31026 - Technical Environmental Physics

Learning outcomes

The course aims to provide students with the fundamental concepts of Environmental Technical Physics applied to the fields of building thermophysics, acoustics, and lighting engineering. This is achieved through the definition of the fundamental quantities and the related physical laws, with particular emphasis on concepts of environmental comfort, understood both as the quality of the built environment and the well-being of individuals.

Course contents

Requirements/ Prior knowledge

The student attending this course has to manage with the basic notions of Applied Physics. This knowledge is usually acquired by undergoing successfully the exam of Thermophysics and Acoustics of Constructions T or Environmental Technical Physics T. All lectures will be in Italian. Fluent spoken and written Italian is a necessary prerequisite in order to attend successfully the course and to manage with the lecture notes given by the teacher.

COURSE CONTENTS

1) Notions of applied physics

Heat Exchangers and refrigeration cycles. Main criteria for the thermohygrometric verification of building structures.

2) THERMAL COMFORT

Energy balance of the human body – Radiant mean temperature and operating temperature – Thermal comfort evaluation according to Standard UNI EN ISO 7730: PMV index (Predicted Mean Vote) and PPD index (Predicted Percentage of Dissatisfied) – Localized thermal discomfort.

3) LIGHTING

The vision of light, lighting flux, fundamental photometric quantities - Natural and artificial lighting - Lighting comfort.

4) APPLIED ACOUSTICS

The nature of sound: preliminary notions and main acoustic quantities - Decibel sound levels and spectra - Decibel scale – (1/n) octave filters – Basic notions on sound levels meters.

Outdoor noise and outdoor sound propagation – Noise from roads and railways – Environmental noise evaluation and control.

Room acoustics: sound absorption and reverberation time – Sabine and Noris Eyring formulas for the reverberation time – Main criteria for speech intelligibility – Building acoustics - Sound insulation: laws and standards – Evaluation of the acoustic performance of building components – Acoustic comfort.

Readings/Bibliography

The handwritten notes taken during the lessons and the material given by the teacher are enough to prepare for the exam. In order to achieve a deeper knowledge of some topics or for self-study, the following books are suggested:

- Y. Cengel, G. Dall'O, L. Sarto, Fisica Tecnica Ambientale, McGraw-Hill;

- G. Moncada Lo Giudice, L. De Santoli, Benessere termico, acustico e visivo, Casa Editrice Ambrosiana;

- M. Vio, Climatizzazione con sistemi radianti, Editoriale Delfino;

- G. Moncada Lo Giudice, Illuminotecnica, Ambrosiana;

- R. Spagnolo, Manuale di Acustica Applicata, UTET;

- E. Cirillo, Acustica Applicata, McGraw-Hill;

- P. Fausti, Acustica in Edilizia, Rockwool Italia;

- P. Ricciardi: Elementi di acustica e illuminotecnica, McGraw-Hill;

- G. Cesini, V. Lori, F. Serpilli, Acustica Applicata e Illuminotecnica, Città Studi Edizioni.

Teaching methods

Classroom lessons, guided solution of exercises and in laboratory acoustic measurements.

Assessment methods

The final exam consists of a written test and an oral interview, both based on the topics covered during the course. The written test typically includes five questions: three theoretical questions and two numerical problems. To be admitted to the oral exam, students must obtain a minimum score of 18/30 in the written test. The oral exam consists of an interview aimed at assessing the candidate’s mastery and practical understanding of the key concepts presented during the course.

Teaching tools

PC projector, materials downloadable from teacher’s web site, laboratory demonstrations.

Office hours

See the website of Cesare Biserni