Chapter 4
Utilising Passive Design Strategies
for Analysing Thermal Comfort Levels
Inside an Office Room Using PMV-PPD
Models
Sana Fatima Ali and Dibakar Rakshit
Abstract Energy efficiency and conservation measures in buildings are the focus
in today’s design and construction practices. One of the major reasons for energy
consumption in buildings is maintaining thermal comfort. Providing a thermally
comfortable environment with an energy efficient design will not only lead to energy
and cost savings, but will also have other intangible benefits, such as enhanced
productivity, and health and well-being of the occupants. Studies have reported that
buildings have 50–60% energy saving potential by means of an efficient design. This
study aims at utilizing passive design strategies, such as provision of insulation and
window glazing, to analyse their effects on thermal comfort of the occupants inside an
office room. Measurements of indoor environmental quality parameters was done for
the room, and Predicted Mean Vote and Percentage People Dissatisfied models, given
in ASHRAE Standard 55, have been used in this study to assess the existing comfort
levels of the occupants. A parametric study to examine their influence on the thermal
environment using these models has been done using IDA ICE Beta 4.7 software.
It was observed that application of the passive techniques although enhanced the
thermal environment of the room, the comfort levels were still not within the ideal
range specified by ASHRAE. The study concluded that more passive strategies can
be employed to enhance the comfort levels. This would help in reducing the need for
alternate methods of space conditioning, hence, leading to energy conservation.
Keywords Thermal comfort · Passive design · IDA ICE
S. F. Ali · D. Rakshit (B)
Centre for Energy Studies, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, Hauz Khas,
New Delhi 110016, India
e-mail: dibakar@ces.iitd.ac.in
S. F. Ali
e-mail: esz178538@ces.iitd.ac.in
© Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2020
H. Tyagi et al. (eds.), Solar Energy, Energy, Environment,
and Sustainability, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-0675-8_4
35
Utilising Passive Design Strategies
for Analysing Thermal Comfort Levels
Inside an Office Room Using PMV-PPD
Models
Sana Fatima Ali and Dibakar Rakshit
Abstract Energy efficiency and conservation measures in buildings are the focus
in today’s design and construction practices. One of the major reasons for energy
consumption in buildings is maintaining thermal comfort. Providing a thermally
comfortable environment with an energy efficient design will not only lead to energy
and cost savings, but will also have other intangible benefits, such as enhanced
productivity, and health and well-being of the occupants. Studies have reported that
buildings have 50–60% energy saving potential by means of an efficient design. This
study aims at utilizing passive design strategies, such as provision of insulation and
window glazing, to analyse their effects on thermal comfort of the occupants inside an
office room. Measurements of indoor environmental quality parameters was done for
the room, and Predicted Mean Vote and Percentage People Dissatisfied models, given
in ASHRAE Standard 55, have been used in this study to assess the existing comfort
levels of the occupants. A parametric study to examine their influence on the thermal
environment using these models has been done using IDA ICE Beta 4.7 software.
It was observed that application of the passive techniques although enhanced the
thermal environment of the room, the comfort levels were still not within the ideal
range specified by ASHRAE. The study concluded that more passive strategies can
be employed to enhance the comfort levels. This would help in reducing the need for
alternate methods of space conditioning, hence, leading to energy conservation.
Keywords Thermal comfort · Passive design · IDA ICE
S. F. Ali · D. Rakshit (B)
Centre for Energy Studies, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, Hauz Khas,
New Delhi 110016, India
e-mail: dibakar@ces.iitd.ac.in
S. F. Ali
e-mail: esz178538@ces.iitd.ac.in
© Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2020
H. Tyagi et al. (eds.), Solar Energy, Energy, Environment,
and Sustainability, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-0675-8_4
35