Urban energy and energy efficiency will be placed in context in respect of demographic and social trends in Australia and worldwide, energy delivery economics, greenhouse gas emissions, energy storage, transport systems and the rapidly increasing use of renewable energy and electrical energy storage. Rapid changes are occurring in urban energy systems, driven by falling prices for photovoltaic (PV) systems and storage, and concerns over greenhouse gas emissions. Roof-mounted PV systems are strongly competing with electricity from the grid and with gas for provision of water heating, space heating & cooling, and electrical services. Heat pumps, thermal storage, battery storage, smart electrical energy controllers, energy-efficient appliances and solar-efficient buildings are facilitating a rapid change in energy use patterns in buildings and factories. Electric cars and public transport have the potential rapidly to change urban transport systems and transport energy use patterns.
The course aims to equip students with the theoretical foundation and practical training to apply a range of commercial 3D simulation tools to generate wholesome building energy efficiency reports on the impact of building material choices and building design to the lighting, heating and cooling energy load, roof-top PV power generation potential and battery needs within a complete, integrated package.
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:
- Identify and discuss the current status and development trends in urban energy delivery and energy efficiency in Australia and internationally.
- Explain and evaluate the importance of urban energy and energy efficiency in the context of climate change mitigation.
- Estimate the energy and power requirements for space heating and cooling, water heating, lighting and appliances in domestic and commercial situations.
- Evaluate and compare the embodied energy of different building types, construction methods and materials.
- Assess the energy, environmental and financial implications of urban energy generation including roof-mounted photovoltaic systems and heat pumps, and compare to conventional gas and electricity distribution systems.
- Compare and evaluate energy storage including thermal, battery and remote systems, and understand how tariffs and controllers can modify power demand.
- Discuss changes in urban transport systems, particularly the electrification of land transport, and assess the potential impact of these changes on urban energy systems.
- Contribute effectively and pro-actively as a leader or member of a group to achieve high quality engineering outcomes.
- Engage in independent research and investigation to solve complex or unfamiliar problems.
Field Trips
We may visit buildings on the ANU main campus which are being upgraded as part of the ANU's Below Zero project.
Examination Material or equipment
This will be an open-book final written examination. Students are allowed to make use of non-programmable calculators, the final exam information sheet, online lecture materials, and any other relevant print materials during this examination. Use of electronic devices and communication tools such as mobile phones, tablets, and personal computers is not permitted.
Required Resources
Students will need access to a personal computer on which they can install the System Advisor Model and the OpenStudio software.
Recommended Resources
ANU outlines recommended student system requirements to ensure you are able to participate fully in your learning. Other information is also available about the various Learning Platforms you may use.
Staff Feedback
Students will be given feedback in the following forms in this course:
- written comments
- verbal comments
- feedback to whole class, groups, individuals, focus group etc
Student Feedback
ANU is committed to the demonstration of educational excellence and regularly seeks feedback from students. Students are encouraged to offer feedback directly to their Course Convener or through their College and Course representatives (if applicable). Feedback can also be provided to Course Conveners and teachers via the Student Experience of Learning & Teaching (SELT) feedback program. SELT surveys are confidential and also provide the Colleges and ANU Executive with opportunities to recognise excellent teaching, and opportunities for improvement.
