APST 230: Materials, Properties, and Applications is intended for students enrolled in the BSc (Architecture) program at the RAIC Centre for Architecture at Athabasca University. For those students interested in pursuing a career as a registered architect, this course also contributes to the RAIC Syllabus Diploma.
Overview
Applied Studies 230: Materials, Properties, and Applications is intended for students enrolled in the BSc (Architecture) program at the RAIC Centre for Architecture at Athabasca University.
Designers have an enormous impact on the environment. The architect’s design decisions and selection of materials have an impact on every aspect of the building, from its presence in the urban fabric to the operation of the ventilation system. It is imperative that members of the architecture profession understand the impact of their art and craft and become stewards of a sustainable future.
This course introduces characteristics of construction materials and discusses their appropriate application. You will examine building systems, assemblies, components and material characteristics and will learn to analyze and identify materials, the impact of environmental factors on materials, and the impact that building materials have on the environment, occupant health, and the sustainability of resources.
Outline
PART 1 The Context of Building: Site and Substructure
Unit 1: Concepts in Sustainable Design
Unit 2: Site Analysis, Evaluation, and Design
Unit 3: Building Substructures—Part of the Building Envelope
PART 2 Structural Systems and Materials
Unit 4: Wood and Wood Structural Systems
Unit 5: Masonry Systems: Brick, Block, and Stone
Unit 6: Steel-Frame Construction
Unit 7: Concrete
PART 3 Envelope Systems and Materials
Unit 8: Building Envelope: Cladding Systems
Unit 9: Building Envelope: Glazing, Windows, and Doors
Unit 10: Building Envelope: Roofing Systems
PART 4 Interior Materials and Finishing: Environmental Systems
Unit 11: Interior Materials and Finishing
Unit 12: Building Services
Learning outcomes
After completing this course, you should be able to
describe the functions and characteristics of common building systems and assemblies, including building envelope, structure, environmental management systems, and building services systems.
discuss the characteristics of building components and materials including function, physical properties, grades, life cycle economics, embodied energy, availability, and the impact that materials’ production, use, and disposal has on the environment.
Evaluation
Your work will be evaluated on the basis of eight assignments. The four major assignments consist of essays, field reports, and video and/or multimedia presentations; four smaller assignments require drawing and/or interpretation of construction details or reports.
You must achieve a cumulative grade of 67% or greater to receive credit for APST 230.
There is no final examination for this course.
The grading weights for assignments are summarized in the table below.
Activity
Weight
Assignment 1
5%
Assignment 2
20%
Assignment 3
5%
Assignment 4
20%
Assignment 5
5%
Assignment 6
20%
Assignment 7
5%
Assignment 8
20%
Total
100%
To learn more about assignments and examinations, please refer to Athabasca University’s online Calendar.
Materials
Allen, E., & Iano, J. (2019). Fundamentals of building construction: Materials and methods, (7th ed.) [eText] John Wiley & Sons. (eText)
Lechner, N. (2015). Heating, cooling, lighting: Sustainable design methods for architects (4th ed.) [eText]. John Wiley & Sons. (eText)
Online Materials
The course website contains the items listed immediately below.
Course Orientation
The Course Orientation contains important information about APST 230 and the procedures you must follow to successfully complete it. The suggested study schedule is of particular importance, although you may want to modify it to suit your own schedule. Discuss modifications with your academic expert to ensure that you complete the course in a timely fashion. We recommend you read the Course Orientation entirely before you begin the course because there are many useful sections to help you complete this course successfully.
Study Guide
The Study Guide in many ways plays the role that lectures play in a conventional classroom setting. The guide is divided into twelve units, which share the course author’s expertise and elaborate on key concepts. Each unit contains commentary, learning objectives, study questions, and the list of required readings. You will be directed to the required readings at the appropriate points in the Study Guide.
Student Manual
The Student Manual provides essential information about studying at Athabasca University and outlines the procedures you should follow to complete this course successfully. Please read it through carefully before beginning your studies.
The assigned Canadian Handbook of Practice for Architects (CHOP) readings are accessible online within each unit of the Study Guide.
Digital Reading Room
The Digital Reading Room (DRR) contains a compiled list of the required online materials for this course. You will be directed to these readings at the appropriate points in the Study Guide. You may also access the DRR directly through either the course home page or the AU Library home page.
Resources
Other useful resources, including Supplementary Resources (recommended, but not required), are available on your course home page and in the DRR.
Forms
The forms you may need to apply to request extensions, and so on, are available through your myAU Portal.
Athabasca University reserves the right to amend course outlines occasionally and without notice. Courses offered by other delivery methods may vary from their individualized study counterparts.
Opened in Revision 4, November 15, 2021
Updated November 15, 2021, by Student & Academic Services