A Study of the Thermal Environment and Air Quality in Hot–Humid Regions during Running Events in Southern Taiwan

It is quite difficult to investigate thermal comfort in hot–humid regions, and there have not been many real case studies or research related to this issue. In this article, four running events held in nearby popular travel spots in Kaohsiung, the largest city in southern Taiwan, were selected to analyze the influence of thermal environment and air quality on thermal comfort. Mostly real time environmental monitoring data were applied for estimating thermal indicators, along with Sky View Factor (SVF) data taken at the sites of the running scheduled routes, to analyze the thermal performance of participants at running events. Compared with runners, walkers (local residents, fans, and staff of the events) would be exposed to a greater risk of thermal discomfort with increasing time spent on the routes. With the integrated analysis, mPET (modified physiologically equivalent temperature) can be viewed as a relatively comprehensive indicator in considering both environmental thermal conditions and the biometrical differences of activities and clothing types. From the results, a good correlation between mPET and solar radiation/SVF was obtained, which indicated that mPET could be sufficiently sensible in revealing the thermal condition variation from one site to another during the route with time. Based on the discomfort risk assessment, for runners, the event held in autumn with lower SVF at the route sites would be less risky of thermal discomfort, while the event held in spring with lower solar radiation would be more comfortable for walkers. As for air quality condition, the inappropriateness of holding winter outdoor activities in Kaohsiung was obviously shown in both real time monitoring data and long term analysis.

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Detailed Analysis of Thermal Comfort and Indoor Air Quality Using Real-Time Multiple Environmental Monitoring Data for a Childcare Center

Energies ◽

10.3390/en14030643 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 14 (3) ◽

pp. 643

Author(s):

Sukjoon Oh ◽

Suwon Song

Keyword(s):

Air Quality ◽

Thermal Comfort ◽

Indoor Air Quality ◽

Real Time ◽

Indoor Air ◽

Energy Use ◽

Environmental Data ◽

Monitoring Data ◽

Indoor Environmental Quality ◽

Childcare Center

Thermal comfort, indoor air quality (IAQ), and energy use are closely related, even though these have different aspects with respect to building performance. We analyzed thermal comfort and IAQ using real-time multiple environmental data, which include indoor air temperature, relative humidity, carbon dioxide (CO2), and particulate matter (e.g., PM10 and PM2.5), as well as electricity use from an energy recovery ventilation (ERV) system for a childcare center. Thermal comfort frequency and time-series analyses were conducted in detail to thoroughly observe real-time thermal comfort and IAQ conditions with and without ERV operation, and to identify energy savings opportunities during occupied and unoccupied hours. The results show that the highest CO2 and PM10 concentrations were reduced by 51.4% and 29.5%, respectively, during the occupied hours when the ERV system was operating. However, it was also identified that comfort frequencies occurred during unoccupied hours and discomfort frequencies during occupied hours. By analyzing and communicating the three different types of real-time monitoring data, it is concluded that the ERV system should be controlled by considering not only IAQ (e.g., CO2 and PM2.5) but also thermal comfort and energy use to enhance indoor environmental quality and save energy based on real-time multiple monitoring data.

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Real-time determination of optimal indoor-air condition for thermal comfort, air quality and efficient energy usage

Energy and Buildings ◽

10.1016/j.enbuild.2004.01.017 ◽

2004 ◽

Vol 36 (7) ◽

pp. 720-733 ◽

Cited By ~ 64

Author(s):

S Atthajariyakul ◽

T Leephakpreeda

Keyword(s):

Air Quality ◽

Thermal Comfort ◽

Real Time ◽

Indoor Air ◽

Energy Usage ◽

Efficient Energy ◽

Time Determination

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Application of thermal comfort assessment models to indoor areas near glazed walls – experimental evaluation

10.7764/rdlc.20.1.106 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 20 (1) ◽

pp. 106-127

Author(s):

António Manuel Figueiredo Freitas Oliveira ◽

◽

Helena Corvacho ◽

Keyword(s):

