MIM473 Thermal Insulation in Buildings

3 ECTS - 2-0 Duration (T+A)- 7. Semester- 2 National Credit

Information

Unit FACULTY OF ARCHITECTURE
ARCHITECTURE PR.
Code MIM473
Name Thermal Insulation in Buildings
Term 2025-2026 Academic Year
Semester 7. Semester
Duration (T+A) 2-0 (T-A) (17 Week)
ECTS 3 ECTS
National Credit 2 National Credit
Teaching Language Türkçe
Level Lisans Dersi
Type Normal
Label VK Vocational Knowledge Courses E Elective
Mode of study Yüz Yüze Öğretim
Catalog Information Coordinator Ahadollah AZAMI
Course Instructor
The current term course schedule has not been prepared yet.


Course Goal / Objective

This course enables architecture undergraduates to master the fundamentals of heat transfer and thermal performance in buildings, compare and select appropriate insulation materials, calculate U values and R values for building assemblies, design and detail envelope junctions to eliminate thermal bridges, apply national and international insulation standards (e.g., TS 825, ISO 6946, EN 13162), and evaluate the energy efficiency, cost benefit, and sustainability impacts of various insulation strategies in real‐world projects.

Course Content

This course examines principles, materials, methods, and performance criteria for thermal insulation in buildings. Students learn heat‐transfer fundamentals, review insulation products, analyze building envelope details, perform U‐value calculations, and evaluate energy savings and comfort impacts.

Course Precondition

No

Resources

Weekly Program PPS Presentations

Notes

■ASHRAE. ASHRAE Handbook – Fundamentals (Chapter 27: Thermal Performance of Building Envelope). Atlanta, GA: ASHRAE, 2017. ■Ching, Francis D. K. Building Construction Illustrated, 6th ed. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley, 2014. ■Holman, J. P. Heat Transfer, 10th ed. New York: McGraw‑Hill, 2010. ■International Organization for Standardization. ISO 6946:2017 – Building components and building elements – Thermal resistance and thermal transmittance. Geneva: ISO, 2017. ■International Organization for Standardization. ISO 13788:2012 – Hygrothermal performance of building components and building materials – Internal surface temperature to avoid critical surface humidity and interstitial condensation – Calculation methods. Geneva: ISO, 2012. ■European Committee for Standardization. EN 13162:2012 – Thermal insulation products for buildings – Factory made mineral wool (MW) products – Specification. Brussels: CEN, 2012. ■Turkish Standards Institution. TS 825:2008 – Binalarda Isı Yalıtım Kuralları. Ankara: TSE, 2008. ■Janssen, Hans, and Olivier Klein. WUFI®: Hygrothermal Modelling and Simulation. Stuttgart: Fraunhofer IBP, 2012. ■McHugh, Philip, and Steffen Zach. Thermal Bridge Free Design – Principles and Practice. London: Routledge, 2015. ■Yılmaz, Erkan and Selin Köksal. “Comparative Life‑Cycle Assessment of Common Insulation Materials.” Journal of Architectural Engineering, vol. 24, no. 3, 2018, pp. 04018016-1–04018016-9.


Course Learning Outcomes

Order Course Learning Outcomes
LO01 Articulate how thermal insulation contributes to the sustainability principle of energy efficiency by reducing operational energy use and associated carbon emissions.
LO02 Calculate U‑values and R‑values for common envelope assemblies (walls, roofs, floors, windows)
LO03 Select appropriate insulation materials (e.g., mineral wool, EPS, XPS, PIR, natural fibers) based on thermal properties, moisture resistance, and environmental impact.
LO04 Understand the details of building envelope junctions to effectively eliminate thermal bridges in construction drawings.
LO05 Assess the lifecycle energy savings, cost benefit, and sustainability implications of different insulation strategies.


