Architectural Engineering Program Research Articles

Drexel University’s Architectural Engineering Program: Evolution of the Curriculum during the First Five Years

The initial curriculum of Drexel University’s Architectural Engineering program evolved considerably during the first five years—academic years 1986–1987 to 1991–1992—leading up to its initial accreditation by ABET in 1992. Taking advice from an industry advisory council and students, the goals were narrowed from producing broad building generalists to specialized engineers with an understanding of architecture and other architectural, engineering, and construction industry disciplines. These changes resulted in a marked reduction in the number of architecture courses, giving students more flexibility in choosing courses, both within engineering and the broader university. This paper focuses on the initiation and evolution of the architectural engineering program during the first five years, leading up to its initial accreditation. A sketch of the program’s evolution since 1992 is provided to demonstrate changes that may be expected to occur after initial accreditation.

ASSESSMENT OF GENERAL ENGINEERING COURSES IN THE UAE UNIVERSITY AND RECOMMENDATION ACTIONS FOR IMPROVEMENT

The current study examined the Architectural Engineering (AE) students at the College of Engineering (COE) at United Arab Emirates University (UAEU) learning outcomes through assessing three main engineering requirement courses. The assessment is based on the direct method which consists of the achievement of the students and their capability to demonstrate mastery through actual work or work products such as presenting the facts. The CLOs have been assessed through Course Work (Quizzes, Home works, and Term Projects) and Examinations (Midterm and Final Exams). The course learning outcomes (CLOs) for each course for the AE program have been analyzed in terms of the level of achievement and compared with the overall achievements of all students enrolled in the same courses at the COE. This assessment has been carried out for three continuous semesters fall 2019, spring 2020, and fall 2020. Indeed, some deficiencies in terms of CLOs achievement which has been set below 70% are recorded and remedial actions have been provided for improvement. The second part of this study consists of the comparison of the attainment level of the CLOs of GENG215 course between two consecutive semesters fall 2019 and spring 2020. Indeed, this period was characterized by the drastic change in the teaching method moving from the traditional way of face-to-face interaction with students to online teaching.

Assessment of Two Engineering Courses in Architectural Engineering Program in UAE University Based on the Comparison of the Students Results with the Students and the Instructors Opinions

The present study examined the level of outcome satisfaction of two main engineering courses taken by students in the Architectural Engineering department (AE) by evaluating the students’ satisfaction result (SR), the attained level of the students’ opinions (SO), and the instructors’ opinions (IO). The AE program in United Arab Emirates University is one of the departments in the College of Engineering accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET which provides assurance that a College or University program meets the quality standards of the profession for which that program prepares graduates. The AE program offers a wide range of engineering courses at different levels from sophomore level to senior level. All the engineering courses are mainly prerequisites to the Capstone Engineering Design Project which builds on the outcomes of all courses to perform detailed design and cost estimates of the selected alternative solutions to a well-defined engineering problem. The two courses considered in this study are Building Electrical Circuits and Building Acoustics and Lighting. New assessment parameters which are the student course outcome satisfaction coefficient (SCOSC) and the mean absolute deviation around a central point (AMD) have been introduced in this paper. These two parameters are calculated based on the comparison of the students’ satisfaction results with both students’ opinions and insructors’ opinions, and compare the mean absolute deviations of the students’ direct results with the students’ opinions and the instructors’ opinions, respectively. Indeed, the course learning outcomes (CLOs) of the SR of some sections for both courses show higher attainment compared with the SO and IO.

Mobile augmented reality for teaching structural analysis

Structural analysis is an introductory core course that is taught in every civil engineering program as well as in most architectural and construction engineering programs. Previous research unveils students' deficits in understanding the behavior of structural elements in a three-dimensional (3D) context due to the shortcomings of traditional lecturing approaches, which put too much emphasis on the analysis of individual structural members, thereby falling short in providing a solid, easy-to-follow, and holistic approach to analyzing complex structures with a large number of interconnected elements. In this paper, the authors introduce a new pedagogy for teaching structural analysis that incorporates mobile augmented reality (AR) and interactive 3D visualization technology. The goal of this study is to enhance the contents used in structural analysis textbooks and on worksheets by visualizing discrete structural members employing AR along with interactive 3D models in order to illustrate how the structures behave under different loading conditions. Students can interactively change the load and observe the reaction resulting from this change with the instant feedback provided by the AR interface. The feasibility of AR concepts and interaction metaphors, as well as the potential of using AR for teaching structural analysis are investigated, specifically by focusing on challenges regarding content integration and interaction. An AR application is designed and developed, and a pilot study is conducted in a junior level structural analysis class to assess the pedagogical impact and the design concepts employed by the AR tool. Control and test groups are deployed, and students’ performance is measured using pre- and post-tests. The results of the pilot study indicate that the utilized AR design concepts have potential to contribute to students’ learning by providing interactive and 3D visualization features, which support constructive engagement and retention of information in students.

