An introduction to the fundamental engineering methods, principles and skills, design and communication in architectural engineering. Techniques in analytical sketching, orthographic drawing, construction documentation, problem definition, and scaled model building will underlie the collaborative development of (a) small-scale design project(s). Students will become familiar with the language and anatomy of buildings, the studio environment and culture of peer evaluation and juried work critique, and the fundamental conventions of design. Introduction to report writing, documentation, and fundamental two-dimensional computer-aided design (2D CAD) software and tools.
A complementary studies course that provides a broad history of technology as it relates to buildings, towers, bridges, etc. Social, cultural, and economic influences on technological products will be discussed while surveying icons of architectural engineering.
Distributed forces, centroids, and moment of inertia. Introduction to foundations and fluid statics. Basic structural analysis. Plane trusses. Beam diagrams. Stress-strain-temperature relationships. Behaviour of members in tension, compression, and bending. Thin-walled pressure vessels. Friction.
Introduction to computer programming, examples of efficient numerical algorithms for basic scientific computations. Programming and problem-solving concepts introduced in the course will be incorporated into projects involving architectural engineering applications. The language of instruction will be Matlab.
AE 123Electrical Circuits and Instrumentation0.50 units
Charge, current, and voltage. Voltage and current sources, resistors, capacitors, and inductors. Ohm's Law, Kirchhoff's Laws, nodal analysis, instrumentation amplifier circuits, impedance. Function and characteristics of basic electrical transducers. Resolution, precision, and accuracy. Basics of data acquisition.
Development of design and communication skills through application in projects involving various building or bridge types. The role of structure in the built environment is explored, including issues of materiality and technology. Exposure to three-dimensional (3D) modelling and model building.
Development of design and communication expertise through studio projects involving various building enclosure types. Exposure to building enclosure materials, systems, applications, and methods of representation. Emphasis placed on critical evaluation, problem solving, and design synthesis. Introduction to industry standard three-dimensional computer-aided design (3D CAD) software.
Three-dimensional force systems, moments, couples, and resultants. Three-dimensional equilibrium problems. Shear stresses in beams. Plastic bending. Beam deflection. Torsion of shafts and thin-walled closed sections. Shear, bending moment, and deflection diagrams for beams. Compound stress and stress transformations. Design concepts.
Calculus of functions of several variables. Differentiation: partial derivatives of implicit and explicit functions, applications including optimizations. Integration: multiple integrals in various co-ordinate systems with applications; Vector calculus: vector fields, line integrals, surface integrals, and applications. Numerical integration and differentiation.
AE 223Differential Equations and Balance Laws0.50 units
An introduction to ordinary differential equations with applications to mass and energy balance problems in engineering. Standard methods of solution of first and second order linear equations with constant coefficients. Numerical methods for solving ordinary differential equations. Partial differential equations.
Role of probability in architectural engineering and decision-making under uncertainty. Basic probability concepts. Probability distributions. Functions of random variables. Data analysis. Confidence intervals and hypothesis testing. Introduction to regression analysis. Introduction to design of experiments and statistical quality control.
AE 225Environmental Building Systems Studio0.50 units
Environmental performance of buildings studied via physical investigations, demonstrations, case studies, and design exercises with a focus on building mechanical and electrical systems and lighting. Embodied energy and life-cycle implications will be introduced.
AE 265Structure and Properties of Materials0.50 units
A basic course in structure, behaviour, and uses of engineering materials. Topics include monotonic and cyclic stress-strain behaviour of metals, and the mechanical properties of irons, steels, copper, and aluminum. Structure and mechanical properties of wood, masonry, cements, concrete, polymers, and fiber-reinforced polymers. Fracture, fatigue, corrosion, decay, moisture, and radiation damage functions.
Fundamentals of thermodynamic analysis. Internal energy, enthalpy, and specific heats of solids, liquids, and gases. Energy transfer with heat, work, and mass flow. Energy balances for control-mass and control-volume systems. Heat engines, refrigerators, and heat pumps. Overview of selected renewable and non-renewable energy technologies, including photovoltaics. Environmental implications of energy use.
AE 280Fluid Mechanics and Thermal Sciences0.50 units
An introduction to fluid mechanics and thermal sciences. Aspects of heat transfer via conduction, convection, and radiation. Fluid properties. Fluid statics. Bernoulli equation. The momentum equation and applications. Laminar and turbulent flow. Dimensionless numbers. Closed conduit flow. Pipe network analysis. Steady flow in pipes.
AE 300Architectural Engineering Studio 11.00 units
Comprehensive mid-sized community building design project(s) in collaboration with the School of Architecture. Integration of structure, systems, and architecture explored with case studies. Preparation of construction drawings and specifications.
