Building science learning toolkit: integration of building physics and performance simulation subject teaching in architecture curricula

In a multi-disciplinary Architecture education, students may often have a gap in their physics and mathematics skills set, which may render their low energy design proposals as under-developed ones. This skills set is however required to provide building physics and performance simulation based scientific evidence for drafting of the design costing with clients and property developers. A good building science learning toolkit should support students in reinforcing this skills set and should be based on comprehensive assessment of joint design-technology pedagogy that prepares students for working as a performance simulation expert or consultant in multi-disciplinary practices. This educational research paper provides such toolkit and attempts to establish the inter-relationship between pedagogical tools [: an instrument to teach a subject], models [: an approach that understands how students learn and tutors teach], employability skills [: a potential learning outcomes of a study programme should have] and fit-for-purpose building science learning toolkit [: a teaching resource that facilitates students’ and tutors’ learning] that demonstrates how to teach BPS to architects as an assisting tool for performance evaluation of their design intents. In addition to the learning toolkit, this paper presents a holistic assessment criteria that evaluates suitability of a pedagogical model based on levels and a range of employability skills a student may attain.