Improving Basic Design courses through Competences of Tuning MEDA

<p>It is well established that Tuning’s development of the concept of competences for the improvement of what is referred to as student-centered approach has proven itself beneficial in developing higher education programs.<a title="" href="#_ftn1">[1]</a> This paper examines the application of competences suggested by Tuning-MEDA to the benefit of teaching architecture. Two courses were selected from the Architectural Engineering Program at the International University for Science and Technology, Damascus, Syria; namely, Basic Design I and II. Five competences were selected as crucial to be achieved in these two courses: ability to think, perceive and conceive spaces three dimensionally and communicate verbally, in writing, graphically, and/or volumetrically; have critical thinking, analysis and synthesis; knowledge of aesthetics and arts, and understanding their role as key factors in the quality of architectural thinking and design; possess a high level of interpersonal skills; and appreciation of the social and cultural role of architecture. The two courses are evaluated at two levels before being examined in relation to their ability to achieve these competences. They were looked at in connection with Bloom’s Taxonomy and found to be able to deliver learning at its upper levels; namely, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation. They were also examined against the typical Learning Retention Pyramid and were found to provide learning opportunities through learning techniques which provide a high level of retention: demonstration, group discussion, and practice by doing. Finally, it was found that the five competences assigned to the courses were very much achievable and indeed through applying them, the two courses were more focused and could achieve their objectives more successfully.</p><div><br clear="all" /><hr align="left" size="1" width="33%" /><div><p><a title="" href="#_ftnref1">[1]</a> Robert Wagenaar, “Competences and learning Outcomes: a Panacea for Understanding the (New) Role of Higher Education?” <em>Tuning Journal for Higher Education</em> 1, no. 2 (May 2014): 279-302.</p></div></div>

Graduate study in Architectural Acoustics within the Durham School at the University of Nebraska—Lincoln

Persons interested in pursuing graduate study in architectural acoustics are encouraged to consider joining the Architectural Engineering Program within the Durham School of Architectural Engineering and Construction at the University of Nebraska—Lincoln (UNL). Among the 21 ABET-accredited Architectural Engineering (AE) programs across the United States, the Durham School’s program is one of the few that offers graduate engineering degree programs (MAE, MS, and PhD) and one of only two that offers an area of concentration in architectural acoustics. Acoustics students in the Durham School benefit both from the multidisciplinary environment in an AE program and from our particularly strong ties to the building industry, since three of the largest architectural engineering companies in the United States are headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska. Descriptions will be given on the graduate-level acoustics courses, newly renovated acoustic lab facilities, the research interests and achievements of our acoustics faculty and students, and where our graduates are to date. Our group is also active in extracurricular activities, particularly through the University of Nebraska Acoustical Society of America Student Chapter. More information on the “Nebraska Acoustics Group” at the Durham School may be found online at http://nebraskaacousticsgroup.org/.

Use of Professional Industry Interaction to Enhance Engineering Education

AbstractThe Architectural Engineering Program at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln has benefitted from forming partnerships with professionals in the building design industry. These relationships have exposed students to industry professionals in various settings through the development of several architectural engineering programs. These programs give students firsthand, real-life learning experiences with the profession that many of them will pursue upon graduation to supplement their classroom instruction. In addition to the programs’ educational benefits, by involving industry in many facets of the academic program, networking experiences occur that benefit students by helping them to find future jobs and benefit employers by helping them to develop an understanding of the abilities of certain students prior to the recruitment process. Industry professionals interact with students in various ways, including providing graduate students with project advice, forming teaching partnerships, and participat...

Acoustics and Lighting Education in Architectural Engineering: Experience of WPI

AbstractThe growing complexity of buildings requires architectural engineering to integrate many different specialized capabilities, among which building physics often plays a primary role. Architectural engineers must understand all building systems and be able to apply physics principles to the building envelope and indoor environment. This paper discusses the content and educational approaches of two new courses, Building and Architectural Acoustics and Building Electrical and Lighting Systems, in the new architectural engineering program at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI). For both courses, teaching through project-oriented education presents unique challenges. The projects the classes focused on included optimizing the lighting design at the Worcester Art Museum and the acoustic design in WPI classrooms. This hands-on approach, focusing on both actual measurements and simulations, encourages students to develop a professional attitude for applying theoretical principles to the solution of engin...

