Ventilation conditions and their influence on thermal comfort in examination classrooms in times of COVID-19. A case study in a Spanish area with Mediterranean climate

The aim of this paper is to investigate the thermal performance of vertical gardens by comparing the thermal comfort of bare (glazed) and green façades in the Mediterranean climate. The proposal consists of applying a vegetation layer on a glazed façade that could control solar radiation and reduce indoor air temperatures. This study investigates the thermal performance of green façades of an office building in the Mediterranean climate. For this purpose, the Gas Natural Fenosa Office Building as a case study was simulated, that is located on a site next to the coastline in Barcelona. Dynamic building energy simulation was used to determine and assess indoor thermal conditions and, for this reason, the IES VE as a simulation tool has been utilized. Thermal comfort was assessed through the adaptive comfort approach and results were analyzed and presented in the terms of indoor comfort conditions during occupied hours. As a result, the article shows that applying a green façade as a vegetation layer caused a reduction in the internal and external façade surface temperatures, as well as the indoor air temperature of the workplace. Additionally, enhancing indoor comfort in summer is closely associated with reducing the external surface temperature. In winter, it also protects the exterior surface from the low temperature of the outside, and all of this greatly increases thermal comfort performance.

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Dynamic Evaluation of Heat Thefts Due to Different Thermal Performances and Operations between Adjacent Dwellings

Applied Sciences ◽

10.3390/app10072436 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (7) ◽

pp. 2436

Author(s):

Laura Canale ◽

Vittoria Battaglia ◽

Giorgio Ficco ◽

Giovanni Puglisi ◽

Marco Dell’Isola

Keyword(s):

Energy Consumption ◽

Thermal Comfort ◽

Social Housing ◽

Mediterranean Climate ◽

Heating System ◽

Heat Flows ◽

Central Heating ◽

Consumption Data ◽

Different Temperatures

Apartment position and operation within buildings play a significant role on energy consumption and also on perceived thermal comfort. Dwellings with favorable positions can have significant benefit, also when heated for a limited number of hours, if compared to apartments located in disadvantaged positions (i.e., upper or lower floors or north-oriented). This may be the cause of debates, especially in buildings with central heating, when heat costs are shared among tenants by means of sub-metering systems. In this paper, authors address this issue by studying the “heat thefts” phenomenon in dynamic conditions in a low-insulated building, when the heating system is used unevenly by the tenants (i.e., with different temperatures and/or use). To this end, a social housing building located in Mediterranean climate, where daily temperature excursions and solar heat gains enhance the dynamics of the heat flows, has been chosen as the case-study. The real operation of the building has been simulated in different operational scenarios and the model has been validated against energy consumption data collected experimentally. Results confirm that special allocation and or/compensation strategies should be taken in heat costs allocation in order to avoid accentuating situations of inequalities, especially in low-insulated and/or occasionally heated buildings.

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A parametric building energy simulation case study on the potential and limitations of passive design in the Mediterranean climate of Malta

Sustainable buildings ◽

10.1051/sbuild/2018004 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 3 ◽

pp. 4 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Heinrich Manz ◽

Daniel Micallef ◽

Simon Paul Borg ◽

Vincent Buhagiar

Keyword(s):

Thermal Comfort ◽

Room Temperature ◽

Mediterranean Climate ◽

Building Design ◽

Building Energy ◽

Energy Simulation ◽

Building Energy Simulation ◽

Artificial Heating ◽

The Impact

The present case study sets out to investigate the potential and limitations of passive building design in a typical Mediterranean climate. The Maltese Islands were taken as the case study location. Assuming a fully detached, cuboid-shaped, generic multi-storey office building, one representative storey was modelled by means of the building energy simulation code WUFI®Plus. Thermal comfort was analysed based on the adaptive acceptable operative room temperature concept of EN 15251 for buildings without mechanical cooling systems. Assuming neither artificial heating nor cooling, the free-running operative room temperature was evaluated. By means of a parametric study, the robustness of the concept was analysed and the impact of orientation, window to wall area ratio, glazing, shading, thermal insulation, nighttime ventilation and thermal mass on the achievable level of thermal comfort is shown and discussed. It is concluded that in a well-designed building and by means of decent insulation (present case: Uwall = 0.54 W/(m2 · K)), double glazing, variable external shading devices and passive cooling by nighttime ventilation, a high level of thermal comfort is achievable in this climate using only very minor amounts of energy for artificial heating and cooling or possibly even none at all.