Prerequisites
Complete all of the following
Must have completed the following:
AE225 - Environmental Building Systems Studio (0.50)
A review of the functions of the building enclosure, and materials, systems and sub-systems used in modern building construction of new and retrofit of existing buildings. Interaction of the enclosure, mechanical systems, and structure, the importance of construction process and quality control, as well as the implications to sustainability will be considered.
Analysis of statically indeterminate structures using force and displacement methods. Influence lines for determinate and indeterminate structures. Introduction to the matrix stiffness method. Computer applications using commercial structural analysis software.
Introduction to structural systems. Systems for carrying gravity and lateral loads in buildings. Structural design concepts. Analysis and design of concrete beams and one-way slabs. Design of steel beams and tension members. Comparison of steel and concrete framing systems.
A review of different structural systems and materials with a focus on constructability, sustainability, economy, and performance. Concrete, steel, wood, masonry, and polymer materials, as well as framed, hybrid, shear wall, cable stayed, tension, and inflatable systems will be covered. The selection of systems as a function of occupancy, scale, labour, economy, geography, and climate will be introduced.
AE 325Architectural Engineering Studio 20.50 units
Comprehensive large multi-storey building design project(s) in collaboration with the School of Architecture. Integration of structure, systems, and architecture explored with case studies. Preparation of construction drawings and specifications.
An introduction to soil mechanics principles including state of stress, ground water flow, consolidation and shear strength. An introduction to design of shallow and deep foundations. Earth pressure theories and design of retaining walls.
An introduction to the behaviour of wood as an engineering material and design of timber structures based on limit states design principles. Topics include materials behaviour, selection and design of structural timber members and systems, including beams, joists, columns, connections, shearwalls, and diaphragms.
AE 392Economics and Life Cycle Cost Analysis0.50 units
Project financing, life-cycle cost analysis, time value of money, sensitivity analyses, tax, financial implications of infrastructure projects, quantitative decision-making, financial aspects of a business plan.
Students undertake a group architectural engineering design project over two terms of their program. The purpose of the project is to demonstrate students' abilities to practice in their chosen area of expertise, using knowledge gained from their academic and employment experiences. Projects integrate all relevant aspects (e.g., structure, constructability, mechanical, and enclosure) within appropriate defined social, economic, environmental, political, and technical constraints. Project management and sustainability considerations will be emphasized.
AE 405Building Performance Measurement Lab0.50 units
Introduction to the framework and techniques for measuring the performance of buildings during construction, commissioning, and occupancy. Assessment methods and testing standards for topics such as structural damage, stiffness and vibration, durability, rain penetration, air leakage, hygrothermal performance, HV AC system performance, indoor environmental quality, and energy performance will be discussed.
Prerequisites
Must have completed the following:
AE280 - Fluid Mechanics and Thermal Sciences (0.50)
Completion of the detailed technical design for the project defined and initiated in AE 400. Complete oral presentation, written, and graphics deliverables.
Heating, ventilating, cooling, filtration, plumbing, lighting, transport, data transmission, security, control, and life safety systems in buildings will be studied, in terms of function, performance, economics, construction, renovation, regulation, and sustainability. The interaction of systems, especially the environmental control systems, with the enclosures and structural systems in design and construction will be specifically considered.
Background (Charter of Rights and Freedoms), contracts, torts (negligent malpractice), forms of carrying on business, professional practice (Professional Engineers Act, joint practice rules, professional misconduct and sexual harassment), alternate dispute resolution, construction liens, intellectual property (patents, trade marks, copyrights and industrial designs), labour relations and employment law, environmental law.
AE 495Design Intensive Special Topics in Architectural Engineering0.50 units
A special topics course on design intensive advanced topics in architectural engineering is offered from time to time, when resources are available. For the current offering, inquire at the Department.
AE 497Special Topics in Architectural Engineering0.50 units
A special topics course on advanced topics in architectural engineering is offered from time to time, when resources are available. For the current offering, inquire at the Department.
Introduction to whole-building energy analysis. Energy auditing, benchmarking, and simulation. Review of relevant concepts in heat transfer and thermodynamics, including introductory psychrometrics. Interactive effects of building elements, systems, and occupant behaviour. Economic and environmental impacts of building energy use.
AE 573HVAC Systems, Equipment, and Energy Efficiency0.50 units
Selected topics in HVAC systems design with focus on energy-efficiency and environmental-sustainability. Heating and cooling distribution using air-, water-, and refrigerant-based systems. Constant- and variable-flow systems. Heat- and energy-recovery systems. Vapour-compression refrigeration and heat-pump systems (including air- and geothermal-source heat pumps).
From the Spring 2025 Graduate Calendar. Also this year: Winter 2025.
AE 601Comprehensive Building Design Studio0.50 units
This Comprehensive Building Design Studio is in collaboration with the School of Architecture. Integration of structure, systems, and enclosure assemblies is explored in the process. Preparation of construction drawings and specifications with a concern for technical material, environmental and legal aspects of architecture will be addressed.