A new adaptive thermal comfort model for homes in temperate climates of Australia

Indoor thermal environment of Hui style traditional houses is depended on surrounding environments, building layouts and envelope. Quantitative analysis of the effects of building layouts and envelope on indoor thermal environment is of great significance for preventions of traditional houses and design of new archaized houses. A field investigation was conducted on thirty-six traditional houses from nine villages in Wuyuan, and the typical buildings’ layout and envelope were determined. Four traditional buildings in different location in Wuyuan were selected for continual recording. The four buildings with four types of building layouts and envelope were analyzed by using local adaptive thermal comfort model, and the effects of building layouts and envelope of traditional buildings were clearly revealed. The most crucial way to improve indoor thermal environment in Hui style traditional buildings was raising the indoor air temperature.

Download Full-text

The Significance of the Adaptive Thermal Comfort Limits on the Air-Conditioning Loads in a Temperate Climate

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su11020328 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 11 (2) ◽

pp. 328 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Aiman Albatayneh ◽

Dariusz Alterman ◽

Adrian Page ◽

Behdad Moghtaderi

Keyword(s):

Thermal Comfort ◽

Air Conditioning ◽

Temperate Climate ◽

Heating And Cooling ◽

Air Temperatures ◽

Adaptive Thermal Comfort ◽

Save Energy ◽

One Year ◽

Air Conditioning Systems ◽

Thermal Comfort Model

The building industry is regarded a major contributor to climate change as energy consumption from buildings accounts for 40% of the total energy. The types of thermal comfort models used to predict the heating and cooling loads are critical to save energy in operative buildings and reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHG). In this research, the internal air temperatures were recorded for over one year under the free floating mode with no heating or cooling, then the number of hours required for heating or cooling were calculated based on fixed sets of operative temperatures (18 °C–24 °C) and the adaptive thermal comfort model to estimate the number of hours per year required for cooling and heating to sustain the occupants’ thermal comfort for four full-scale housing test modules at the campus of the University of Newcastle, Australia. The adaptive thermal comfort model significantly reduced the time necessary for mechanical cooling and heating by more than half when compared with the constant thermostat setting used by the air-conditioning systems installed on the site. It was found that the air-conditioning system with operational temperature setups using the adaptive thermal comfort model at 80% acceptability limits required almost half the operating energy when compared with fixed sets of operating temperatures. This can be achieved by applying a broader range of acceptable temperature limits and using techniques that require minimal energy to sustain the occupants’ thermal comfort.

Download Full-text

Improving the Weather

Examining the Environmental Impacts of Materials and Buildings - Practice, Progress, and Proficiency in Sustainability ◽

10.4018/978-1-7998-2426-8.ch009 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 251-281

Author(s):

Andrew Cruse

Keyword(s):

Thermal Comfort ◽

Energy Use ◽

Building Design ◽

Historical Background ◽

Current Status ◽

Design Strategies ◽

Adaptive Thermal Comfort ◽

Alternative Approach ◽

Building Design Decisions ◽

Thermal Comfort Model

This chapter proposes an approach to thermal comfort that increases occupant pleasure and reduces energy use by connecting architecture's material and environmental dimensions. Today's dominant thermal comfort model, the predicted mean vote (PMV), calls for steady-state temperatures that are largely unrelated to building design decisions. A more recent alternative approach, the adaptive thermal comfort (ATC) model, ties comfort to outdoor conditions and individual experience. Yet reliance on HVAC technology to provide building comfort hampers how such ideas are integrated into building design. This chapter outlines the historical background of the PMV and ACT models to understand the current status of thermal comfort research and practice. It then uses four recent buildings to outline how the insights of adaptive comfort research can be translated to bespoke comforts through spatial, material, formal, and other design strategies.

Download Full-text