Opportunities for energy conservation through thermal comfort control strategies

Conference · Sun Jun 01 04:00:00 EDT 1997

OSTI ID:478242

Jones, J; Singh, H

The primary function of a heating, ventilating and air-conditioning (HVAC) system is either (1) the generation and maintenance of comfort for occupants in a conditioned space; or (2) the supplying of a set of environmental conditions (high humidity, etc.) for a process or product within a space. To achieve these objectives HVAC systems typically consume energy. For building occupants the level of thermal comfort is the result of interactions between factors such as the thermal, visual, and acoustic environments as well as with the indoor air quality. Fanger and others have shown that thermal comfort is correlated with six factors, four environmental and two personal. The environmental factors include: (1) ambient air temperature, (2) humidity, (3) air velocity near the skin surface, and (4) amount of radiant heat exchange between the body and nearby surfaces. The personal factors include the insulation value of the occupants clothing (clo value) and the metabolic rate associated with an activity (met rate). While trying to maintain comfort conditions, typically HVAC systems only attempt to control the room air temperature, ignoring the interactions and influence of the remaining five thermal comfort variables. If a more comprehensive approach is taken to thermal comfort control that simultaneously considers all of the factors then energy consumption can potentially be reduced.

• OSTI ID: 478242
• Report Number(s): CONF-961173--
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS
ENERGY CONSERVATION
OCCUPANTS
THERMAL COMFORT