scholarly journals Daylight affects human thermal perception

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Giorgia Chinazzo ◽  
Jan Wienold ◽  
Marilyne Andersen
Keyword(s):  
Thermal Comfort ◽  
Thermal Environment ◽  
Thermal Adaptation ◽  
Indoor Environments ◽  
Thermal Perception ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Low Energy Buildings ◽  
Temperature Levels ◽  
Factor Interactions ◽  
Adaptation Processes

Abstract Understanding the factors that affect human thermal responses is necessary to properly design and operate low-energy buildings. It has been suggested that factors not related to the thermal environment can affect thermal responses of occupants, but these factors have not been integrated in thermal comfort models due to a lack of knowledge of indoor factor interactions. While some studies have investigated the effect of electric light on thermal responses, no study exists on the effect of daylight. This study presents the first controlled experimental investigation on the effect of daylight quantity on thermal responses, combining three levels of daylight illuminance (low ~130 lx, medium ~600 lx, and high ~1400 lx) with three temperature levels (19, 23, 27 °C). Subjective and objective thermal responses of 84 participants were collected through subjective ratings on thermal perception and physiological measurements, respectively. Results indicate that the quantity of daylight influences the thermal perception of people specifically resulting in a cross-modal effect, with a low daylight illuminance leading to a less comfortable and less acceptable thermal environment in cold conditions and to a more comfortable one in warm conditions. No effect on their physiological responses was observed. Moreover, it is hypothesised that a warm thermal environment could be tolerated more whenever daylight is present in the room, as compared to the same thermal condition in a room lit with electric lights. Findings further the understanding of factors affecting human thermal responses and thermal adaptation processes in indoor environments and are relevant for both research and practice. The findings suggest that daylight should be considered as a factor in thermal comfort models and in all thermal comfort investigations, as well as that thermal and daylight illuminance conditions should be tuned and changed through the operation and design strategy of the building to guarantee its occupants’ thermal comfort in existing and future structures.

Some evidence of a time-varying thermal perception

2021 ◽  
pp. 1420326X2110345
Author(s):  
Marika Vellei ◽  
William O’Brien ◽  
Simon Martinez ◽  
Jérôme Le Dréau
Keyword(s):  
Thermal Comfort ◽  
Energy Savings ◽  
Thermal Environment ◽  
Thermal Conditions ◽  
Time Of Day ◽  
Time Varying ◽  
Thermal Perception ◽  
Indoor Thermal Environment ◽  
Human Circadian Rhythm ◽  
Comfort Criteria

Recent research suggests that a time-varying indoor thermal environment can lead to energy savings and contribute to boost buildings' energy flexibility. However, thermal comfort standardization has so far considered thermal comfort criteria as constant throughout the day. In general, very little attention has been given to the ‘ time of day' variable in the context of thermal comfort research. In this paper, we show some evidence of a time-varying thermal perception by using: (1) data from about 10,000 connected Canadian thermostats made available as part of the ‘ Donate Your Data' dataset and (2) about 22,000 samples of complete (objective + ‘ right-here-right-now' subjective) thermal comfort field data from the ASHRAE I and SCATs datasets. We observe that occupants prefer colder thermal conditions at 14:00 and progressively warmer ones in the rest of the day, indistinctively in the morning and evening. Neutral temperature differences between 08:00 and 14:00 and 14:00 and 20:00 are estimated to be of the order of 2°C. We hypothesize that the human circadian rhythm is the cause of this difference. Nevertheless, the results of this study are only based on observational data. Thermal comfort experiments in controlled environmental chambers are required to confirm these findings and to better elucidate the effects of light and circadian timing and their interaction on thermal perception.

scholarly journals Determination of Thermal Comfort in Indoor Sport Facilities Located in Moderate Environments: An Overview

Atmosphere ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (12) ◽  
pp. 769 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fabio Fantozzi ◽  
Giulia Lamberti
Keyword(s):  
Thermal Comfort ◽  
Thermal Environment ◽  
Thermal Sensation ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Indoor Environmental Quality ◽  
Indoor Environments ◽  
Major Question ◽  
Sport Practice ◽  
Sport Facilities

In previous years, providing comfort in indoor environments has become a major question for researchers. Thus, indoor environmental quality (IEQ)—concerning the aspects of air quality, thermal comfort, visual and acoustical quality—assumed a crucial role. Considering sport facilities, the evaluation of the thermal environment is one of the main issues that should be faced, as it may interfere with athletes’ performance and health. Thus, the necessity of a review comprehending the existing knowledge regarding the evaluation of the thermal environment and its application to sport facilities becomes increasingly relevant. This paper has the purpose to consolidate the aspects related to thermal comfort and their application to sport practice, through a deep study concerning the engineering, physiological, and psychological approaches to thermal comfort, a review of the main standards on the topic and an analysis of the methodologies and the models used by researchers to determine the thermal sensation of sport facilities’ occupants. Therefore, this review provides the basis for future research on the determination of thermal comfort in indoor sport facilities located in moderate environments.

