The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

Department of Building Environment and Energy Engineering

Teaching Scheme
Applied Solar Energy in Buildings

Subject Code: BSE545

Course / Year: MSc/MEng in BSE (2021/2022)
Lecturers: Prof. H. Yang (Subject Examiner)

Contact Hours: Lectures 7 x 3 hours 21 hours

Workshop 1 x 3 hours 3 hours
Tutorial 1 x 3 hours 3 hours
Student-led seminars 4 x 3 hours 12 hours
Total 13 sessions 39 hours

Lecture Schedule (Friday evenings)

Week Date Activity Topics Time Room

20 14/01/2022 Lecture Introduction to the subject:

Teaching scheme, teaching activities, and 18:30--21:30 Z211
assessment; Overview on development of
solar energy application in buildings.
Solar energy resource: solar constant,
Spectrum of the Sun, solar radiation, direct
and diffuse solar radiation, available solar
radiation, solar radiation data conversion for
different inclinations, solar
radiation measurements and typical
meteorological years.
21 21/01/2022 Lecture Solar photovoltaics
Solar cell material fundamentals, solar 18:30--21:30 Z211
photovoltaic principles, various solar cells,
solar cell production, PV lamination, PV
manufacturing process, PV industry and
market, photovoltaic modules, inverters, PV
characteristics, stand-alone PV systems,
grid-connected PV systems, control,
maximum power point trackers, design
procedures, energy performance analysis,
case studies.
22 28/01/2022 Lecture Building-integrated photovoltaics: 18:30--21:30 Z211
PV-roof, PV-wall, semi-transparent PV
glazing, case studies.

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 The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Department of Building Environment and Energy Engineering

23 04/02/2022 Break
24 11/02/2022 Workshop Lab tests of solar radiation and PV TBD Lab
performance measurements; PV system
design
25 18/02/2022 Lecture Passive solar thermal applications:
Passive solar space heating, hot air space 18:30--21:30 Z211
heating, shading effect, passive cooling,
overhangs, wing walls, energy storage, and
hybrid passive.
26 25/02/2022 Lecture Active solar thermal applications:
Solar hot water systems, different types of 18:30--21:30 Z211
solar collectors, heat transfer through solar
collectors, hot water storage tanks, and
system optimization issues.
27 04/03/2022 Lecture Solar cooling:
Absorption cooling, evaporative cooling and 18:30--21:30 Z211
desiccant dehumidification cooling.
28 11/03/2022 Seminar Other solar energy applications:
Concentrated solar power, solar thermal 18:30--21:30 Z211
power, hybrid solar-wind power and its
probability and reliability analysis,
complementary characteristics, system
design optimization, system control,
operation and maintenance.
29 18/03/2022 Seminar Group 1-6 18:30--21:30 Z211

30 25/03/2022 Seminar Group 7-12 18:30--21:30 Z211

31 01/04/2022 Seminar Groups 13-18 18:30--21:30 Z211

32 08/04/2022 Tutorial Review for final exam 18:30--21:30 Z211

Note: one more seminar session might need to be added depending on how many groups in the class.

Assessments:

This subject will be assessed based on both examination (60%) and coursework (40%). Coursework
assessment will include workshop report (15%), student-led seminar presentation (10%) and seminar report
(15%). A closed-book final examination assessment will be taken at end of the semester.

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 The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Department of Building Environment and Energy Engineering

Seminars: These are student-led seminars. Students will work on a group of 3-4 students. Each group should
propose a topic or will be assigned a topic on solar energy applications. They will present their
findings in a 20-minute presentation followed by questions and discussions. Each group will
also submit a written report on the topic presented at the seminar. Both the oral presentation
and the written submission will be assessed.

Workshop: One workshop session will be organized for students to learn lab tests of solar radiation and
photovoltaic panels’ performance. One assignment will then be given to students. A group
report of the assignment will be submitted, which will also be assessed.

Reading list:
1. Duffie, J. A. and William A. Beckman, Solar Engineering of Thermal Process, John Willey & Sons,
Inc., 1991.
2. Athienitis, A K and M Santamouris, Thermal Analysis and Design of Passive Solar Buildings, James
and James (Science Publishers) Ltd, London, 2002.
3. Deo Prasad & Mark Snow, Designing with Solar Power, The Images Publishing Group Pty Ltd,
Australia, 2005.
4. Steven Winter Associates, Passive Solar Design and Construction Handbook, New York, Wiley,
1998.
5. Partain, L. D., Solar Cells and Their Applications, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York, 1995.
6. Sick, F. and Thomas Erge, Photovoltaics in Buildings, James and James (Science Publishers) Ltd.,
London, 1996.
7. Robert Foster, Majid Ghassemi and Alma Cota, Solar Energy-Renewable Energy and the
Environment, CRC Press, New York, 2010.
8. Wortman, A. J., Introduction to Wind Turbine Engineering, Butterworth Publishers, Boston, 1983.
9. Paul Gipe, Wind Power, James & James (Science Publishers) Ltd, London, 2004.
10. Yang, H and W Zhou, Applications of Solar Energy Technologies in Buildings (in Chinese), China
Construction Industry Press, Beijing, 2009.
11. International Journals of: Solar Energy, Applied Energy, ASME Solar Energy Engineering,
Renewable Energy, Energy and Buildings, etc.
12. John Wiley and Sons: Handbook of Clean Energy Systems (ISBN: 978-1-118-38858-7 ), 2014.
13. Yang Hongxing, Lu Lin, Peng Jinqing and Zhou Wei. Application of Solar Energy Technologies.
China Construction Industrial Press, Beijing (in Chinese: ISBN 978-7-112-18286-2), Second
Edition, October 2015. 杨洪兴，吕琳，彭晋卿，周伟著：《太阳能建筑一体化技术与应
用》。中国建筑工业出版社，2015 年 10 月第二版。
14. Yang Hongxing. Engineering Projects of Building-Integrated Photovoltaics. China Construction
Industrial Press, Beijing (in Chinese: ISBN 978-7-112-13985-9), May 2012. 杨洪兴著：《太阳
能光伏建筑一体化工程实例》。中国建筑工业出版社，2012 年 5 月第一版。
15. Yang Hongxing, Jiang Ximen. Green Building Development and Application of Renewable Energy.
China Railway Publishing House (in Chinese: ISBN 978-7-113-21689-4), Dec 2016. 杨洪兴, 姜
希猛编著：《绿色建筑发展与可再生能源应用》，中国铁道出版社，2016 年 12 月第一版。