scholarly journals Alternative Ways of Cooling a Passive School Building in Order to Maintain Thermal Comfort in Summer

Energies ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 70
Author(s):  
Anna Dudzińska ◽  
Tomasz Kisilewicz

The heatwaves that have affected our civilization in recent years pose a serious threat to the environment as well as the proper functioning of our bodies. Schools are facilities with specific microclimatic requirements. Thermal conditions in educational buildings are decisive for the stimulation and efficiency of the learning process, as well as the interaction of students. Based on the measurements of thermal comfort carried out in the school building, with the energy standard of a passive building, it can be observed that in schools with very low energy consumption, the problem of interior overheating may occur in the summer months. In this paper, an attempt was made to search for alternative passive measures allowing for the required indoor microclimate conditions to be obtained. Such solutions are in line with the spirit of the European energy policy and sustainable development. A model of the school under study was created using the Design Builder simulation program. The role of mechanical ventilation and the possibility of night ventilation in reducing discomfort were examined. Consideration was given to the justification of using expensive heat pump installations with a ground heat exchanger to reduce overheating in summer. The application of the adaptive approach to the assessment of thermal conditions and the acceptance of limited overheating periods led to the conclusion that the analyzed building could function successfully without these additional installation elements. A proprietary tool for the analysis of microclimate conditions was proposed to estimate the hours of discomfort in a way that is objective and easy to calculate.

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ga Yoon Choi ◽  
Hwan Sung Kim ◽  
Hyungkyoo Kim ◽  
Jae Seung Lee

Purpose In cities with high density, heat is often trapped between buildings which increases the frequency and intensity of heat events. Researchers have focused on developing strategies to mitigate the negative impacts of heat in cities. Adopting green infrastructure and cooling pavements are some of the many ways to promote thermal comfort against heat. The purpose of this study is to improve microclimate conditions and thermal comfort levels in high-density living conditions in Seoul, South Korea. Design/methodology/approach This study compares six design alternatives of an apartment complex with different paving and planting systems. It also examines the thermal outcome of the alternatives under normal and extreme heat conditions to suggest strategies to secure acceptable thermal comfort levels for the inhabitants. Each alternative is analyzed using ENVI-met, a software program that simulates microclimate conditions and thermal comfort features based on relationships among buildings, vegetation and pavements. Findings The results indicate that grass paving was more effective than stone paving in lowering air temperature and improving thermal comfort at the near-surface level. Coniferous trees were found to be more effective than broadleaf trees in reducing temperature. Thermal comfort levels were most improved when coniferous trees were planted in paired settings. Practical implications Landscape elements show promise for the improvement of thermal conditions because it is much easier to redesign landscape elements, such as paving or planting, than to change fixed urban elements like buildings and roads. The results identified the potential of landscape design for improving microclimate and thermal comfort in urban residential complexes. Originality/value The results contribute to the literature by examining the effect of tree species and layout on thermal comfort levels, which has been rarely investigated in previous studies.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hassan Taghvaei Seyed ◽  
Mansoureh Tahbaz ◽  
Samaneh Mottaghi Pishe

Since the advent of modern methods and new constructional approaches in architecture and landscape architecture, traditional architecture techniques which were based on utilizing natural energies have been completely set aside. In this case, the art of Iranian gardening has a great deal of valuable achievements and experiences which need to be reconsidered. Owing to its special geographic situation, the city of Shiraz includes a number of globally well-known gardens such as Eram, Jahannama, and Delgosha garden. As long as Persian gardens are considered as important parts of open and green spaces and urban landscapes in cities, the main purpose of this paper is the study of their structural features along with the role they play in improving environmental quality and comfort conditions. From this point of view in Landscape architecture, a quantitative-qualitative study was performed for the first time based on two distinct samples of Persian garden, Jahannama and Delgosha, to evaluate the thermal conditions of the garden's microclimate compared with the local climate and surrounding urban environment in extreme summer heat as well as intense winter cold. In this research, the latest assessment index of the open space thermal condition named the universal thermal climate index (UTCI) has been employed to evaluate the obtained data on January 24th and 25th of 2013 and July 31th and August 4th of 2014. Field data has been collected by mobile weather forecast facilities capable of recording temperature, humidity, wind, air pressure, and radiation temperature on the pre-set grid in both gardens. Final results obtained by extracting data from meteorological stations and the achieved data indicated that the structural features of the samples can highly mitigate the microclimate condition against local climate as well as short-term and long-term climate of the city. So, the main achievement of the present study is determining the role of Persian garden in improving the quality of microclimate and local climate as well as investigating the role of garden's components in enhancing thermal comfort conditions inside it.