scholarly journals Quantification of indoor environments and study of thermal comfort in naturally hostel buildings in the tropical country, India

2019 ◽  
Vol 111 ◽  
pp. 02059
Author(s):  
Sanjay Kumar ◽  
Manoj Kumar Singh ◽  
Varun Kumar Gupta
Keyword(s):  
Thermal Comfort ◽  
Thermal Environment ◽  
Monsoon Season ◽  
Weather Conditions ◽  
Good Health ◽  
Learning Performance ◽  
Indoor Environments ◽  
Tropical Country ◽  
Thermal Environments ◽  
Adaptive Action

Hostel buildings prime objective is to provide better thermal environments to the students for their good health and learning performance. In India, a very few studies are done on the thermal environments of multi-storied naturally ventilated hostel buildings. We carried out a thermal comfort study in two mid-rise (~G+5 floors) naturally ventilated (NV) hostel buildings during monsoon season (August-September, 2018). The field study conducted for three consecutive weeks collecting 642 valid subjective responses with objective information regarding thermal parameters of 253 rooms. Statistical analysis of student’s responses and measured thermal environment variables was performed for assessing inter buildings effects, different weather conditions (rainy or cloudy) and daytime duration (morning, afternoon and evening), respectively. The study finds the mean thermal neutrality at 29.9°C for the studied group using Griffiths’ method. The results suggested that more than 80% of subjects were voting within central three categories when indoor operative temperature ranged between 28-32.1°C. The primary adaptive action of occupants includes switching on the fans (100%) followed by the opening of external doors (80%) and opening or closing of windows (55%) to restore thermal comfort in built environments.

scholarly journals Thermal and Vibration Comfort Analysis of a Nearly Zero-Energy Building in Poland

2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (10) ◽  
pp. 3774 ◽  
Author(s):  
Małgorzata Fedorczak-Cisak ◽  
Marcin Furtak ◽  
Jolanta Gintowt ◽  
Alicja Kowalska-Koczwara ◽  
Filip Pachla ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Thermal Comfort ◽  
Thermal Environment ◽  
Building Design ◽  
Energy Performance ◽  
Zero Energy ◽  
Technical Requirements ◽  
Low Energy Buildings ◽  
Passive Houses ◽  
Construction Law ◽  
The Impact

Placing emphasis exclusively on minimizing energy consumption in low-energy buildings can adversely impact thermal comfort and vibrational comfort. Vibrational comfort is extremely important in building design, especially within mining or seismically active territories, and due to car transportation in city centers. In this article, a new approach to designing passive buildings and nearly zero-energy buildings (NZEBs) in Poland is proposed, which has a strong emphasis on the necessity of providing comfort of use in passive houses and NZEBs. Additionally, vibration comfort provisions in the design process are examined. The research gap that will be addressed by the research presented in this article is to extend the comfort conditions of passive buildings and NZEBs into the area of vibratory comfort. The second goal of the project is to determine the impact of solar control systems on the conditions of thermal comfort. The conclusions from the research will allow for the optimization of design assumptions for passive houses and NZEBs. The conclusions from the tests can serve as the basis for introducing appropriate construction law requirements in Poland. The results of the research, which are presented in the article, indicate that the technical requirements that are applicable in Poland ought to include requirements regarding the use of sun blinds in NZEBs and passive buildings (not only as recommendations). In particular, the use of apertures on the south side ought to be mandated. The article can also be the basis for introducing the requirements of vibration comfort to the PN–EN 15251:2012 “Indoor environmental input parameters for design and assessment of energy performance of buildings addressing indoor air quality, thermal environment, lighting and acoustics” standard, which is the basis for designing the parameters of the internal environment for buildings.

scholarly journals Thermal Perception in Mild Climate: Adaptive Thermal Models for Schools

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (14) ◽  
pp. 3948 ◽  
Author(s):  
Miguel Ángel Campano ◽  
Samuel Domínguez-Amarillo ◽  
Jesica Fernández-Agüera ◽  
Juan José Sendra
Keyword(s):  
Thermal Comfort ◽  
Natural Ventilation ◽  
Energy Use ◽  
Thermal Environment ◽  
Thermal Sensation ◽  
Comfort Level ◽  
Thermal Perception ◽  
Accurate Design ◽  
Almost All ◽  
Autumn And Winter

