Long-term field survey on thermal adaptation in office buildings in Japan

A long-term field survey was conducted with six buildings in order to investigate how the occupants adapt to the indoor climate in office buildings in Japan. More than 5000 questionnaires and corresponding indoor temperatures were collected. Clothing adjustment was observed to be related to outdoor temperature and indoor temperature, as well as dress codes. No considerable differences were found on the thermal perceptions between two groups of buildings, which provided different levels of opportunity for controlling indoor climate. With both groups, the preferred SET* was always close to 26 °C. The comfort temperature was estimated from the results of clothing adjustment and the preferred SET*. The gradient of the comfort temperature to outdoor temperature was found to be between the adaptive model for centralized HVAC and for natural ventilation. It could be caused by that the major part of the occupants in the present study had more opportunity to control their thermal conditions than in the centralized HVAC buildings (i.e. operable windows, controllable HVAC or personal fans).     

佛山某文化综合体室外热环境模拟分析

采用ENVI-met对佛山某城市文化综合体的室外热环境进行了数值模拟计算。模拟结果表明:在14:00地块内绿地、水体和遮阳棚可明显降低世纪大街的地表表面温度;空气温度受空气风速和风向的影响较大;天蓬对世纪大街的热环境改善明显,显著降低了平均辐射温度和SET*值,保证世纪大街60%以上区域热环境在最热时段仍处于可接受范围。19:00模拟结果表明,热环境舒适区域覆盖大部分的公共文化体的室外活动区域,为傍晚时分市民活动提供了舒适的空间。对现状建筑设计和景观设计方案提出热环境优化措施,以求构建更加良好的室外热环境。     

Outdoor thermal comfort and outdoor activities: A review of research in the past decade

Outdoor spaces are important to sustainable cities because they accommodate pedestrian traffic and outdoor activities, and contribute greatly to urban livability and vitality. In the global context of climate change, outdoor spaces that provide a pleasurable thermal comfort experience for pedestrians effectively improve the quality of urban living. The influence of thermal comfort on outdoor activities is a complex issue comprising both climatic and behavioral aspects; however, current investigations lack a general framework for assessment. This paper presents a review of research over the past decade on the behavioral aspects of outdoor thermal comfort. The article focuses on perceptions of outdoor thermal comfort and the use of outdoor space in the context of urban planning. We further discuss a general framework for assessing outdoor thermal comfort based on behavioral aspects and the need for predicting tools in the design and planning of outdoor thermal comfort.     

西安地区某蒸发冷却空调宿舍热舒适性分析

针对西安地区某使用蒸发式空调器的学生宿舍,对空调器应用效果进行测试和问卷调查。针对测试结果,并结合热舒适性的计算公式,在相关简化条件下,利用FORTRAN语言编程,计算出测试时间段内宿舍的PMV值、PPD值、ET*值和SET*值。同时,研究宿舍内空气干球温度、相对湿度、空气流速、服装热阻四个因素变化时对宿舍内PMV值、ET*值和SET*值的影响状况,并对研究结果进行评价和分析。得出西安地区学生宿舍内最舒适的温湿度参数范围,以及最合理的服装热阻值和空气流速值。     

基于遮阴率的湿热地区慢行道热舒适 特征研究

慢行道设计对景观、空间尺度及与环境的协调都有 相应的要求，各景观构成要素对微气候环境，如太阳辐射遮 挡、温湿度分布及风场都有一定的影响，其中行道树遮阴是影 响慢行道热环境的主要因素。依据遮阴率指标选取典型慢行 道，对其微气候要素进行连续观测，同时向步行和骑行人群发 放问卷调研，获取慢行道的热环境水平及人群的热特征，采用 标准有效温度(SET* )指标结合SPSS软件的回归分析方法对慢 行道的热舒适进行量化评价，得出影响人群的微气候因素偏 好、热舒适区域及出行时的热期望，构建以“遮阴率－热环 境－热期望”的慢行道微气候环境评价策略。最后，以广州市 一处实际室外场地为例，采用ENVI-met 4.0 CFD模拟耦 合RayMan软件的方法，探讨建立在热环境、热舒适量化实 证基础上的慢行道热环境评价方法。     

上海地区适应性热舒适研究

为研究上海地区人体热感觉和适应性热舒适现状,通过环境参数测量和问卷调查结合的方式来分析和探讨室内外气候条件、服装热阻、热感觉等关系。本文主要涉及自然通风建筑内人体热感觉和热中性温度随季节变化的关系。结果表明:在适应性热舒适研究中,人体中性温度与室外环境温度具有较强的相关性,得到的上海地区适应性热舒适模型可为适合我国自身特点的热舒适研究提供依据。     

