Revisiting thermal comfort in the cold climate of Darjeeling, India – Effect of assumptions in comfort scales

2021 ◽  
pp. 108095
Author(s):  
Samar Thapa
Keyword(s):  
Thermal Comfort ◽  
Cold Climate

scholarly journals Optimization of Window Design for Daylight and Thermal Comfort in Cold Climate Conditions

Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (23) ◽  
pp. 8013
Author(s):  
Tony-Andreas Arntsen ◽  
Bozena Dorota Hrynyszyn
Keyword(s):  
Thermal Comfort ◽  
Energy Demand ◽  
National Level ◽  
Cold Climate ◽  
Alternative Methods ◽  
Indoor Thermal Comfort ◽  
Heating And Cooling ◽  
Overall Performance ◽  
European Standards ◽  
Window Design

Window design affects the overall performance of a building. It is important to include window design during the initial stages of a project since it influences the performance of daylight and thermal comfort as well as the energy demand for heating and cooling. The Norwegian building code facilitates two alternative methods for achieving a sufficient daylight, and only guidelines for adequate indoor thermal comfort. In this study, a typical Norwegian residential building was modeled to investigate whether the criteria and methods facilitate consistent and good performance through different scenario changes and furthermore, how the national regulations compare to European standards. A better insulated and more air-tight building has usually a lower annual heating demand, with only a marginal decrease in the daylight performance when the window design is unchanged. A more air-tight construction increases the risk of overheating, even in cold climates. This study confirms that a revision of the window design improves the overall performance of a building, which highlights the importance of proper window design. The pursuit of lower energy demand should not be at the expense of indoor thermal comfort considering the anticipated future weather conditions. This study indicates that criteria for thermal comfort and daylight, if clearly defined, can affect the energy demand for heating and cooling, as well as the indoor climate positively, and should be taken into account at the national level. A comparison between the national regulations and the European standards was made, and this study found that the results are not consistent.

scholarly journals Experimental Investigation of Ventilation Performance of Different Air Distribution Systems in an Office Environment—Heating Mode

Energies ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (10) ◽  
pp. 1835 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arman Ameen ◽  
Mathias Cehlin ◽  
Ulf Larsson ◽  
Taghi Karimipanah
Keyword(s):  
Thermal Comfort ◽  
Distribution Systems ◽  
Cold Climate ◽  
Air Distribution ◽  
Temperature Pattern ◽  
Office Environment ◽  
Ventilation Effectiveness ◽  
Local Thermal Comfort ◽  
Heating Mode ◽  
Occupied Zone

A vital requirement for all-air ventilation systems are their functionality to operate both in cooling and heating mode. This article experimentally investigates two newly designed air distribution systems, corner impinging jet (CIJV) and hybrid displacement ventilation (HDV) in comparison against a mixing type air distribution system. These three different systems are examined and compared to one another to evaluate their performance based on local thermal comfort and ventilation effectiveness when operating in heating mode. The evaluated test room is an office environment with two workstations. One of the office walls, which has three windows, faces a cold climate chamber. The results show that CIJV and HDV perform similar to a mixing ventilation in terms of ventilation effectiveness close to the workstations. As for local thermal comfort evaluation, the results show a small advantage for CIJV in the occupied zone. Comparing C2-CIJV to C2-CMV the average draught rate (DR) in the occupied zone is 0.3% for C2-CIJV and 5.3% for C2-CMV with the highest difference reaching as high as 10% at the height of 1.7 m. The results indicate that these systems can perform as well as mixing ventilation when used in offices that require moderate heating. The results also show that downdraught from the windows greatly impacts on the overall airflow and temperature pattern in the room.

scholarly journals Outdoor Thermal Comfort at a University Campus: Studies from Personal and Long-Term Thermal History Perspectives

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (21) ◽  
pp. 9284
Author(s):  
Jiao Xue ◽  
Xiao Hu ◽  
Shu Nuke Sani ◽  
Yuanyuan Wu ◽  
Xinyu Li ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Thermal Comfort ◽  
Thermal History ◽  
Thermal Environment ◽  
Thermal Sensation ◽  
Cold Climate ◽  
Outdoor Thermal Comfort ◽  
Climate Index ◽  
University Campus ◽  
Winter Climate

Thermally comfortable outdoor spaces have contributed to high-quality urban living. In order to provide a further understanding of the influences of gender and long-term thermal history on outdoor thermal comfort, this study conducted field surveys at a university campus in Shanghai, China by carrying out microclimatic monitoring and subjective questionnaires from May to October, 2019. The analysis of collected data found that, during our survey, 57% of the occupants felt comfortable overall and 40–60% of them perceived the microclimate variables (air temperature, humidity, solar radiation, and wind speed) as “neutral”. The universal thermal climate index (UTCI) provided a better correlation with occupant thermal sensation than the physiologically equivalent temperature (PET). Females were more sensitive to the outdoor thermal environment than males. Older age led to lower thermal sensation, but the thermal sensitivities for age groups of <20, 20–50, and >50 were similar. Occupants who had resided in Shanghai for a longer period showed higher overall comfort rating and lower thermal sensation. Interviewees who came from hot summer and cold winter climate regions were less effected by the change of UTCI than those from severe cold or cold climate regions.