A comprehensive assessment of indoor environmental conditions is performed on a representative sample of classrooms in schools across southern Spain (Mediterranean climate) to evaluate the thermal comfort level, thermal perception and preference, and the relationship with HVAC systems, with a comparison of seasons and personal clothing. Almost fifty classrooms were studied and around one thousand pool-surveys distributed among their occupants, aged 12 to 17. These measurements were performed during spring, autumn, and winter, considered the most representative periods of use for schools. A new proposed protocol has been developed for the collection and subsequent analysis of data, applying thermal comfort indicators and using the most frequent predictive models, rational (RTC) and adaptive (ATC), for comparison. Cooling is not provided in any of the rooms and natural ventilation is found in most of the spaces during midseasons. Despite the existence of a general heating service in almost all classrooms in the cold period, the use of mechanical ventilation is limited. Heating did not usually provide standard set-point temperatures. However, this did not lead to widespread complaints, as occupants perceive the thermal environment as neutral—varying greatly between users—and show a preference for slightly colder environments. Comparison of these thermal comfort votes and the thermal comfort indicators used showed a better fit of thermal preference over thermal sensation and more reliable results when using regional ATC indicators than the ASHRAE adaptive model. This highlights the significance of inhabitants’ actual thermal perception. These findings provide useful insight for a more accurate design of this type of building, as well as a suitable tool for the improvement of existing spaces, improving the conditions for both comfort and wellbeing in these spaces, as well as providing a better fit of energy use for actual comfort conditions.

scholarly journals The Maturing Interdisciplinary Relationship between Human Biometeorological Aspects and Local Adaptation Processes: An Encompassing Overview

Climate ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (12) ◽  
pp. 134 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andre Santos Nouri ◽  
Andreas Matzarakis
Keyword(s):  
Local Adaptation ◽  
Thermal Adaptation ◽  
Indoor Environments ◽  
Top Down ◽  
Human Biometeorology ◽  
Qualitative And Quantitative ◽  
Review Study ◽  
Urban Contexts ◽  
New Research ◽  
Adaptation Processes

To date, top-down approaches have played a fundamental role in expanding the comprehension of both existing, and future, climatological patterns. In liaison, the focus attributed to climatic mitigation has shifted towards the identification of how climatic adaptation can specifically prepare for an era prone to further climatological aggravations. Within this review study, the progress and growing opportunities for the interdisciplinary integration of human biometeorological aspects within existing and future local adaptation efforts are assessed. This encompassing assessment of the existing literature likewise scrutinises existing scientific hurdles in approaching existing/future human thermal wellbeing in local urban contexts. The respective hurdles are subsequently framed into new research opportunities concerning human biometeorology and its increasing interdisciplinary significance in multifaceted urban thermal adaptation processes. It is here where the assembly and solidification of ‘scientific bridges’ are acknowledged within the multifaceted ambition to ensuring a responsive, safe and thermally comfortable urban environment. Amongst other aspects, this review study deliberates upon numerous scientific interferences that must be strengthened, inclusively between the: (i) climatic assessments of both top-down and bottom-up approaches to local human thermal wellbeing; (ii) rooted associations between qualitative and quantitative aspects of thermal comfort in both outdoor and indoor environments; and (iii) efficiency and easy-to-understand communication with non-climatic experts that play an equally fundamental role in consolidating effective adaptation responses in an era of climate change.

scholarly journals Thermal comfort environment for migrants: a long-term follow-up climate chamber experiment

2021 ◽  
Vol 2069 (1) ◽  
pp. 012237
Author(s):  
Yu Dong ◽  
Yuan Shi ◽  
Yanfeng Liu ◽  
Jørn Toftum
Keyword(s):  
Thermal Comfort ◽  
Thermal Environment ◽  
Thermal Sensation ◽  
Thermal Sensitivity ◽  
Thermal Adaptation ◽  
Indoor Climate ◽  
Climate Chamber ◽  
Chamber Experiment ◽  
Long Term Follow Up