2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (12) ◽  
pp. 115
Author(s):  
Shahab Kariminia ◽  
Sabarinah Sh. Ahmad

Geometry plays a dominant role in thermal situations within city structures. This study aims to seek how this role affects thermal comfort of the visitors in an urban square. Computer simulations were performed along with physical measurements in an urban square during peak hot conditions of summer in Isfahan, Iran. In addition to the influence of built environment inside the square, the results confirmed the role of geometry on thermal conditions. The amelioration effect for the aspect ratio was higher than that of the orientation. Findings are useful for urban design strategies dealing with thermal comfort.Keywords: Thermal comfort; urban square; geometry; built environment eISSN 2398-4295 © 2018. The Authors. Published for AMER ABRA cE-Bs by e-International Publishing House, Ltd., UK. This is an open-access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). Peer–review under responsibility of AMER (Association of Malaysian Environment-Behaviour Researchers), ABRA (Association of Behavioural Researchers on Asians) and cE-Bs (Centre for Environment-Behaviour Studies), Faculty of Architecture, Planning & Surveying, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
SEYED HASSAN TAGHVAEI ◽  
Mansoureh Tahbaz ◽  
PISHE SAMANEH MOTTAGHI

Since the advent of modern methods and new constructional approaches in architecture and landscape architecture, traditional architecture techniques which were based on utilizing natural energies have been completely set aside. In this case, the art of Iranian gardening has a great deal of valuable achievements and experiences which need to be reconsidered. Owing to its special geographic situation, the city of Shiraz includes a number of globally well-known gardens such as Eram, Jahannama, and Delgosha garden. As long as Persian gardens are considered as important parts of open and green spaces and urban landscapes in cities, the main purpose of this paper is the study of their structural features along with the role they play in improving environmental quality and comfort conditions. From this point of view in Landscape architecture, a quantitative-qualitative study was performed for the first time based on two distinct samples of Persian garden, Jahannama and Delgosha, to evaluate the thermal conditions of the garden's microclimate compared with the local climate and surrounding urban environment in extreme summer heat as well as intense winter cold. In this research, the latest assessment index of the open space thermal condition named the universal thermal climate index (UTCI) has been employed to evaluate the obtained data on January 24th and 25th of 2013 and July 31th and August 4th of 2014. Field data has been collected by mobile weather forecast facilities capable of recording temperature, humidity, wind, air pressure, and radiation temperature on the pre-set grid in both gardens. Final results obtained by extracting data from meteorological stations and the achieved data indicated that the structural features of the samples can highly mitigate the microclimate condition against local climate as well as short-term and long-term climate of the city. So, the main achievement of the present study is determining the role of Persian garden in improving the quality of microclimate and local climate as well as investigating the role of garden's components in enhancing thermal comfort conditions inside it.


Author(s):  
Rajat Gupta ◽  
Alastair Howard ◽  
Mike Davies ◽  
Anna Mavrogianni ◽  
Ioanna Tsoulou ◽  
...  