Solar Radiation ◽

Thermal Comfort ◽

Thermal Environment ◽

National Laboratory ◽

Environmental Parameters ◽

Outdoor Environment ◽

Assessment Model ◽

Indoor Space ◽

The Impact ◽

Indoor Spaces

In this paper, some of the results of an experimental study are presented. Its purpose was to better understand the impact of glazing on thermal comfort of users of indoor spaces (living and working), especially in the areas near glazed walls. Glazed elements, such as windows and glazed doors, allow visual access to the outdoor environment and the entrance of natural light and solar heat gains but they are often the cause of unwanted heat losses and gains and are disturbing elements in obtaining thermal comfort, both in global terms and in what concerns local discomfort due to radiant asymmetries and/or air draughts. Furthermore, solar radiation directly affecting users in the vicinity of glazing can also cause discomfort. These disturbances are recognized by users, both on cold winter days and on hot summer days. To assess thermal comfort or thermal neutrality of a person in a particular indoor space, it is important to know their location within that space. Thus, in order to adequately assess thermal comfort in the areas near the glazing, the indoor thermal environment must be characterized for this specific location. In this study, two indoor spaces (a classroom and an office-room) of a school building were monitored at different periods of the year. The measurements of the environmental parameters were performed both in the center of the rooms and in the areas near the glazing. Five models of thermal comfort assessment were then applied to the results, in order to compare the comfort conditions between the two studied locations and to evaluate the applicability of these models to the areas close to glazed walls. It was observed there was clearly a greater variability of comfort conditions in the vicinity of the glazed walls when compared to the center of the rooms. The application of thermal comfort assessment models to the two studied rooms was able to reveal the differences between the two compared locations within each space. It was also possible to show the effect of incoming solar radiation and the influence of the geometry of the spaces and of the ratio between glazed area and floor area by comparing the results for both spaces. The assessment model proposed by LNEC (Portuguese National Laboratory of Civil Engineering) proved to be the most adapted to Portuguese users’ habits.

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05/00381 Real-time determination of optimal indoor-air condition for thermal comfort, air quality and efficient energy usage

Fuel and Energy Abstracts ◽

10.1016/s0140-6701(05)80382-0 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 46 (1) ◽

pp. 51

Keyword(s):

Air Quality ◽

Thermal Comfort ◽

Real Time ◽

Indoor Air ◽

Energy Usage ◽

Efficient Energy ◽

Time Determination

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Microclimate Environmental Assessment and Impact of Mountain City Pedestrian Streets in Summer

E3S Web of Conferences ◽

10.1051/e3sconf/202017211001 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 172 ◽

pp. 11001

Author(s):

Ke Xiong ◽

Zhenjing Yang ◽

Canhua Cheng

Keyword(s):

Thermal Comfort ◽

Environmental Assessment ◽

Thermal Environment ◽

Climate Index ◽

View Factor ◽

City Street ◽

Thermal Climate ◽

The One ◽

Microclimate Environment ◽

Important Form

In mountainous cities, walking is an important form of transportation. The microclimate environment of pedestrian streets in summer affects the comfort of pedestrians, especially in hot summer cities. Besides, there are many height differences in mountainous city pedestrian streets, while existing researches of the thermal environment were mainly aimed at plain cities. We used typology to analyze different spatial patterns and tested microclimate of five kinds of streets in the Shanchengxiang of Chongqing. Then the universal thermal climate index (UTCI) was used to evaluate the thermal comfort of different spatial spaces. Firstly, the thermal environment of the mountain city street in summer is extremely uncomfortable and needs to be improved. Secondly, the sky view factor (SVF) has a great impact on the street thermal environment. Among all kinds of streets, the one-sided open B-N (SVF = 0.474) has the worst thermal environment, with an average UTCI of 44.7℃. However, the two-sided enclosed B2-B2 (SVF = 0.052) represents a better thermal environment, with an average UTCI of 35.5℃. The R2 value of 0.88 reflects that the linear correlation between UTCI and SVF is larger than that of H/W, whose R2 value is mere 0.04. Finally, different interfaces and enclosure forms have a great impact on space thermal comfort. This study quantifies the parameters that influence the design of pedestrian streets in mountain cities from the perspective of outdoor microclimate environmental assessment and provide a reference for the sustainable design of regional streets.