Evaluation of vernacular and new housing indoor comfort conditions in cold climate – a field survey in eastern Turkey

2019 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 207-226
Author(s):  
Fatma Kürüm Varolgüneş
Keyword(s):  
Thermal Comfort ◽  
Material Selection ◽  
Mechanical Systems ◽  
General Information ◽  
Cold Climate ◽  
Survey Study ◽  
Visual Comfort ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Indoor Thermal Comfort ◽  
Occupant Satisfaction

Purpose The purpose of this study is to compare vernacular and new houses in terms of indoor occupant satisfaction and thermal and visual comfort in a region with cold climatic conditions. In line with the data obtained, the contribution of passive design techniques to comfort in housing indoor will be revealed. Design/methodology/approach In this study, the comfort conditions to be provided in a residence were determined and evaluated in Bingol with the help of questionnaires applied on vernacular and new houses. The information gathered from the occupants and the survey study was mainly designed for three purposes: (i) acquiring general information about houses; (ii) acquiring general information about occupants; and (iii) inquiring about the physical comfort satisfaction of the occupants (thermal comfort and visual comfort). Findings Although the average occupant satisfaction in terms of thermal performance in vernacular houses in summer and winter is 3.91, this average is 2.01 for new houses. The average of the general visual comfort of occupants in vernacular houses is 3.59, whereas this rate is 2.63 in new houses. According to the data obtained, occupant satisfaction was higher in vernacular houses than in new houses. In general, the new settlement area is designed and positioned independently of climate and environmental conditions. This situation increases the need to use mechanical systems to provide indoor thermal comfort conditions. The increase in the need for mechanical systems leads to a significant increase in energy expenditures, as well as deterioration of health conditions in places. Research limitations/implications To ensure occupant satisfaction, indoor thermal comfort conditions and healthy environments, vernacular houses should be an example for the design and building of new houses in terms of orientation, environment relations, space dimensions and space usage in accordance with the character of the region and material selection. Originality/value There has not been a serious research on bioclimatic, socioeconomic and cultural sustainability of the vernacular architecture of Bingol. Therefore, this region has been preferred as the study area.

Thermal comfort in high altitude Himalayan residential houses in Darjeeling, India – An adaptive approach

2019 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
pp. 84-100 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samar Thapa
Keyword(s):  
Thermal Comfort ◽  
Field Survey ◽  
Thermal Sensation ◽  
Cold Climate ◽  
Himalayan Region ◽  
Survey Method ◽  
Adaptive Model ◽  
Eastern India ◽  
Comfort Zone ◽  
Chamber Study

The study of thermal comfort in buildings is required to maintain a stable and comfortable condition of the indoor environment. The climate chamber study used to determine thermal comfort is mathematically reproducible and robust, but exaggerative and hence is energy inefficient, whereas the adaptive model-based field survey method is exhaustive and bioclimatic specific. Although, several field survey-based thermal comfort studies have been reported from India, these studies were conducted mostly either in hot and humid or composite climatic condition, and very few research has been reported from cold climatic region, which lies mostly along the high altitudinal Himalayan region. In this paper, the results of field survey-based thermal comfort studies in residential houses of highly altitudinal Darjeeling Himalayan region in eastern India are presented. The study found that female subjects showed a lesser clothing cover but portrayed a higher discomfort with lower thermal sensation and higher comfort temperature. The comfort temperature as determined in this study did not comply with the ASHRAE standard 55 graphical method, and hence new comfort zone for regions with similar cold climate is proposed.

The Effect of Thermal Mass on Annual Heat Load and Thermal Comfort in Cold Climate Construction

2016 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
pp. 04015002 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vanessa Stevens ◽  
Martin Kotol ◽  
Bruno Grunau ◽  
Colin Craven
Keyword(s):  
Thermal Comfort ◽  
Heat Load ◽  
Cold Climate ◽  
Thermal Mass

Potential effects of permeable and hygroscopic lightweight structures on thermal comfort and perceived IAQ in a cold climate

Indoor Air ◽  
2007 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 37-49 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Kurnitski ◽  
T. Kalamees ◽  
J. Palonen ◽  
L. Eskola ◽  
O. Seppänen
Keyword(s):  
Thermal Comfort ◽  
Cold Climate ◽  
Lightweight Structures

Effect of retrofit scenarios on energy performance and indoor thermal comfort of a typical single family house in different climates of Morocco

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-57
Author(s):  
Sobhy Issam ◽  
Brakez Abderrahim ◽  
Brahim Benhamou
Keyword(s):  
Thermal Comfort ◽  
Energy Performance ◽  
Cold Climate ◽  
Single Family ◽  
Indoor Thermal Comfort ◽  
Energy Needs ◽  
The One ◽  
Group B ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Family House

Abstract This paper aims at identifying the impact of three retrofit scenarios of a typical single family house on its energy performance and its indoor thermal comfort in several climates. Two of these scenarios are based on the Moroccan Thermal Regulation in Constructions (RTCM) while the third is the one proposed in this study. The climates, which range from group B to group C of the Köppen climate classification. The results show that the proposed renovation scenario allows reducing the heating load by 19-42% and the cooling load by 29-60% depending on the climate. Furthermore, the RTCM retrofit scenario leads to summer overheating in all climates. One of the main reason of this overheating is the insulation of the slab-on-grade floor as this insulation increases the annual heating/cooling energy needs of the house by 6%-10%. Moreover, the cavity wall technique was found to be the best option for external walls, instead of using high thermal insulting material, in the hot climates. The analysis of the energy performance, the thermal comfort indices and the payback periods for each retrofit scenario shows that the proposed scenario presents the best thermal performance, except for the Cold climate where the RTCM scenario is the most favorable.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document