寒冷地区半围合式庭院空间风环境研究

半围合式建筑庭院作为建筑室内与室外的缓冲空间,在寒冷地区可以创建较为温和的微气候,维持建筑热环境的相对稳定,同时为人们提供开放自然舒适的室外交流与活动空间。以地处寒冷地区的典型半围合式庭院建筑为例,通过实地测量和数值模拟分析,研究基于室外气候要素的半围合式庭院空间风环境适宜性空间尺度,采用风速、空气龄等风环境评价指标来模拟评价庭院不同空间尺度与比例条件下的舒适度与建筑性能。研究成果可为寒冷地区建筑半围合式庭院空间设计提供空间价值尺度参考,探讨通过可持续性设计的方法对半围合式庭院空间进行优化设计来提高室外空间的舒适性。     

南方民宅屋顶铁皮棚对室内外热环境的影响

为揭示南方民宅屋顶自发搭建附加铁皮棚对室内外热环境所产生的影响,以厦门集美兑山村民宅为研究对象,在盛夏天气对典型民宅进行室内外气候参数测试,对比分析"有无屋顶铁皮棚遮蔽的屋顶空间的地表温度、WBGT和SET值","有无屋顶铁皮棚遮蔽的房间室内热舒适度PMV值和顶棚表面温度"等热舒适指标。结果表明:铁皮棚下方遮蔽房的室内PMV平均值为2.84,比无遮蔽房低0.3;屋顶灰空间的WBGT值为安全范围,全天低于32℃,无遮蔽区域则超出32℃,不安全;灰空间SET值白天30~32℃,感觉温暖,而无遮蔽区域为36~38℃,感觉非常热乃至生理调节失效;结论证实民宅屋顶附加铁皮遮阳棚不仅能显著改善白天屋顶铁皮棚灰空间的热舒适度,而且具有改善其下方遮蔽房间热环境。     

Application of adaptive thermal comfort methods for Iranian schoolchildren

ABSTRACT

Recent studies in primary schools highlight a need to develop the adaptive comfort model for schoolchildren in classrooms. This study investigates the application of the principal methods underlying the adaptive comfort theory for children relating thermal comfort indoors to the prevailing mean outdoor temperature. Children’s sensitivity to indoor temperature change are examined using data from a field study conducted in Iranian schools. This sensitivity is used to estimate the comfort temperatures in classroom situations with a minimum level of adaptation. Different metrics for the outdoor climate are employed to understand an expression of the climate which best predicts children’s comfort temperature. A sensitivity analysis is performed to derive the relation between indoor comfort and the climate that gives rise to the strongest correlation coefficient. Although the basic adaptive comfort relationships are applicable for children, the exponential method to calculate the prevailing mean with lower decay values leads to higher correlation with children’s comfort temperature. The slope of children’s comfort equation in relation to outdoor temperature is shown to be shallower than those of adults. Results indicate that children are more sensitive to temperature change within a single school day than across the overall survey period of several days.     

教学组团夏季室外热环境特征与计算模型验证

对湿热地区典型教学组团的夏季室外热环境进行了33 h昼夜连续实测.根据气象参数,行人高度上温度、湿度、风速和湿球黑球温度（WBGT）分布以及典型地表温度等的测试结果,得到湿热地区教学组团夏季室外热环境的主要特征.测试结果表明,组团内的天井、架空、透水砖可有效降低夏季白天行人高度处的空气温度及WBGT,一些建筑设计手法对组团夏季白天室外热舒适的改善效果依次为：架空>天井>透水砖路面>不透水砖路面>混凝土路面.夜间,各测点的热舒适性基本一致.将测试结果对组团室外风速和WBGT现有计算模型进行验证研究.研究表明,数学公式计算值的相对误差均不超过6%,与实测统计值相吻合.     

Impact of urban geometry on outdoor thermal comfort and air quality from field measurements in Curitiba,Brazil

Urban climate can have severe impacts on people who use outdoor spaces within a city. In its essence, urban climate is directly linked to the configuration of street axes, building heights and their attributes. Thus, the role of urban planners can be crucial for guaranteeing outdoor thermal comfort and air quality in open spaces. This paper presents observed and estimated relations between urban morphology and changes in microclimate and air quality within a city center. Two approaches are presented, showing results of field measurements and urban climate simulations using the ENVI-met software suite. From measured microclimatic data and comfort surveys, carried out in downtown Curitiba, Brazil, the impact of street geometry on ambient temperatures and on daytime pedestrian comfort levels was evaluated, using the sky-view factor (SVF) as indicator of the complexity of the urban geometry. The impact of street orientation relative to prevailing winds and the resulting effects of ventilation (air speed and spatial distribution) on the dispersion of traffic-generated air pollutants were additionally analyzed by means of computer simulations. Results show the impact of urban geometry on human thermal comfort in pedestrian streets and on the outcomes of pollutant dispersion scenarios.     