Class Schedule
Week/Session | Summary of Activities | Assessment |
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1 | Lecture 1A: Greenhouse and energy Lecture 1B: Renewable energy Tutorial: OpenStudio:?Installation of OpenStudio, Run baseline model. |
Assignment details released |
2 | Lecture 2A: Balancing Lecture 2B: Urbanisation and urban energyWorkshop questions x 4 Tutorial: OpenStudio: Geometry, Facility, and Space Tabs |
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3 | Lecture 3A: Financial analysis techniques Lecture 3B: Energy efficient buildings 1Workshop questions x 5 Tutorial: OpenStudio: troubleshoot, Measure, Results Summary Tab |
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4 | Lecture 4A: Energy efficient buildings 2Lecture 4B: Energy efficient buildings 3 Tutorial: First assessment introduction?Q&A |
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5 | Lecture 5A: Energy efficient buildings 4 Lecture 5B: Embodied energy 1 Tutorial: OpenStudio: Link Construction Set with Building, Schedule, Add Load |
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6 | Lecture 6A: Embodied energy 2 Lecture 6B: Heat pumps Tutorial: Second assessment introduction?Q&A |
First assignment milestone (10%); Preliminary report 1 (modeling of baseline building with OpenStudio) |
7 | Lecture 7A: Space heating, ventilation & cooling 1Lecture 7B: Space heating, ventilation & cooling 2 Tutorial: In person quiz |
In person quiz??(10%) held during Tutorial |
8 | Lecture 8A: Water heating Lecture 8B: Lighting & appliances Tutorial: OpenStudio: Thermal zone, Add Work Tank |
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9 | Lecture 9A: Roof-mounted PV systems 1 Lecture 9B: Roof-mounted PV Systems 2 Tutorial: OpenStudio: HVAC, Temperature Control, Lighting |
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10 | No Lecture: Labour Day public holiday on Monday Tutorial: System Advisor Model (SAM): 10kW Basic Residential PV System |
Second assignment milestone (10%); Preliminary report 2 (modeling modified building with OpenStudio) |
11 | Lecture 10A: Roof-mounted PV Systems 3Lecture 10B: Roof-mounted PV Systems 4 Tutorial: SAM: Simple Shading,?3D Shading |
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12 | Lecture 11A: Local Storage 1Lecture 11B: Local Storage 2 Tutorial: SAM: Battery |
Assessment Summary
Assessment task | Value | Learning Outcomes |
---|---|---|
First assignment milestone: preliminary report 1 | 10 % | 1,2,3,9 |
In person quiz. | 10 % | 1,2,3,4,5 |
Second assignment milestone: preliminary report 2 | 10 % | 1,2,3,4,5,9 |
Third assignment milestone: final report | 15 % | 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9 |
Written exam | 55 % | 1,2,3,4,5,6,7 |
* If the Due Date and Return of Assessment date are blank, see the Assessment Tab for specific Assessment Task details
Policies
ANU has educational policies, procedures and guidelines , which are designed to ensure that staff and students are aware of the University’s academic standards, and implement them. Students are expected to have read the Academic Integrity Rule before the commencement of their course. Other key policies and guidelines include:
- Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
- Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure
- Extenuating Circumstances Application
- Student Surveys and Evaluations
- Deferred Examinations
- Student Complaint Resolution Policy and Procedure
- Code of practice for teaching and learning
Assessment Requirements
The ANU is using Turnitin to enhance student citation and referencing techniques, and to assess assignment submissions as a component of the University's approach to managing Academic Integrity. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the Academic Skills website. In rare cases where online submission using Turnitin software is not technically possible; or where not using Turnitin software has been justified by the Course Convener and approved by the Associate Dean (Education) on the basis of the teaching model being employed; students shall submit assessment online via ‘Wattle’ outside of Turnitin, or failing that in hard copy, or through a combination of submission methods as approved by the Associate Dean (Education). The submission method is detailed below.
Moderation of Assessment
Marks that are allocated during Semester are to be considered provisional until formalised by the College examiners meeting at the end of each Semester. If appropriate, some moderation of marks might be applied prior to final results being released.
Participation
It is expected that students will attend lectures and tutorials in person. For this course, we will follow a "flipped classroom" philosophy: students are expected to have viewed the relevant pre-recorded lectures slides + audio material available on the Wattle page before each lecture. Each lecture will consist of a question and answer session concerning that material and on-the-board problem solving testing understanding of the same material. These problem-solving sessions will be an excellent preparation for the final oral exam. We will also engage speakers from industry and working in connected research fields to present guest lectures.
Examination(s)
There is an open-book final written exam for this course (see above)
Assessment Task 1
Learning Outcomes: 1,2,3,9
First assignment milestone: preliminary report 1
Preliminary report 1 is the first milestone for the course Assignment where you will model the energy efficiency of a community library building and how it can be improved. In report 1 you will evaluate the energy use of a baseline building model and explore passive design improvements to this baseline model using the open-source software OpenStudio.
