Principles of Building

This subject introduces students to the fundamental principles that govern how buildings perform, both structurally and in terms of their material-related environmental effects. Students will learn how loads are resisted and transferred through structural members and systems such as beams, columns, trusses, and slabs, and how these elements work together to ensure strength, stability, and serviceability. Alongside structural behaviour, the subject examines the properties of common construction materials, including concrete, steel, timber, and masonry, and how these materials influence design decisions, construction feasibility, and long-term durability. A key focus is placed on the environmental implications of material use, particularly embodied greenhouse gas emissions. Students will be introduced to basic methods for comparing materials and making early design choices that reduce the environmental impact of buildings. By linking first-principles understanding to real-world applications, the subject provides a critical foundation for further study in construction, architecture, and engineering, and equips students with the tools to think critically about sustainability from the earliest stages of the design process.

学习建筑结构、材料与施工基础。

• 1Explain how structural systems achieve strength, stability, and serviceability through the resistance and transfer of loads.
• 2Identify and describe the roles of key structural elements such as beams, columns, trusses, and slabs in resisting and transferring loads.
• 3Interpret structural behaviour in simple systems using basic analytical methods and visual representations.
• 4Compare the physical, mechanical, and environmental properties of common construction materials.
• 5Describe the concept of embodied greenhouse gas emissions and assess the environmental implications of material selection in construction.
• 6Apply basic methods for selecting structural elements and systems that align with both performance requirements and early-stage sustainability considerations.