Extreme cold discomfort in extreme hot climates : A study of building overcooling in office buildings in Qatar.
المصدر
The journal of engineering research (TJER), v. 18, no. 2, p. 101-113.
الناشر
College of Engineering, Sultan Qaboos University.
العنوان الأصلي
Extreme cold discomfort in extreme hot climates : A study of building overcooling in office buildings in Qatar.
الملخص الإنجليزي
Indoor cold discomfort in Qatar due to “building overcooling” is increasing, as air-conditioning prevails, and global temperatures rise. Overcooling is not dependent only on the inappropriate design of cooling systems, but on “international” thermal comfort standards that are not customized for warm climates. International standards are unintentionally biased towards cooler climates and cultures, the application of which in warm climates results in colder indoor temperatures observed by building occupants and increased cooling energy demand. Overcooling is an over-expenditure of energy, resulting in uncomfortably cold indoor thermal conditions and unnecessary carbon emissions. In this study, the analysis of field data from six office buildings in Doha in a range of indoor thermal conditions and investigation of overcooling on occupant comfort and building performance is conducted. The analysis uncovers that over 35% of occupants state being uncomfortably cold and a consensus across the surveys highlights comfortable temperatures higher by 2°C from current setpoint temperatures. Greater occupant comfort and energy efficiency are found by increasing the indoor temperature setpoints investigated through thermal comfort analysis and energy simulation models. Around a 50% decrease in occupant discomfort and a 15% decrease in cooling energy demand is found. Such an adjustment in Qatar would improve occupant comfort levels and reduce cooling energy demand throughout the existing office building stock.
المعرف
DOI:10.53540/tjer.vol18iss2pp101-113