Techniques used to promote active learning in an undergraduate architectural acoustics course

The five-year undergraduate architectural engineering (AE) program at Penn State requires all students to take an introductory course in architectural acoustics (AA) and for most students in the program, no further AA courses are required. As a result, it is very important to capture the students’ interest early on in the course and use strategies that will improve long-term retention of the material. A number of techniques were used to improve student engagement with the introductory AA course that had an enrollment of 94 students. The first homework assignment was to summarize a recent magazine article in any area of acoustics, which allowed the students to immediately see a real-world application of the subject. During lecture periods, students were encouraged to participate through the use of personal response devices, also known as “clickers.” Several different types of clicker questions were used, including review questions from the preceding lecture, questions to prompt participation during the presentation of example problems, and conceptual questions. The results from the multiple choice clicker questions are immediately displayed, which provides useful feedback to both the students and the instructor. Some hands-on activities during the practicum periods were also incorporated to reinforce the content from the lectures.

The acoustic genealogy of the Nebraska Acoustics Group at the University of Nebraska—Lincoln

The Nebraska Acoustics Group at the University of Nebraska—Lincoln was founded in the year 2000 with the hiring of Dr. Lily Wang into the newly formed Architectural Engineering Program. This poster will review the acoustic genealogy extending to and from this acoustics group, connecting to a number of other acousticians at academic institutions including Princeton University, Georgia Institute of Technology, Pennsylvania State University, Technical University of Denmark, Vassar College, University of Hartford, and Colombia College in Chicago. Connections to architectural acoustic consulting firms will also be highlighted.

Review of BIM in Small-Scale Sustainable Design by François LévyWiley, Hoboken, NJ 07030; 2011; ISBN 978-0-47059-089-8; 312pp; $85.

Review of <i>BIM in Small-Scale Sustainable Design</i> by François LévyWiley, Hoboken, NJ 07030; 2011; ISBN 978-0-47059-089-8; 312pp; $85.

Competence Model for the Architectural Engineering Professional

Motivation. Modern design practice, where an architect works with engineers in a large team, lacks optimization. If collaboration between the professions of architecture (A.) and engineering (E.) were improved, it would result in more efficient structures. Collaboration can be improved by professionals who have training and/or experience in both professions. The concept of architectural engineering (AE) appeared in the late 19th c., and the profession has increasingly been developing from that time on. There were a number of designers in the building environment who had been educated in both professions and who successfully practiced on the border between A. and E. The Aim of the research is to develop a competence model (CM) for the AE professional, and scientifically substantiate the subject matter of the undergraduate AE program. The Scope of the study is the analysis of collaboration issues relating to the civil engineering (CE) and A. professions, and also of the training issues of the AE professional. Results. The authors developed an AE professional competence model.

Acoustical education in architectural engineering program at the University of Nebraska

An increasing number of schools are offering Architectural Engineering (AE) programs; currently there are 20 schools across the United States. However, only few of these AE programs include acoustics as a main option in their curricula. A comprehensive review of U.S. graduate programs in a report of “Technology for a Quieter America” by the United States National Academy of Engineering found that there is not sufficient training for students in acoustics in the U.S. This presentation will review the Nebraska Acoustics Group, housed within the AE program at the University of Nebraska which began in 1998. To cope with the needs, students could study acoustics within any of our five engineering degree programs (BSAE, MAE, MEng, MS, and PhD). There are currently two AE faculty out of 13 who focus in acoustics at Nebraska, and the program regularly offers at least six recurring acoustics courses. Descriptions of the acoustics courses, the research interests of the Nebraska Acoustics Group, and where our gradua...

The Newman Student Award Fund, a major contributor to architectural acoustics education.

The creation of the Newman Student Award Fund in honor of Bob Newman by Mary Newman and some of Bob Newman’s friends and colleagues has been of considerable help in interesting and rewarding students who intend to pursue a career in professional acoustical consulting. The Fund provides the Robert Bradford Newman Student Medal for Merit in Architectural Acoustics and the Schultz Grant for educators in architectural acoustics, and it is a sponsor of the Annual Acoustical Society Student Design Competition. From the architecture and the architectural engineering programs at the University of Kansas and during the past 14 years, over 30 KU students plus several students from architectural engineering at Kansas State University have been guided into acoustical consulting or closely related fields. KU students have received at least one of the five awards from the student design competition since its beginning in 1994, and a number of Newman medals have been awarded. As a member of the Newman Student Award Fund Advisory Committee, it is a privilege to assist with the continuation of this excellent organization.

A review of the Robert Bradford Newman Student Award Fund’s impact on the University of Nebraska Acoustics Group.