An analysis of bioclimatic zones and implications for design of outdoor built environments in Egypt

Climate considerations are essential dimensions in the assessment of quality of outdoor built environments. This paper provides an analysis of bioclimatic classification of Egypt to help the environmental design of wide range of purposes, including: climate responsive design; energy conservation and thermal comfort in the outdoor built environments. The analysis of this classification uses a bioclimatic approach in which the comfort zone and monthly climatic lines were determined and plotted on the psychrometric chart. Since the mean radiant temperature (T_mrt) is the most important input parameter for the energy balance in outdoor environments, the charts apply the ASHRAE 55-2004 standard considering the operative temperature as a function of T_mrt. Analysis for each bioclimatic zone determines the potential of passive design strategies to maintain thermal comfort in outdoor spaces and to contribute to energy efficient built environment. Finally, this study suggests a design guideline matrix for landscape architectural design for the different bioclimatic zones.     

Adaptive temperature limits: A new guideline in The Netherlands: A new approach for the assessment of building performance with respect to thermal indoor climate

The first guidelines for thermal comfort in buildings in The Netherlands were developed in the late 70s and in the 80s. They were based on the PMV-PPD relationship. In this article new guidelines are presented, based on the international research on adaptive thermal comfort. Two building/climate types are introduced: “Alpha” and “Beta”, analogous to the categories in the field studies on adaptive thermal comfort. For each building/climate type operative indoor temperature limits are given as a function of the running mean outdoor temperature and classified according to NPR-CR 1752. Finally some initial temperature simulations are shown, the results of which are plotted in the new comfort zone.     

Thermal comfort in naturally ventilated buildings in hot-humid area of China

Human responses to thermal environments in naturally ventilated (NV) buildings in hot-humid area of China were systematically investigated in the present study. Thirty local inhabitants long-time living in NV buildings participated in the study and reported their thermal sensations and perceptions and adaptive behaviors while all physical and personal variables were collected. Based on a year-long survey, a close match of indoor physical variables and occupants’ clothing insulation with outdoor climate was found as an important feature of NV buildings. Integrated indices can capture more thermal contexts in the NV buildings in hot-humid area of China than simple indices. Thermal sensation was found to be a good linear function of SET* with the thermal neutrality of 25.4 °C and the 90% (80%) acceptable range of 23.5–27.4 °C (22.1–28.7 °C) in SET*. The adaptive evidences were obtained for clothing adjustment, window opening and using fan respectively and the modified PMV model was validated to be applicable in NV buildings in hot-humid area of China with an expectancy factor of 0.822. Comparisons with other field studies indicate that people can develop various human-environment relationships through thermal adaptation to local climate, resulting in different thermal neutral temperatures in various climates. The subjects in hot-humid area of China are more acclimated and tolerable with hot and humid environments and more uncomfortable and intolerable with cold environments while compared with those in temperate climates.     

街谷行道树种植对环境热舒适度的影响及适应性设计研究 进展

行道树种植通常被作为改善城市街谷 近地微气候的重要策略,如何发挥行道树对街 谷热舒适度的提升潜力受到诸多学者的广泛关 注。近年来“行道树种植与街谷热舒适度”相关 研究获得了丰硕成果，通过总结梳理可将其归 纳为行道树树木个体形态对热舒适度的调控、 行道树绿带空间配置与街谷热舒适度整体提升 的关联性、适应不同街谷空间形态的行道树种 植设计策略等三个研究主题。在深入分析既有 研究成果基础上，提出了一套改善热舒适度的 街谷行道树种植设计方案技术框架。最后，分 别从建立响应地域气候特征的街谷行道树种植 设计模式、构建街谷环境热舒适度模拟评估导 则、制定街谷环境热舒适度评价标准等方面开展深入讨论，以期为后续城市街谷绿化提升热环境的研究提供思路和借鉴。     

Thermal perception,adaptation and attendance in a public square in hot and humid regions

Highly relevant to an individual's thermal perception, the thermal environment in outdoor public spaces impacts the use of such spaces. Thermal adaptation, which involves physiological, psychological and behavioral factors, also plays an important role in assessment of thermal environments by users. Given that these issues have rarely been addressed for outdoor environments in hot and humid regions, this study examines user thermal comfort in a public square in Taiwan. Physical measurements were taken and a questionnaire survey was used to assess the thermal comfort of subjects. The number of people visiting the square was also counted. Analytical results indicate that the thermal comfort range and neutral temperature of subjects was higher than those of people in a temperate region. Additionally, local subjects preferred a cool temperature and weak sunlight, and adapted to thermal environments by seeking shelter outdoors. Analytical results confirm the existence of thermal adaptation and illustrate the characteristics of, and variances in, thermal adaptation. During the cool season, the number of people visiting the square increased as the thermal index value increased. However, the number of people frequenting the square decreased as the thermal index increased during the hot season. These experimental results were compared with those for temperate regions, indicating that the human energy balance model cannot fully explain the influence of climate on use of public spaces; that is, psychological and behavioral factors also play important roles in outdoor thermal comfort. Study findings also elucidate design of outdoor public spaces in hot and humid regions.     

