Adaptive Thermal Comfort

Building sector is associated with high energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, which contribute to climate change. Sustainable development emphasizes any actions to reduce climate change and its effect. In Malaysia, half of the energy utilized in buildings goes towards building cooling. Thermal comfort studies and adaptive thermal comfort models reflect the high comfort temperatures for Malaysians in naturally conditioned buildings, which make it possible to tackle the difference between buildings’ indoor temperature and the required comfort temperature by using proper passive measures. This study investigates the effectiveness of building’s retrofitting with phase change materials (PCMs) as a passive cooling technology to improve the indoor thermal environment for more comfortable conditions. PCM sheets were numerically investigated below the internal finishing of the walls. The investigation involved an optimization study for the PCMs transition temperatures and quantities. The results showed significant improvement in the indoor thermal environment, especially when using lower transition temperatures and higher quantities of PCMs. Therefore, the monthly thermal discomfort time has decreased completely, while the thermal comfort time has increased to as high as 98%. The PCM was effective year-round and the optimum performance for the investigated conditions was achieved when using 18mm layer of PCM27-26.

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The Connection between Architectural Elements and Adaptive Thermal Comfort of Tropical Vernacular Houses in Mountain and Beach Locations

Energies ◽

10.3390/en14217427 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 14 (21) ◽

pp. 7427

Author(s):

Hermawan Hermawan ◽

Jozef Švajlenka

Keyword(s):

Thermal Comfort ◽

Mixed Method ◽

Rainy Season ◽

Qualitative Methodology ◽

Dry Season ◽

Architectural Elements ◽

Air Temperatures ◽

Adaptive Thermal Comfort ◽

Architectural Features ◽

Study Results

Passive thermal comfort has been widely used to test the thermal performance of a building. The science of active thermal comfort is important to be connected with the science of architecture. The currently developing active thermal comfort is adaptive thermal comfort. Vernacular houses are believed to be able to create thermal comfort for the inhabitants. The present study seeks to analyze the connection between the architectural elements of vernacular houses and adaptive thermal comfort. A mixed method was applied. A quantitative approach was used in the measurement of variables of climate, while a qualitative methodology was employed in an interview on thermal sensations. The connection between architectural elements and adaptive thermal comfort was analyzed by considering the correlation among architectural features, the analysis results of thermal comfort, and the Olgyay and psychrometric diagrams. At the beginning of the rainy season, residents of exposed stone houses had the highest comfortable percentage of 31%. In the middle of the rainy season, the highest percentage of comfort was obtained by residents of exposed brick and wooden houses on the beach at 39%. The lowest comfortable percentage experienced by residents of exposed stone houses at the beginning of the dry season was 0%. The beginning of the dry season in mountainous areas has air temperatures that are too low, making residents uncomfortable. The study results demonstrate that adaptive thermal comfort is related to using a room for adaptation to create thermal comfort for the inhabitants.

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ADAPTIVE HOUSE DESIGN AND PEOPLE’S HABITS IN ACHIEVING THERMAL COMFORT IN GAYO HIGHLAND ACEH, INDONESIA

Malaysian Journal of Sustainable Environment ◽

10.24191/myse.v8i1.12656 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 8 (1) ◽

pp. 23

Author(s):

Erna Meutia ◽

Laina Hilma Sari

Keyword(s):

Thermal Comfort ◽

Thermal Environment ◽

The Body ◽

Mental Condition ◽

Human Adaptation ◽

Cold Environment ◽

Adaptive Thermal Comfort ◽

Aceh Province ◽

Lower Temperature ◽

House Design

The Gayo Highland is one of the districts in Aceh Province, Sumatra. Due to the topography, this area has a lower temperature compared than the flat and coastal areas in Aceh. The thermal comfort that is felt is based on a person's mental condition and how he expresses his satisfaction with his thermal environment. In other words, it shows how humans adapt to their thermal environment. Thermal comfort based on human adaptation is known as adaptive thermal comfort. The form of dwelling for the Gayo Highland community has shifted and changed from traditional dwelling to Transitional and Modern forms that influence the Gayo Highland community's adaptation to achieve thermal comfort. Therefore, this paper aims to investigate the house design in Gayo highland in providing warmth to the occupants naturally in the cold environment. Another aim of this study is to investigate the people's habits in warming up the body to deal with the low air temperature in the area. This study shows how the local people adapt themselves through the house element and daily habit to gain the internal thermal comfort.

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Application of adaptive thermal comfort methods for Iranian schoolchildren

Building Research & Information ◽

10.1080/09613218.2016.1259290 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 47 (2) ◽

pp. 173-189 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Shamila Haddad ◽

Paul Osmond ◽

Steve King

Keyword(s):

Thermal Comfort ◽

Adaptive Thermal Comfort

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Evaluation of occupant's adaptive thermal comfort behaviour in naturally ventilated courtyard houses

Smart and Sustainable Built Environment ◽

10.1108/sasbe-02-2021-0020 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽

Author(s):

Peiman Pilechiha ◽

Alireza Norouziasas ◽

Hoorieh Ghorbani Naeini ◽

Kasmir Jolma

Keyword(s):

Thermal Comfort ◽

Design Methodology ◽

Construction Materials ◽

Parametric Models ◽

Content Type ◽

Seasonal Movement ◽

Indoor Thermal Comfort ◽

Adaptive Thermal Comfort ◽

Vernacular Buildings ◽

Hourly Basis

PurposeIn vernacular buildings, many climatic and passive solutions have been used to create indoor thermal comfort. Seasonal occupant movement is an example of a traditional response to increasing thermal comfort. This article investigates the influence of these user behaviours on thermal comfort in courtyard houses.Design/methodology/approachParametric models of three different scenarios of courtyard houses are simulated. The courtyard houses are located in Shiraz, Iran, and share the same orientation and construction materials. To enhance the accuracy of the study, the indoor adaptive thermal comfort (ATC) analysis is performed with three different window-to-wall ratios (WWR) of 25, 50 and 75%. The ACT analysis is performed on an hourly basis for summer and winter scenarios.FindingsThe results demonstrate that the indoor ATC is 8.3% higher in winter than in the summer in the seasonal zones. During the summer, the amount of ATC is relatively sustained in all zones. Unlike common beliefs, seasonal movement can enhance the ATC, especially during winter, specifically in the northern part of the courtyard. In northern zones, the seasonal movement of occupants improves the indoor ATC from 10.1 to 23.7%, and in southern zones, the improvement is from 2.2 to 4.8%.Originality/valueThis research presents a new numerical investigation into occupants' seasonal movements in courtyard houses during summer and winter. It provides a precise pattern to show how much this seasonal movement can affect the habitant's ATC.

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