The Robert Bradford Newman Student Award Fund has significantly impacted the acoustics group within the Architectural Engineering Program at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln over the past 10 years since the group was founded. Many of our students have received the Newman Student Medals. Students have also participated in the annual Student Design Competition, co-sponsored by the Newman Fund and the ASA Technical Committee on Architectural Acoustics. A Schultz Grant, disbursed by the Newman Fund, was awarded to our group in the year 2000 through which the webpage “concerthalls.org” was developed. This paper will review the positive influence that these three initiatives sponsored by the Newman Fund have had on the Nebraska Acoustics Group.

Integrating Sustainable Design into Architectural Engineering Education: UNL-AE Program

Given the profound impact of the built environment on the resources of the earth, a growing number of institutions of higher education are preparing engineers to make sustainable design a standard in the construction industry. This paper looks at the diverse ways in which education in sustainable design can be integrated into engineering curricula using the architectural engineering (AE) program at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln (UNL) as a case study example. The UNL program is unique in that it prepares students for careers in sustainable development through a curriculum that promotes both traditional and hands-on, experiential learning. Through coursework, research, workshops, student competitions, and even interaction with the UNL engineering facility, students learn how to make our built environment more sustainable. A key facet of this program is to connect the institution with the local community and industry to give students an opportunity to apply skills learned in the classroom to real-world ...

Architectural Engineering Curriculum at Missouri University of Science and Technology

Missouri University of Science and Technology (formerly, the University of Missouri-Rolla) began a Bachelor of Science degree program in architectural engineering in the fall of 2002. The 4-year academic program’s curriculum at Missouri S&T requires the students to complete 128 semester credit hours during a period of eight semesters, with options for technical electives in one of four focus areas: structural engineering, construction engineering and project management, environmental systems for buildings, and construction materials. This paper presents the architectural engineering curriculum at Missouri S&T. It discusses the objectives of the curriculum, the constraints upon its structure, along with challenges that faced the establishment of an architectural engineering program.

Graduate studies in acoustics at Purdue University.

The acoustics research and academic programs at Purdue can be divided into five broad categories: biomedical acoustics, engineering acoustics and noise control, physical acoustics and wave propagation, speech and hearing sciences, and acoustics in arts. There are 50 faculty from across 16 departments involved in various aspects of acoustics [http:/www.purdue.edu/research/phase]. The architectural engineering program has only very recently been started at Purdue, within the Civil Engineering, but there is a long history of Purdue graduates, particularly those in engineering, working in fields related to architectural engineering. One of the strengths of Purdue acoustics is this rich environment where students can study a broad range of topics in various disciplines each focused on different aspects of acoustics. Collaborations between engineering, liberal arts, psychology, and life science are a common theme in this community. An overview of the program is given but aspects of the program most closely related to architectural engineering will be described in more detail.

The University of Kansas architecture and architectural engineering programs offer focused coursework in architectural acoustics, electro-acoustics, and noise control.

Courses relating to architectural acoustics, architectural noise control, mechanical and electrical noise control, and fixed installation electro-acoustic systems are presented by the architecture program of School of Architecture, Design, and Planning and by the architectural engineering program of the Department of Civil, Environmental, and Architectural Engineering, School of Engineering. This presentation will describe the courses taught by the author which have guided approximately 30 architecture and architectural engineering students plus a few electrical engineering students into professional acoustical consulting and sound system contracting. Courses taught in the 500–700 series include architectural acoustics, electro-acoustic systems, listening to architecture, senior design II acoustics emphasis, architectural acoustics for architects, and acoustic and theatrical design considerations for performance spaces. In addition, the flexible master of arts in architecture program works well for students entering the architecture program with an undergraduate degree in another field and desiring to have a career in acoustical consulting. To generate interest in acoustics, portions of several architecture and architectural engineering courses introduce building acoustics to first and second year students.

Studying architectural acoustics through the University of Nebraska’s Architectural Engineering Program.

Architectural engineering (AE) is a discipline of study that is only currently available at 17 schools across the United States, and even fewer of these AE programs include acoustics as a main option in their curricula. This presentation will review the Nebraska Acoustics Group, housed within the AE Program at the University of Nebraska which began in 1998. Students may study acoustics within any of our five engineering degree programs (BSAE, MAE, MEng, MS and Ph.D.). Currently there are two AE faculties out of 11 who focus in acoustics at Nebraska, and the program regularly offers at least six recurring acoustics courses. Descriptions of the acoustics courses, the research interests of the Nebraska Acoustics Group, and where our graduates are to date will be given. Specifically highlighted will be the theme of our acoustics group: to promote the advancement and science of architectural acoustics by closely tying our coursework and research to practice in the “real-world.”