Equivalence between the load curve and the free-running temperature in energy estimating methods

The methods used to assess the energy performance of buildings are static or dynamic. A paradigm shift is to estimate the energy consumption by using a probabilistic approach and a single concept for the whole range of operation of the building (heating, ventilation and cooling) and to decouple the thermal behavior of the building, the thermal comfort range and the climate data. These requirements can be achieved by using the free-running temperature to characterize the building behavior and the frequency distribution of the outdoor temperature to describe the climate. This paper demonstrates that the dynamic values can be used to estimate the energy load curve, that this curve may be applied to calculate the energy consumption and that the free-running temperature is an equivalent form of the heating/cooling curve. The main advantages of using the concept of free-running temperature are that: (1) the dynamic behavior may be described by steady-state concepts, (2) the whole range of building operation (heating, ventilation and cooling) is described by a single concept and (3) the thermal behavior of the building, the comfort and the climate are decoupled. The mathematical formalism uses matrix notation.     

Quantifying the relevance of adaptive thermal comfort models in moderate thermal climate zones

Standards governing thermal comfort evaluation are on a constant cycle of revision and public review. One of the main topics being discussed in the latest round was the introduction of an adaptive thermal comfort model, which now forms an optional part of ASHRAE Standard 55. Also on a national level, adaptive thermal comfort guidelines come into being, such as in the Netherlands. This paper discusses two implementations of the adaptive comfort model in terms of usability and energy use for moderate maritime climate zones by means of literature study, a case study comprising temperature measurements, and building performance simulation. It is concluded that for moderate climate zones the adaptive model is only applicable during summer months, and can reduce energy for naturally conditioned buildings. However, the adaptive thermal comfort model has very limited application potential for such climates. Additionally we suggest a temperature parameter with a gradual course to replace the mean monthly outdoor air temperature to avoid step changes in optimum comfort temperatures.     

Thermal comfort of people in the hot and humid area of China—impacts of season,climate, and thermal history

We conducted a climate chamber study on the thermal comfort of people in the hot and humid area of China. Sixty subjects from naturally ventilated buildings and buildings with split air conditioners participated in the study, and identical experiments were conducted in a climate chamber in both summer and winter. Psychological and physiological responses were observed over a wide range of conditions, and the impacts of season, climate, and thermal history on human thermal comfort were analyzed. Seasonal and climatic heat acclimatization was confirmed, but they were found to have no significant impacts on human thermal sensation and comfort. The outdoor thermal history was much less important than the indoor thermal history in regard to human thermal sensation, and the indoor thermal history in all seasons of a year played a key role in shaping the subjects' sensations in a wide range of thermal conditions. A warmer indoor thermal history in warm seasons produced a higher neutral temperature, a lower thermal sensitivity, and lower thermal sensations in warm conditions. The comfort and acceptable conditions were identified for people in the hot and humid area of China.     

Numerical study of the influences of different patterns of the building and green space on micro-scale outdoor thermal comfort and indoor natural ventilation

Citizens could enjoy a healthy and comfortable living environment if outdoor thermal comfort and sufficient natural ventilation are available in their dwellings. In this paper, numerical studies were performed with the Simulation Platform for Outdoor Thermal Environment (SPOTE) to investigate: (1) the thermal environment and pedestrian thermal comfort of the occupants in the open space with different patterns of the building and green space; (2) the wind pressures on the building facades and the natural ventilation rate of these buildings. The conclusions are summarized as follows: (1) it has been observed that the long facades of building and green space, which are parallel to the prevailing wind direction, can accelerate horizontal vortex airflow at the edges where such airflow could strengthen the convective exchange efficiency of hot air in low altitude and cold air in high altitude, and can obtain thermal comfort and sufficient natural ventilation at the pedestrian level; (2) after a series of simulations and comparisons, the configuration in which buildings are grouped in staggered layout with a centralized green space can provide better ventilation conditions and suitable air movement as a result of attenuated revised standard effective temperature (SET*). This configuration is regarded as the optimum pattern of the building and green space.