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Impact of solar reflectance of wall and road on outdoor thermal comfort - experimental study in a street canyon setup

MATEC Web of Conferences ◽

10.1051/matecconf/201928202010 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 282 ◽

pp. 02010

Author(s):

Kiran Kumar D E V S ◽

Man Pun Wan ◽

Mandi Zhou ◽

Yongping Long ◽

Bing Feng Ng

Keyword(s):

Solar Radiation ◽

Thermal Comfort ◽

Street Canyon ◽

Thermal Environment ◽

Longwave Radiation ◽

Environmental Parameters ◽

Outdoor Thermal Comfort ◽

Width Ratio ◽

Diffuse Solar Radiation ◽

Solar Reflectance

Thermal environment in an urban street canyon is primarily affected by prevailing air conditions, wind flow, solar radiation as well as thermal properties of the surrounding urban structures and pavement surfaces that affect the reflection, absorption and re-emission of solar radiation. Experiments were conducted in a 1:5 scale test setup consisting of North-South oriented street canyon (height to width ratio 1.7) located in Singapore. Test cases covering two levels solar reflectance of walls (0.35 and 0.57) and road (0.12 and 0.55) were conducted in a three-month period. Environmental parameters including direct beam and diffuse solar radiation, net radiation (incoming and outgoing shortwave and longwave radiation) and wind speed were continuously measured at the top of the canyon. Thermal comfort parameters including air temperature, relative humidity, air velocity and globe temperature were also monitored continuously inside the street canyon. When the solar reflectance of canyon surfaces increases, mean radiant temperature (MRT) reduces by up to 1.2°C during daytime and 2.5°C during the night. Such reduction leads to reduced occurrence of heat stress by 34% and 42% during the day and night times, respectively, as measured by the universal thermal comfort index (UTCI). This paper further discusses the effect of longwave radiation on MRT in the street canyon due to changes in canyon solar reflectance.

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Integrated analysis of energy, indoor environment, and occupant satisfaction in green buildings using real-time monitoring data and on-site investigation

Building and Environment ◽

10.1016/j.buildenv.2020.107014 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 182 ◽

pp. 107014

Author(s):

Lizhen Wang ◽

Donglin Zheng

Keyword(s):

Real Time ◽

Indoor Environment ◽

Site Investigation ◽

Green Buildings ◽

Monitoring Data ◽

Integrated Analysis ◽

Real Time Monitoring ◽

Occupant Satisfaction

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Research on Indoor Thermal Comfort and Age of Air in Qilou Street Shop under Mechanical Ventilation Scheme: A Case Study of Nanning Traditional Block in Southern China

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su13074037 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (7) ◽

pp. 4037

Author(s):

Xianfeng Huang ◽

Chen Qu

Keyword(s):

Mechanical Ventilation ◽

Air Quality ◽

Thermal Comfort ◽

Thermal Environment ◽

Southern China ◽

Air Conditioner ◽

Indoor Thermal Environment ◽

Indoor Thermal Comfort ◽

Circulation Mode ◽

Ventilation Scheme

In hot summers, air conditioning (AC) and mechanical ventilation (such as fans) are used as cooling modes that strongly influence the resultant indoor environment, like thermal comfort and air quality in the shops of a Nanning arcade street (qilou). The air circulation mode in shops greatly affects the indoor thermal environment and level of air freshness. The approaches for effectively improving the indoor thermal comfort and air quality are developed in qilou street shops with air-conditioner in a humid and hot region in southern China. Consequently, the purpose of this study is to assess different ventilation schemes in order to identify the best one. By using two indices, i.e., the predicted mean vote (PMV) and the age of air (AoA), in situ measurement and numerical simulation are conducted to investigate humans’ thermal comfort in extreme summer. Then, the indoor thermal comfort and AoA levels in summer under three different ventilation schemes (upper-inlet–upper-outlet, upper-inlet–bottom-outlet, and side-inlet–side-outlet) are comparatively analyzed through numerical computations of the indoor thermal environment. The results show that the upper-inlet–upper-outlet mode of the AC ventilation scheme led to the creation of a favorable air quality and comfortable thermal environment inside the shop, which will help designers understand the influence of the ventilation scheme on the indoor thermal comfort and health environment.

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