Occupants’ adaptive responses and perception of thermal environment in naturally conditioned university classrooms

• Published in: Applied energy 2010-03, Vol.87 (3), p.1015-1022
• Main Authors: Yao, Runming, Liu, Jing, Li, Baizhan
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adaptive response; Applied sciences; Classroom; Energy; Energy. Thermal use of fuels; Exact sciences and technology; Field study; Heating, air conditioning and ventilation; Naturally conditioned (NC); Technical data: comfort, insulation, loads, etc; Thermal comfort; Thermal comfort Classroom Naturally conditioned (NC) Field study Adaptive response
• ISSN: 0306-2619; 1872-9118
• DOI: 10.1016/j.apenergy.2009.09.028

A year-long field study of the thermal environment in university classrooms was conducted from March 2005 to May 2006 in Chongqing, China. This paper presents the occupants’ thermal sensation votes and discusses the occupants’ adaptive response and perception of the thermal environment in a naturally conditioned space. Comparisons between the Actual Mean Vote (AMV) and Predicted Mean Vote (PMV) have been made as well as between the Actual Percentage of Dissatisfied (APD) and Predicted Percentage of Dissatisfied (PPD). The adaptive thermal comfort zone for the naturally conditioned space for Chongqing, which has hot summer and cold winter climatic characteristics, has been proposed based on the field study results. The Chongqing adaptive comfort range is broader than that of the ASHRAE Standard 55-2004 in general, but in the extreme cold and hot months, it is narrower. The thermal conditions in classrooms in Chongqing in summer and winter are severe. Behavioural adaptation such as changing clothing, adjusting indoor air velocity, taking hot/cold drinks, etc., as well as psychological adaptation, has played a role in adapting to the thermal environment.