite:

The following course must be completed previously: BLDG 6831.

Description:

Principles of modelling and simulation. Classification and validation of simulation models. Analysis of input data and outputs. Object Oriented Simulation (OOS). Simulation languages. Application of discrete event simulation in construction operations including earthmoving operations, building construction operations, and tunneling operations. A project is required.

Component(s):

Lecture

Notes:


  • This course is cross-listed with BCEE 466. Students who have completed BCEE 466 may not take this course for credit.

Component(s):

Lecture

Notes:


  • Students may re-register for this course, providing that the course content has changed. Changes in content will be indicated by changes to the course title in the graduate class schedule.

Description:

State of Canadian urban infrastructure with a focus on underground facilities; current industry practice; common types of defects in underground pipes; diagnostics of defects and evaluation techniques for the conditions of water and sewer mains; planning, equipment, materials and methods for rehabilitation of water and sewer mains; case studies.

Component(s):

Lecture

Prerequisite/Corequisite:

The following course must be completed previously: BLDG 6611. If prerequisites are not satisfied, permission of instructor is required.

Description:

Design principles of solar buildings, including direct gain, indirect gain and solaria are introduced. Numerical and analytical modelling of net-zero energy solar buildings are presented. Key technologies for solar buildings are presented, including advanced fenestration systems and control of solar gains, building-integrated photovoltaic systems, thermal storage systems, solar thermal collectors and integrated energy systems that combine these technologies to achieve net-zero energy performance. Major case studies of advanced net-zero energy buildings and solar demonstration projects are presented. A project is required.

Component(s):

Lecture

Notes:


  • This is a cross-listed course. Students who have completed the same topic under BLDG 498 may not take this course for credit.

Prerequisite/Corequisite:

The following course must be completed previously: BLDG 6611.

Description:

Atmospheric parameters, wind velocity profiles, meteorological data. Gaussian dispersion equations. Plume rise and trajectories. Evaluation of stack gas plume dispersion. Trapped plumes; Turner’s approximation. Potential reingestion of building exhaust. Analytical, numerical and experimental modelling of dispersion process; design guidelines fumigation. A case study or a project is required.

Component(s):

Lecture

Prerequisite/Corequisite:

The following courses must be completed previously: BLDG 6601 and BLDG 6711.

Description:

Compatibility among building subsystems (structural, envelope, mechanical, lighting, materials) and between the building and the environment. Integration issues in the design, production and operation of the built facility. Case studies of failures caused by lack of compatibility. Consideration for tolerances and sustainable development. A project is required.

Component(s):

Lecture

Prerequisite/Corequisite:

The following course must be completed previously: BLDG 6231.

Description:

Characteristics of the building design process. Traditional versus emerging roles of computers pertaining to building design activities. Preliminary design and integrated design issues: analysis with incomplete/imprecise data, automatic sizing and checking based on Standards, interfaces between CAD and analysis routines, communications across disciplines and through design stages, standardization. Applications involving operations research techniques, KBS and analysis packages for engineering performance evaluation. A project is required.

Component(s):

Lecture

Prerequisite/Corequisite:

The following courses must be completed previously: BLDG 6571.

Description:

This course focuses on techniques and procedures used for construction project and control. The course topics mainly include trends and practices in competitive bidding, project configuration and contract packages, and procurement. Practical techniques for integrated time and cost control, trending and forecasting, and contingency and escalation analysis are introduced and discussed. Procurement and productivity measurement and modeling are reviewed. A project is required.

Component(s):

Lecture

Prerequisite/Corequisite:

The following courses must be completed previously: BLDG 6561; BLDG 6581.

Description:

Topics include: replacement analysis; risk analysis of projects; sensitivity analysis; forecasting techniques, profitability analysis; multi-attributed decision analysis, case studies. A project is required.

Component(s):

Lecture

Prerequisite/Corequisite:

The following course must be completed previously: BLDG 7811.

Description:

Use of computers in estimating, cost engineering, scheduling and resource analyses, materials control, report generation and operations simulation. Information systems: information-based theories of management; information technology, cost and value information; analysis, design and implementation of a network based control system. Considerations for computer usage in construction firms; hardware, software, operations, economic, human and organizational. Product and process modelling; Internet use in product delivery. A project is required.

Component(s):

Lecture

Prerequisite/Corequisite:

The following course must be completed previously: BLDG 6801.

Description:

A study of business practices as they relate to the construction industry. Topics treated include: organization; marketing; bid preparation; bonding; personnel management; financing; accounting; cash-flow analysis; capital budgeting. The principles are first presented and then followed by case studies. A project is required.

Component(s):

Lecture

Prerequisite/Corequisite:

The following course must be completed previously: BLDG 6561.

Description:

The study of various classes of equipment, (cranes, excavators, loaders, tractors, etc.) used in construction. Methods are developed for selecting, acquiring, maintaining and replacing equipment. Treatment of simulation and its use for the optimal selection of equipment spreads. A project is required.

Component(s):

Lecture; Reading

Description:

Subject matter will vary from term to term and from year to year.

Notes:


  • Students may re-register for this course, providing that the course content has changed. Changes in content will be indicated by changes to the course title in the graduate class schedule.
 
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