Energy conservation and thermal comfort in a New York city high rise office building

• Published in: Environmental management (New York) 1978-03, Vol.2 (2), p.113-117
• Main Authors: Lammers, J. T. H., Berglund, L. G., Stolwijk, J. A. J.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 0364-152X; 1432-1009
• DOI: 10.1007/BF01866237

Detailed analysis of an energy conservation program implemented on a 46 story government building is presented. Conservation was achieved by reduced lighting, changes in building operating hours, thermostat settings of 20 C in the winter and 27 C in the summer, and the elimination of air conditioning reheat. As a result, energy consumption in the summer was reduced by 54 percent. A survey of the occupants' thermal comfort and the insulating value of their clothing was taken. In the summer 68 percent were comfortable compared with 80 percent in the winter. The insulating value of the clothing worn by the women was consistently less than that of the men; the difference was largest in the summer. Though the temperatures in the occupied spaces were not as cold or as warm as the thermostat settings, the survey indicates that comfort could be improved if occupants dressed more appropriately for the expected thermal environment of the work place. Additional large savings may be achieved in this and similar buildings through a reduction in the energy cost of transporting air and chilled and hot water around the building for the environmental control systems