This paper brings together objective and subjective data on indoor temperature and thermal comfort to examine the magnitude and perception of summertime overheating in two London-based care homes occupying modern and older buildings. Continuous monitoring of indoor and outdoor temperature, relative humidity and CO2 levels was conducted in summer 2019 along with thermal comfort surveys and semi-structured interviews with older residents and staff of the care settings. Indoor temperatures were found to be high (>30°C) with bedroom temperatures often higher at night than daytime across both care settings. Limited opening due to window restrictors constrained night-time ventilation. Overheating was prevalent with four out of the five monitored bedrooms failing all four overheating metrics investigated. While 35–42% of staff responses perceived indoor temperatures to be uncomfortably hot, only 13–19% of resident responses were found to do so, indicating that elderly residents tend to be relatively insensitive to heat, leaving them open to overheating without realising it. Residents and staff in the modern care setting were less satisfied with their thermal conditions. As hybrid buildings, care settings need to keep both residents and staff comfortable and healthy during hot weather through night-time ventilation, management of heating and supportive institutional practices. Practical application: Care home designs have focused on keeping residents warm through the winter, neglecting the risks of summertime overheating. Care homes are hybrid buildings serving as living spaces for vulnerable older residents and offices/workspaces for staff. Providing comfort to both groups during periods of hot weather is challenging. Opportunities for ventilation are limited by Health & Safety regulations that mandate up to 10 cm maximum window openings and institutional practices that result in windows routinely kept closed, particularly at night. Utilising natural and where possible cross-ventilation should be considered along with external shading. Heating should be managed to avoid unwanted heat gains in the summer.


Buildings ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (8) ◽  
pp. 326
Author(s):  
Wiwik Budiawan ◽  
Kazuyo Tsuzuki

Thermal comfort is crucial in satisfaction and maintaining quality sleep for occupants. In this study, we investigated the comfort temperature in the bedroom at night and sleep quality for Indonesian students during summer and winter. Eighteen male Indonesian students aged 29 ± 4 years participated in this study. The participants had stayed in Japan for about six months. We evaluated the sleep parameters using actigraphy performed during summer and winter. All participants completed the survey regarding thermal sensation, physical conditions, and subjective sleepiness before sleep. The temperature and relative humidity of participants’ bedrooms were also measured. We found that the duration on the bed during winter was significantly longer than that during summer. However, sleeping efficiency during winter was significantly worse than that during summer. The bedroom temperature of the participants was in the range of comfort temperature in Indonesia. With the average bedroom air temperature of 22.2 °C, most of the participants still preferred “warm” and felt “slightly comfortable” during winter. The average comfort temperature each season calculated using the Griffiths method was 28.1 °C during summer and 23.5 °C during winter. In conclusion, differences in adaptive action affect bedroom thermal conditions. Furthermore, habits encourage the sleep performance of Indonesian students.


2019 ◽  
Vol 29 (8) ◽  
pp. 1101-1117
Author(s):  
Lin Yang ◽  
Xiangdong Li ◽  
Jiyuan Tu

Due to the fast development of high-speed rail (HSR) around the world, high-speed trains (HSTs) are becoming a strong competitor against airliners in terms of long-distance travel. Compared with airliner cabins, HST cabins have much larger window sizes. When the big windows provide better lighting and view of the scenery, they also have significant effects on the thermal conditions in the cabins due to the solar radiation through them. This study presents a numerical study on the solar radiation on the thermal comfort in a typical HST cabin. The effect of solar radiation was discussed in terms of airflow pattern, temperature distribution and thermal comfort indices. Parametric studies with seven different daytime hours were carried out. The effect of using the roller curtain was also studied. The overall cabin air temperature, especially near passengers, was found to have significantly increased by solar radiation. Passengers sitting next to windows were recorded to have an obvious thermal comfort variation at different hours of the day. To improve the passengers’ comfort and reduce energy consumption during hot weather, the use of a curtain could effectively reduce the solar radiation effect in the cabin environment.


Author(s):  
Somaye A. Mohamadi ◽  
Abdulraheem J. Ahmed

<span>Despite their complexity and uncertainty, air conditioning systems should provide the optimal thermal conditions in a building. These controller systems should be adaptable to changes in environmental parameters. In most air conditioning systems, today, there are On/Off controllers or PID in more advanced types, which, due to different environmental conditions, are not optimal and cannot provide the optimal environmental conditions. Controlling thermal comfort of an air conditioning system requires estimation of thermal comfort index. In this study, fuzzy controller was used to provide thermal comfort in an air conditioning system, and neural network was used to estimate thermal comfort in the feedback path of the controller. Fuzzy controller has a good response given the non-linear features of air conditioning systems. In addition, the neural network makes it possible to use thermal comfort feedback in a real-time control.</span>


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document