ARCH 673The Science of the Building Envelope

Units: 0.50
Level: Graduate
Faculty: Engineering
Subject: Architecture

When it runs

Ran in 3 of the last 7 terms. Winter 2027: not on the schedule. Spring 2027: schedule not out yet.

The building envelope has become the single most significant and element within the contemporary economy of building. It bears much of the identity and amenity of buildings, is the site of significant expenditure, the occasion of environmental concern and attention, the object of much technological innovation, and the locus of entropy. This course provides an advanced study of the building envelope as the place where design, technology, building science, and environmental concerns converge. It discusses matters such as natural light and ventilation or the short- and long-term behaviours of building materials, and assesses the use of new generations of "smart" mechanical environmental devices. Consent of instructor required for those outside of the M.Arch program.

Prerequisites

Enrolled in Master of Architecture (MArch), Master of Architecture (MArch)-Co-op, or Master of Architecture (MArch)-Water

Antirequisites

None listed.

Leads to

No course lists it as a requisite.

Fall 2026 sections

Enrolment from UW Open Data, which can trail Quest by up to two days. Instructors and rooms: Schedule of Classes.
Section	Class	Enrolled	Meets
LEC 001	4816	16 / 25	T 14:00–16:50

Discussed on r/uwaterloo

2 posts and comments in 2 threads mention ARCH 673, October 2017 to December 2024. Quoted word for word, newest first; each reply sits under the post and the comment that started its branch. Search r/uwaterloo for newer posts.

Fall 2020

Oct 26, 2020 I need some advice from the waterloo Architecture students 3 points, 9 comments

“Ok so i wanna apply uwaterloo, the M.arch program sounds good , i like the whole coop and italy thing too, but is it hard not getting to have that on campus experience and living in cambridge. …”

u/colaroga: “… If you consider science to include "ARCH 673 The Science of the Building Envelope" then yes :) 9. …”

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Fall 2017

Oct 28, 2017 Any way to disable UWCourseLinker from posting? 16 points, 26 comments

“posting a reply to my comment I find the bot annoying.”

u/Jackhofmann: “PSYCH 483 PSYCH 484 PSYCH 485 PSYCH 486 PSYCH 490R PSYCH 499A PSYCH 499B PSYCH 499C PSYCH 621 PSYCH 630 PSYCH 677A PSYCH 704A PSYCH 704B PSYCH 707 PSYCH 710 PSYCH 714 PSYCH 717 PSYCH 720A PSYCH 721A …”

u/Jackhofmann: “… ARCH 446 ARCH 449 ARCH 465 ARCH 492 ARCH 510 ARCH 540 ARCH 570 ARCH 610 ARCH 640 ARCH 671 ARCH 673 ARCH 684 ARCH 685 ARCH 686 ARCH 691 ARCH 692 ARCHL 101W ARCHL 336W ARCHL 338W ARCHL 344W ARTS 111 ARTS 122 ARTS 190 ARTS 280 ARTS 365 ASTRN 101W AVIA 100 AVIA 203 AVIA 306 AVIA 310 …”

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Check it elsewhere for Fall 2026

Graduate Calendar, Fall 2026The official entry
Requirements for Fall 2026Waterloo’s requisite checker
Schedule of Classes, Fall 2026Instructors, rooms, live seats
Quest Class SearchWhere you enrol
Course outlinesSyllabi from past terms (UW login)
UW FlowStudent ratings and reviews
WClassesPast sections back to 2004, and who taught them

Calendar versions

Graduate Calendar

Older Graduate Calendars

In 42 terms, Fall 2006 to Winter 2024