Relation with Program Learning Outcome

Order Type Program Learning Outcomes Level
PLO01 Bilgi - Kuramsal, Olgusal Explains the change and development of architectural examples within historical and cultural processes within local, regional and global frameworks.
PLO02 Bilgi - Kuramsal, Olgusal Explains the basic principles of service systems consisting of vertical and horizontal circulation elements, installation, infrastructure, communication, security and fire systems.
PLO03 Bilgi - Kuramsal, Olgusal Uses the knowledge of the development of contemporary carrier systems and carrier system applications in the selection of the structure system based on the principles of behavior of the structure against vertical and lateral loads.
PLO04 Bilgi - Kuramsal, Olgusal Knows the basic principles of how building elements, building components and building materials come together in design based on their properties. 4
PLO05 Bilgi - Kuramsal, Olgusal Evaluates the design knowledge of elements such as environment, people and culture in the function-form relationship in design from a critical and innovative perspective and interprets it at the level of building, interior, immediate surroundings and urban design.
PLO06 Beceriler - Bilişsel, Uygulamalı Produces solutions based on the basic principles of lighting, acoustics, insulation, air conditioning and energy use in the design of environmental systems. 3
PLO07 Beceriler - Bilişsel, Uygulamalı Uses sustainability principles in architectural design decisions to protect natural and cultural resources and to create healthy buildings and settlements. 1
PLO08 Beceriler - Bilişsel, Uygulamalı Uses digital technologies and three-dimensional models in architectural technical drawing and presentation in order to express the design idea with appropriate methods.
PLO09 Beceriler - Bilişsel, Uygulamalı Develops an architectural project with a comprehensive program from the sketch stage to the application project stage (structural and environmental systems, security, partition systems, regulations, etc.).
PLO10 Beceriler - Bilişsel, Uygulamalı Produces designs based on data tools, sample applications, data collection methods, evaluations, definitions and comparisons in the field of architecture.
PLO11 Beceriler - Bilişsel, Uygulamalı Prepares documentation and restoration projects of historical buildings and monuments with the necessary techniques, in accordance with the characteristics of the historical environment.
PLO12 Yetkinlikler - Bağımsız Çalışabilme ve Sorumluluk Alabilme Yetkinliği Independently carries out a study in the field of architecture for which she individually prepares her plan, technical specifications and project.
PLO13 Yetkinlikler - Bağımsız Çalışabilme ve Sorumluluk Alabilme Yetkinliği Takes responsibility individually or as a team member in solving the problems he/she encounters, and manages and plans activities for the development of the employees under his/her responsibility.
PLO14 Yetkinlikler - Alana Özgü Yetkinlik In the building production process; It prepares documents (tender, contract, etc.) that can protect the interests of the parties while carrying out professional studies and applications regarding the preparation of the building cost along with the building quantity survey, building cost estimate and work schedule. 5
PLO15 Yetkinlikler - Öğrenme Yetkinliği Uses relevant databases to access information by determining learning needs in the context of professional, cultural and artistic development with the motivation of lifelong learning.
PLO16 Yetkinlikler - Alana Özgü Yetkinlik Uses design data for sustainability purposes based on social awareness regarding architecture. 2
PLO17 Yetkinlikler - İletişim ve Sosyal Yetkinlik She/he is competent in establishing effective written and verbal communication regarding the field of architecture, monitoring and organizing seminars and meetings related to architecture, preparing projects and following foreign publications based on her/his knowledge of foreign languages.
PLO18 Yetkinlikler - Alana Özgü Yetkinlik Understanding ethical values ​​in architecture, designing for the benefit of society, respecting history and culture, knowing its professional and human responsibilities towards nature.
PLO19 Yetkinlikler - Alana Özgü Yetkinlik Synthesizes the data it collects by taking into account the effects of human, social and environmental conditions in architectural design and planning processes.
PLO20 Yetkinlikler - Öğrenme Yetkinliği Fulfills the role of internship in professional development/the rights and responsibilities of the employer and the intern.


Week Plan

Week Topic Preparation Methods
1 Introduction and Presentation of the Course Content No preliminaries Öğretim Yöntemleri:
Anlatım, Tartışma, Soru-Cevap
2 Heat transfer in buildings Relevant Reading and Research Öğretim Yöntemleri:
Anlatım, Beyin Fırtınası, Soru-Cevap
3 Thermal properties of materials Relevant Reading and Research Öğretim Yöntemleri:
Anlatım, Soru-Cevap, Beyin Fırtınası
4 Insulation products Relevant Reading and Research Öğretim Yöntemleri:
Anlatım, Soru-Cevap, Tartışma
5 Building envelope assembly Relevant Reading and Research Öğretim Yöntemleri:
Anlatım, Tartışma, Beyin Fırtınası, Problem Çözme
6 U-value and R-value fundamentals Relevant Reading and Research Öğretim Yöntemleri:
Anlatım, Soru-Cevap, Tartışma
7 Thermal bridges and junctions Relevant Reading and Research Öğretim Yöntemleri:
Anlatım, Soru-Cevap, Tartışma
8 Mid-Term Exam Relevant Reading and Research Ölçme Yöntemleri:
Yazılı Sınav
9 •Roof insulation: flat, pitched, inverted assemblies •Detail modeling Relevant Reading and Research Öğretim Yöntemleri:
Anlatım, Tartışma
10 Floor and foundation insulation: slab‐on‐grade, crawlspace, basement Relevant Reading and Research Öğretim Yöntemleri:
Anlatım, Tartışma, Soru-Cevap
11 Window and glazing thermal performance; frame and edge effects Relevant Reading and Research Öğretim Yöntemleri:
Anlatım, Tartışma, Beyin Fırtınası
12 •Hygrothermal behavior and moisture control (WUFI introduction) •Simulation exercise Relevant Reading and Research Öğretim Yöntemleri:
Anlatım, Soru-Cevap, Alıştırma ve Uygulama
13 •Environmental and lifecycle impact of insulation materials •LCA case study analysis Simulation Exercise Öğretim Yöntemleri:
Anlatım, Alıştırma ve Uygulama
14 •Final project presentations: detailed insulation design for a small building •Course wrap up and feedback Relevant Reading and Research Öğretim Yöntemleri:
Anlatım, Soru-Cevap, Tartışma
15 Examine/ Discussion/Recommendations Assessment Relevant Reading and Research Öğretim Yöntemleri:
Anlatım, Soru-Cevap, Tartışma, Bireysel Çalışma
16 final exams Relevant Reading and Research Ölçme Yöntemleri:
Yazılı Sınav, Proje / Tasarım
17 final exams Relevant Reading and Research Ölçme Yöntemleri:
Yazılı Sınav, Proje / Tasarım


Student Workload - ECTS

Works Number Time (Hour) Workload (Hour)
Course Related Works
Class Time (Exam weeks are excluded) 14 2 28
Out of Class Study (Preliminary Work, Practice) 14 3 42
Assesment Related Works
Homeworks, Projects, Others 1 2 2
Mid-term Exams (Written, Oral, etc.) 1 2 2
Final Exam 1 2 2
Total Workload (Hour) 76
Total Workload / 25 (h) 3,04
ECTS 3 ECTS

Update Time: 06.05.2025 02:43