Facilities
Experiment, design, invent and construct pieces of architure through the use of our studios, workshops, simulation software and scale modelling.
The Group has access to a wide range of architecture based facilities within the department. The majoirty of these are located in the Department of Architecture and Built Environment, North of our main campus.
The
Creative Energy Homes is a research and educational showcase of innovative state-of-the-art energy efficient homes. It is composed of seven research houses, designed and constructed to various degrees of innovation and flexibility to allow the testing of different aspects of modern methods of construction, energy efficient design and renewable/sustainable energy systems. Equipped with various advanced monitoring and smart metering equipment, they provide the ideal infrastructure for teaching and research on energy demand reduction, user behaviour, retrofit and zero-carbon emission housing.
Our Computer packages have an extensive range of design and simulation software. Members of the groups use a number of computer packages to develop research and inform building design, ranging from the simulation of energy use in buildings and the influence of users, to visual and thermal comfort prediction. This is done through self-developed simulators and commercial packages.
Our Workshops facilities are vast and well-equipped, including model making workshops, rapid prototype equipment, plastic forming press, 3 dimensions printers, dedicated laboratories with specialised environmental chambers and photographic studios. Specialised technical staff is available to help and research students have dedicated space in the Sustainable Research Building.
The artificial sky can be used to test the daylighting performance of a scale model under a standard overcast sky conditions. It is made of a box with mirrors and diffuse lighting, and is typically used for daylight factor analyses.
The Heliodon simulates the path of the sun and so it is used to analyse sunlight penetration and glare in buildings. It is made of a moving table where a scale model is placed and a light source. The user controls the geographic latitude, time of the day and season of the test.
There are a large number of Wind tunnel of different sizes and configurations available for our department. They can be used to study the airflow around and/or within a building and are typically used to test wind behaviour and ventilation strategies.