Assessment of Thermal Comfort Preferences in Mediterranean Climate a University Office Building Case

Abstract

This study aims at evaluating the perceived thermal sensation of occupants with respect to thermal comfort standards, ASHRAE 55 and ISO 7730, for office buildings located in Mediterranean climate. A small office building in Izmir Institute of Technology Campus Area, Izmir, Turkey, was chosen as a case building and equipped with measurement devices to assess thermal comfort of occupants with respect to predicted mean vote and actual mean vote. Both objective and subjective measurements were conducted. The former included indoor and outdoor air temperature, mean radiant temperature, relative humidity and air velocity that were used for evaluating the thermal comfort of occupants. Oxygen concentration which can play an additional role in thermal comfort/discomfort, health and productivity of the office occupants, was also measured. Furthermore, occupants were subjected to a survey via a mobile application to obtain subjective measurements to calculate actual mean vote values. Based on objective and subjective measurements, the relationships among the parameters were derived by using simple regression analysis technique while a new combined mean vote correlation was also derived but this time by using multiple linear regression model. Neutral and comfort temperatures were obtained using indoor air temperature and actual mean vote values which were calculated from subjective measurements. The results showed that neutral temperature in the university office building was 20.9 degrees C whilst the comfort temperature range was between 19.4 and 22.4 degrees C for the heating season. By applying new comfort temperatures, energy consumption of the case building located in Mediterranean climate, can be reduced.