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Super-insulated wooden envelopes in Mediterranean climate: Summer overheating, thermal comfort optimization, environmental impact on an Italian case study

Energy and Buildings ◽

10.1016/j.enbuild.2016.12.042 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 138 ◽

pp. 716-732 ◽

Cited By ~ 15

Author(s):

Francesca Stazi ◽

Elisa Tomassoni ◽

Costanzo Di Perna

Keyword(s):

Environmental Impact ◽

Thermal Comfort ◽

Mediterranean Climate ◽

Italian Case

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Barriers on Establishing Passive Strategies in Office Spaces: A Case Study in a Historic University Building

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su13084563 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (8) ◽

pp. 4563

Author(s):

Nuno Baía Baía Saraiva ◽

Luisa Dias Dias Pereira ◽

Adélio Rodrigues Gaspar ◽

José Joaquim da Costa

Keyword(s):

Thermal Comfort ◽

Indoor Environment ◽

Hvac Systems ◽

Heritage Buildings ◽

Full Capacity ◽

Free Cooling ◽

Passive Strategies ◽

The University ◽

Indoor Conditions

The adaptation of spaces to different usage typologies can be complex in heritage buildings. Facilities were initially planned for a specific type of use that, when changed, require additional measures to ensure a suitable indoor environment. Passive strategies—e.g., free cooling—are commonly used as an alternative without requiring equipment installation. However, its implementation often leads to unsatisfactory conditions. Therefore, it is important to clarify the main barriers to achieving thermal comfort in readapted historic buildings. The present work investigates the thermal comfort conditions reported by workers in office spaces of a historic building in the University of Coimbra. A monitoring campaign was carried out between May and September 2020 to assess indoor conditions’ quality. Due to the current pandemic of COVID-19, offices were not occupied at full capacity. A one-day evaluation of thermal comfort was made using a climate analyzer and six occupants were surveyed on 19 August 2020. The main results highlighted discomfort due to overheating of spaces. The causes were related to the combination of inadequate implementation of the free cooling actions and the building use. Furthermore, it was recommended the installation of HVAC systems in case of full capacity.

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Scoping Review of Thermal Comfort Research in Colombia

Buildings ◽

10.3390/buildings11060232 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (6) ◽

pp. 232

Author(s):

Juan Manuel Medina ◽

Carolina M. Rodriguez ◽

Maria Camila Coronado ◽

Lina Maria Garcia

Keyword(s):

Thermal Comfort ◽

Scoping Review ◽

Architectural Design ◽

Urban Climate ◽

Academic Community ◽

Additional Information ◽

The Future ◽

Art Research ◽

Occupant Satisfaction

The analysis of thermal comfort in buildings, energy consumption, and occupant satisfaction is crucial to influencing the architectural design methodologies of the future. However, research in these fields in developing countries is sectorised. Most times, the standards to study and assess thermal comfort such as ASHRAE Standard 55, EN 15251, and ISO 7730 are insufficient and not appropriate for the geographical areas of application. This article presents a scoping review of published work in Colombia, as a representative case study, to highlight the state-of-the-art, research trends, gaps, and potential areas for further development. It examines the amount, origin, extent, and content of research and peer-reviewed documentation over the last decades. The findings allow new insights regarding the preferred models and the evaluation tools that have been used to date and that are recommended to use in the future. It also includes additional information regarding the most and least studied regions, cities, and climates in the country. This work could be of interest for the academic community and policymakers in the areas related to indoor and urban climate management and energy efficiency.

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