Value: 10%
Format: Written report + computer files
Participation: Individual
Assessment Task 2
Learning Outcomes: 1,2,3,4,5
In person quiz.
An in-person quiz will be held during the usual tutorial slot in week 38. You will be asked to solve some problems testing your learning from the course lectures up to this point.
Value: 10%
Format: Written quiz
Participation: individual
Assessment Task 3
Learning Outcomes: 1,2,3,4,5,9
Second assignment milestone: preliminary report 2
Preliminary report 2 is the second milestone for the course Assignment where you will model the energy efficiency of a community library building and how it can be improved. In report 2 you will evaluate efficient heating + ventilation + air conditioning (HVAC) options for the community library building using the open-source software OpenStudio.
Value: 10%
Format: Written report + computer files
Participation: Individual
Assessment Task 4
Learning Outcomes: 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9
Third assignment milestone: final report
The final report is the third milestone for the course Assignment where you will model the energy efficiency of a community library building and how it can be improved. In the final report, you will evaluate options for the community library for onsite energy generation and storage with the System Advisor Model (10%) software. Your final report should incorporate the material from preliminary reports 1 & 2 where you used OpenStudio. You have the option to revise these previous parts for inclusion in your final report. The final report should be less than 3000 words.
Value: 15%
Format: written report + computer files
Participation: Individual
Assessment Task 5
Learning Outcomes: 1,2,3,4,5,6,7
Written exam
Format: 3-hour written examination
Participation: In person
Value: 55%
This will be an open-book examination. Students are allowed to make use of non-programmable calculators, the final exam information sheet, online lecture materials, and any other relevant print materials during this examination. Use of electronic devices and communication tools such as mobile phones, tablets, and personal computers is not permitted.
N.B. in the unlikely event of campus closure due to factors such as the pandemic, the written exam will be hosted online. Students will be provided with Zoom links for online participation.
Academic Integrity
Academic integrity is a core part of the ANU culture as a community of scholars. The University’s students are an integral part of that community. The academic integrity principle commits all students to engage in academic work in ways that are consistent with, and actively support, academic integrity, and to uphold this commitment by behaving honestly, responsibly and ethically, and with respect and fairness, in scholarly practice.
The University expects all staff and students to be familiar with the academic integrity principle, the Academic Integrity Rule 2021, the Policy: Student Academic Integrity and Procedure: Student Academic Integrity, and to uphold high standards of academic integrity to ensure the quality and value of our qualifications.
The Academic Integrity Rule 2021 is a legal document that the University uses to promote academic integrity, and manage breaches of the academic integrity principle. The Policy and Procedure support the Rule by outlining overarching principles, responsibilities and processes. The Academic Integrity Rule 2021 commences on 1 December 2021 and applies to courses commencing on or after that date, as well as to research conduct occurring on or after that date. Prior to this, the Academic Misconduct Rule 2015 applies.
The University commits to assisting all students to understand how to engage in academic work in ways that are consistent with, and actively support academic integrity. All coursework students must complete the online Academic Integrity Module (Epigeum), and Higher Degree Research (HDR) students are required to complete research integrity training. The Academic Integrity website provides information about services available to assist students with their assignments, examinations and other learning activities, as well as understanding and upholding academic integrity.
Online Submission
You will be required to electronically sign a declaration as part of the submission of your assignment. Please keep a copy of the assignment for your records. Unless an exemption has been approved by the Associate Dean (Education) submission must be through Turnitin.
Hardcopy Submission
For some forms of assessment (hand written assignments, art works, laboratory notes, etc.) hard copy submission is appropriate when approved by the Associate Dean (Education). Hard copy submissions must utilise the Assignment Cover Sheet. Please keep a copy of tasks completed for your records.
Late Submission
Individual assessment tasks may or may not allow for late submission. Policy regarding late submission is detailed below:
- Late submission not permitted. If submission of assessment tasks without an extension after the due date is not permitted, a mark of 0 will be awarded.
- Late submission permitted. Late submission of assessment tasks with an extension is penalized at the rate of 2 marks per day and will be marked as 0 if late beyond 5 working days.
