Course detail

Thermal Performance of Buildings

FAST-BHA056-AAcad. year: 2026/2027

The course focuses on the calculations of the issues related with the thermal performance of the buidling envelope a structures and their evaluation from the perspective of meeting current requirements based on the national standards.

Language of instruction

English

Number of ECTS credits

4

Mode of study

Not applicable.

Guarantor

prof. Ing. Milan Ostrý, Ph.D.

Department

Institute of Building Structures (PST)

Offered to foreign students

Of all faculties

Entry knowledge

Not applicable.

Rules for evaluation and completion of the course

Not applicable.

Aims

Not applicable.

Study aids

Not applicable.

Prerequisites and corequisites

Not applicable.

Basic literature

HENS, Hugo S. L. C. Building Physics - Heat, Air and Moisture. Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH, 2017. 348 p. ISBN 978343303197 (EN)

Recommended reading

Directive (EU) 2024/1275 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 April 2024 on the energy performance of buildings (EN)

Classification of course in study plans

  • Programme BPA-SIS Bachelor's 2 year of study, winter semester, compulsory, fundamental theoretical courses of the profile core

Type of course unit

 

Lecture

13 hours, optionally

Teacher / Lecturer

prof. Ing. Milan Ostrý, Ph.D.

Syllabus

  1. Introduction, historical development, overview of related laws, acts and standards.
  2. Heat transfer, thermal properties of building materials, sources of values, definition of thermal comfort.
  3. Boundary conditions for calculations, definition of temperature steady-state, thermal resistance.
  4. Thermal transmittance - calculation for one-dimensional heat tranfes, evaluation, influence of reflective properties of materials.
  5. Thermal transmittance of the openings. Average thermal transmittance of the building envelope, protocol for the partial energy performance certificate.
  6. Calculation of the thermal transmittance for two-dimensional heat transfer, thermal bridges, linear and point thermal transmittance.
  7. Temperature profile in building structures under temperature steady-state, lowest internal surface temperature of the structure, internal surface temperature factor.
  8. Moisture transmission through the structures, determination of the condensation area in the structure, annual amount of condensation and evaporation inside structures.
  9. Unsteady temperature conditions, temperature attenuation, drop in body surface temperature in contact with floor.
  10. Thermal stability of rooms during summer and winter, definition of the critical room, evaluation.
  11. Thermal energy storage – principles, technical solutions
  12. Air permeability of the building envelope, measurement of air tightness, diagnostics of building structures from the point of view of air tightness of the building envelope.
  13. Methods for increasing the energy efficiency of the building envelope.

Exercise

26 hours, compulsory

Teacher / Lecturer

prof. Ing. Milan Ostrý, Ph.D.

Syllabus

  1. Introduction, recommended literature, assignment of structures and buildings, conditions for awarding credit
  2. Calculation of thermal resistance and thermal transmittance - assessment of all assigned existing structures
  3. Design of new structures and design of insulation of existing structures to recommended values ​​for passive houses. Drawing of the insulated building, drawing of new compositions of the structures.
  4. Calculation of the thermal transmittance of the insulated structures using a selected SW tool.
  5. Calculation of the thermal transmittance of the openings.
  6. Calculation of the average thermal transmittance of the building envelope.
  7. Calculation of the thermal transmittance of the wall of the wooden structure using selected SW tool.
  8. Calculation of the linear thermal transmittance of a selected detail including assessment using SW tool.
  9. Calculation of the internal surface temperature of structures and internal surface temperature factor.
  10. Numerical and graphical solution of the temperature profile of the specified structures under a steady temperature condition. Determination of the condensation area in the selected structure. Calculation of the annual amount of condensation and evaporation inside structures.
  11. Calculation and assessment of the drop in body surface temperature in contact with floor.
  12. Calculation and assessment of the thermal stability of rooms in summer and winter using selected SW tool.
  13. Awarding of credit.

Individual preparation for an ending of the course

39 hours, optionally

Teacher / Lecturer

prof. Ing. Milan Ostrý, Ph.D.

Self-study

26 hours, optionally

Teacher / Lecturer

prof. Ing. Milan Ostrý, Ph.D.