Abstract Migration between different climate regions may change people’s thermal experience and their thermal adaptation. However, few studies have explored the thermal adaptation process and the suitable indoor thermal environment of migrants. In this study, we conducted a long-term tracking comparative experiment on thermal adaptation of migrants moving from severe cold (SC) regions, hot summer and cold winter (HSCW) regions, and hot summer and warm winter (HSWW) regions to cold region of China. A two-year climate chamber experiment was conducted to follow migrants’ progressive thermal adaptation, such as different weeks, months and seasons after they migrated. The results show that the thermal sensation of migrants was significantly associated with their origin, the time after migration and air temperature. In addition, with the increase time after migration, the thermal sensitivity of HSCW and SC migrants showed a significant upward and downward trend, respectively. Two years after migration, the thermal comfort limits of migrants from SC, HSWW and HSCW were almost identical at 23.5-27.8°C, 23.8-27.8°C, and 23.5-27.6°C. The results provides insight to the progression of thermal adaptation and helpful to guide the design of indoor climate for immigrants with different thermal experiences.

scholarly journals Testing multisensory stimuli to drive thermal comfort and space perception using VR/AR: a design strategy to achieve energy saving

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lavinia Chiara Tagliabue
Keyword(s):  
Energy Consumption ◽  
Thermal Comfort ◽  
Energy Saving ◽  
Space Perception ◽  
Indoor Environments ◽  
System Efficiency ◽  
Thermal Perception ◽  
Energy Evaluation ◽  
Smart Control ◽  
Different Color

Energy consumption of the EU has a crucial environmental impact; several efforts are nowadays thus directed into massively reducing energy consumption by envelope improvement, system efficiency and smart control. On the other hand, the indoor thermal and lighting conditions significantly influence users' wellbeing and productivity, which is especially important when dealing with educational and working facilities. Strategies to enhance system efficiency are focused on design and construction aspects. These strategies ease to promote a powerful approach which is needed when focusing on existing buildings in need of retrofit measures. When dealing with new or refurbished buildings, energy saving has a further step to achieve. In the last years, research trends moved towards an increasing inclusion of human factors in energy evaluation. This allows to account for the occupancy variability in the energy analyses, considering how to bridge the performance gap between predictive models and actual consumptions due to indoor thermal settings. In empty buildings energy consumption is huge and economic efforts are wasted, due to unconscious energy-wasting behaviors. Previous studies with Interactive Virtual Environments confirmed that indoor environments illuminated by different color lights lead to the perception of different levels of thermal comfort. The results of the present paper replicate previous evidence collected in real conditions, suggesting that Virtual Reality is a valid and reliable tool to assess thermal comfort more quickly and cheaply. This paper provides a further perspective on this topic, including also the use of different fragrances to understand how the indoor environment could be enhanced and manipulated to increase wellbeing, thermal perception and finally energy saving.

PMV Based Hot/Cold Complaint Model for Dynamical Thermal Comfort

2013 ◽  
Vol 816-817 ◽  
pp. 1185-1188
Author(s):  
Pei Yong Duan ◽  
Hui Li ◽  
Cong Cong Liu
Keyword(s):  
Mathematical Model ◽  
Thermal Comfort ◽  
Thermal Environment ◽  
Indoor Environments ◽  
Intelligent Environment ◽  
Level Crossing ◽  
Individual Preferences ◽  
Time Period ◽  
Optimization Control ◽  
Crossing Theory

Dynamic thermal comfort control can provide comfortable, healthy, and energy-saving indoor environments. The hot / cold complaints occur when the indoor occupants are dissatisfied with the thermal environment. In order to obtain a precise index for thermal comfort control according to individual preferences, A PMV (Predicted Mean Vote)-based cold / hot complaint event method are presented so that the optimization control policies that affect both energy consumption and comfort can be formulated. A mathematical model of the number of cold and hot complaints in a time period t is developed that is based on the level-crossing theory of stochastic processes. Hot complaint experiments were conducted in intelligent environment laboratory. Experiment results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.

Optimization Control for Dynamic Thermal Comfort in an Intelligent Inhabitation Environment

2013 ◽  
Vol 816-817 ◽  
pp. 371-374
Author(s):  
Pei Yong Duan ◽  
Hui Li ◽  
Cong Cong Liu
Keyword(s):  
Control System ◽  
Thermal Comfort ◽  
Energy Saving ◽  
Control Method ◽  
Thermal Environment ◽  
A Priori ◽  
Indoor Environments ◽  
Environment Model ◽  
Control Evaluation ◽  
Priori Information

Comfortable, healthy, and energy-saving indoor environments can be obtained via a dynamic thermal comfort control. Difficulties to design an optimal control system for a dynamic thermal environment arise due to the lack of coordinative control evaluation methods for conflicting comfort and energy-saving indices. An improved multi-objective algorithm based on discrete PSO (Particle Swarm Optimization) is proposed to calculate the optimal values of parameters in the dynamic comfort control system based on users balance between the comfort and energy conservation. No a priori information or physical indoor environment model is needed. Experiment results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed control method.

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