Referencing Requirements
The Academic Skills website has information to assist you with your writing and assessments. The website includes information about Academic Integrity including referencing requirements for different disciplines. There is also information on Plagiarism and different ways to use source material. Any use of artificial intelligence must be properly referenced. Failure to properly cite use of Generative AI will be considered a breach of academic integrity.
Returning Assignments
Preliminary reports and quiz - Feedback and grades for these will be available via the Wattle gradebook
Final assessment (final report, written exam) - Marks for these will not be released separately. Feedback will be available at the end of the exam period via the Wattle gradebook.
Extensions and Penalties
Extensions and late submission of assessment pieces are covered by the Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure. Extensions may be granted for assessment pieces that are not examinations or take-home examinations. If you need an extension, you must request an extension in writing on or before the due date. If you have documented and appropriate medical evidence that demonstrates you were not able to request an extension on or before the due date, you may be able to request it after the due date.
Privacy Notice
The ANU has made a number of third party, online, databases available for students to use. Use of each online database is conditional on student end users first agreeing to the database licensor’s terms of service and/or privacy policy. Students should read these carefully. In some cases student end users will be required to register an account with the database licensor and submit personal information, including their: first name; last name; ANU email address; and other information.In cases where student end users are asked to submit ‘content’ to a database, such as an assignment or short answers, the database licensor may only use the student’s ‘content’ in accordance with the terms of service – including any (copyright) licence the student grants to the database licensor. Any personal information or content a student submits may be stored by the licensor, potentially offshore, and will be used to process the database service in accordance with the licensors terms of service and/or privacy policy.
If any student chooses not to agree to the database licensor’s terms of service or privacy policy, the student will not be able to access and use the database. In these circumstances students should contact their lecturer to enquire about alternative arrangements that are available.
Distribution of grades policy
Academic Quality Assurance Committee monitors the performance of students, including attrition, further study and employment rates and grade distribution, and College reports on quality assurance processes for assessment activities, including alignment with national and international disciplinary and interdisciplinary standards, as well as qualification type learning outcomes.
Since first semester 1994, ANU uses a grading scale for all courses. This grading scale is used by all academic areas of the University.
Support for students
The University offers students support through several different services. You may contact the services listed below directly or seek advice from your Course Convener, Student Administrators, or your College and Course representatives (if applicable).
- ANU Health, safety & wellbeing for medical services, counselling, mental health and spiritual support
- ANU Accessibility for students with a disability or ongoing or chronic illness
- ANU Dean of Students for confidential, impartial advice and help to resolve problems between students and the academic or administrative areas of the University
- ANU Academic Skills supports you make your own decisions about how you learn and manage your workload.
- ANU Counselling promotes, supports and enhances mental health and wellbeing within the University student community.
- ANUSA supports and represents all ANU students
Convener
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Research InterestsHualin Zhan is an ACAP fellow (Australian Centre for Advanced Photovoltaics) and a researcher of physics-based machine learning at the ANU. He received his PhD in physics (condensed matter) from the University of Melbourne, Australia. His research interests include innovations of energy materials by physics-based machine learning and biomedical applications, aiming to explore potentially disruptive technologies. |
Dr Hualin Zhan
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Instructor
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Research InterestsHualin Zhan is an ACAP fellow (Australian Centre for Advanced Photovoltaics) and a researcher of physics-based machine learning at the ANU. He received his PhD in physics (condensed matter) from the University of Melbourne, Australia. His research interests include innovations of energy materials by physics-based machine learning and biomedical applications, aiming to explore potentially disruptive technologies. |
Dr Hualin Zhan
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Instructor
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Research InterestsHualin Zhan is an ACAP fellow (Australian Centre for Advanced Photovoltaics) and a researcher of physics-based machine learning at the ANU. He received his PhD in physics (condensed matter) from the University of Melbourne, Australia. His research interests include innovations of energy materials by physics-based machine learning and biomedical applications, aiming to explore potentially disruptive technologies. |
Dr Rabin Basnet
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Tutor
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Research Interests |
Afsaneh Kashizadeh
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