TAYLOR’S UNIVERSITY
School Of Architecture, Building and Design
Bachelor in Science (Honors) Architecture
Building Science 1 [ARC 2412]
Project 1: Human Perception of Comfort Level
LECTURE : MS. CHERYL NGIAM
NAME STUDENT ID.
WONG AI LING 0303742
EUNICE QUAH XUET-WYNE 0302968
TAN WOAN TYNG 0312725
TAN HUI XIAN 0311719
TONG YAOW NING 0303971
CONTENT PAGE(S) 1.0 Summary 2.0 Introduction
2.1 Introduction 2.2 Introduction of site 2.3 Macro-climate 2.4 Microclimate
3.0 Methodology 3.1 Equipment: Data logger 3.2 Human perception on thermal comfort 3.3 Relevance to law 4.0 Results and Analysis
4.1 Graph Analysis 4.2 Bioclimatic Chart
4.3 Sun Analysis 4.3.1 Sun path of Brio Serviced Apartment, Setiawalk 4.3.2Sun-shadow casting of investigated block (macro) 4.3.3 Micro Sun Analysis 4.4 Wind Analysis 4.4.1 Analysis on wind speed and magnitude (micro) 4.4..2 Analysis on average wind speed and magnitude (macro)
4.4.3 Ventilation in investigated room unit 4.4.4 Fenestration
4.5 Heat transfer in room unit 4.5.1 Thermal heat transfer 4.5.2 Solar radiation
4.5.3 Thermal radiation 4.6 Other factors affecting investigated room unit’s temperature 4.6.1 Building design approach 4.6.2 Architectural and passive design strategy 4.6.3 Air-conditioning and mechanical (ACMV) system 4.6.4 Other Factors Affecting Thermal Comfort 4.6.5 Building Materials 5.0 Conclusion 6.0 References 7.0 Appendix 7.1 Readings of data logger 7.2 Checklist
2.0 Introduction
General purposes of the study are to identify and define the discipline of heat transfer is
concerned with only two things: temperature, and the flow of heat. Temperature represents the
amount of thermal energy available, whereas heat flow represents the movement of thermal
energy from place to place. Moreover, understanding what thermal comfort is and discussion
about factors relating to thermal comfort and to analyze the effect of thermal comfort in a person
in accordance to space function. Furthermore, criticizing the design of the space in terms of
thermal comfort by referring to MS1525 and calculation of UBBI whether the space is habitable
or not.
In the report, there will be some measured drawings of the room within the building, showing all
the features that will affect thermal conditions in the room together with site context. Drawings
are including of 1 floor plan, 1 site plan, 1 elevation and 2 sections in scale 1:100. Recordings
and analysis of data from the data logger of temperatures, humidity, solar radiation, thermal
mass, insulation, ventilation, thermal comfort level and average human adjustment to the room
which may have affected temperature like opening/ closing windows and etc will be shown in
the report. Explanation on how the thermal environment of the room affects the natural and
man-made factors and thermal comfort of case study in relation to the bioclimatic chart.
Apart from that, outdoor meteorological data such as dry bulb air temperature, relative humidity,
indoor and outdoor temperatures, comfortable temperature range and wind speed graphically
shown in the report. Finally, summarized of all the findings and determine how the factors
studied would affect the thermal environment in the room, and giving conclusion on how the
results affect the overall thermal comfort level.
2.1 Introduction of Site
The site selected for this project is one of the penthouse units of the Brio Serviced Apartments
by SP Setia, with the exact address being R3-26-02 , SetiaWalk, Persiaran Wawasan, Pusat
Bandar Puchong, 47160 Selangor.Situated above a commercialized area with two other blocks
to complement, it located in the heart of the busy town of Puchong. The selected space is the
computer room where it’s entrance is facing the south of the house and the most of the light
received is from the large window panels measuring up to 5.02meters. However these windows
are not opened often due to risks of strong winds blowing away the objects placed in the room
therefore most of its ventilation is either artificial or from the balcony of the house situated at the
room right next to it. The good thing about the site would most definitely be the amount of wind it
receives due to the height it is at and also the garden like environment below it that even has a
water feature flowing through.
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Block containing selected unit
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Investigated Unit
Figure 2.2: Story plan of Brio Serviced Apartments, SetiaWalk
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Figure 2.3 : Floor plan of investigated site
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Investigated room
2.2 Macro Climate
Figure 2.3: Climate data for Puchong
Malaysia is a country of tropical climate. This means that our country experienced high humidity
levels, high temperature, high exposure to solar radiation, and low wind speed. In tropical
countries like Malaysia, the challenge is to allow maximum air movement into the buildings and
minimum heat gain as we experience a low range of temperature difference. Countries with 4
seasons on the other hand, achieve thermal comfort by preventing heat loss during cold
seasons, and preventing heat gain during summer. The factors that affect thermal comfort are
as follow:
1. Site Orientation
2. Building Design
3. Building Material
4. Natural Ventilation
5. Clothing Level
6. Human Metabolism
7. Personal Adaptation
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2.3 Microclimate
Outdoor (Puchong) Indoor (Computer Room)
7th September 2013
Maximum Temperature 31.0 °C 29.9 °C
Minimum Temperature 25.0 °C 27.9 °C
Average Temperature 28°C 28.9°C
Maximum Humidity(%) 94 74.1
Minimum Humidity(%) 62 63.9
Average Humidity(%) 78 69
8th September 2013
Maximum Temperature 29.0 °C 29.5 °C
Minimum Temperature 25.0 °C 27.3°C
Average Temperature 27.0 °C 28.4°C
Maximum Humidity(%) 94 76.2
Minimum Humidity(%) 74 58.2
Average Humidity(%) 84 66.2
9th September 2013
Maximum Temperature 31.0 °C 28.9 °C
Minimum Temperature 24.0 °C 27.1°C
Average Temperature 27.5 °C 28.0°C
Maximum Humidity(%) 100 76.8
Minimum Humidity(%) 66 56.4
Average Humidity(%) 83 66.6
10th September 2013
Maximum Temperature 27.0°C 27.0 °C
Minimum Temperature 22.0 °C 25.7°C
Average Temperature 24.5 °C 26.35°C
Maximum Humidity(%) 100 80.2
Minimum Humidity(%) 84 70
Average Humidity(%) 92 75.1
Table 2.1 :Comparison of outdoor and indoor temperature and humidity
The table above shows that the temperature indoors is always higher than outdoor temperature. This may be due to the location of the house which is quite high above ground therefore it’s cooler as it receives more wind. Also the garden like environment at the commercial area below with more greenies and the water feature may be the factor that causes the discrepancy as plants and water will serve as role to reduce thermal heat of living area due to sun-shading effects during the daytime. From the graph, we can conclude that the existence of the trees and water helps to reduce the heat.!
3.0 METHODOLOGY 3.1 Data logger
A data logger is the instrument used to collect data for this project. Also known as a data recorder, this electronic device records data over time or in relation to location with a built in instrument and its sensor. It is generally small to allow easy portability, battery powered, and equipped with a microprocessor to record internal memory for data storage, and sensors to sense the changes in humidity and temperature of the chosen site.
The range of percentage of humidity that can be collected by data logger is between 5 % to 95 % whereas the range of temperature collected can range between 0 ℃ to 50 ℃. The features of the data logger are fast humidity measuring response time, data hold, record maximum and minimum readings, microcomputer circuit and high accuracy.
The handiest part of using the data logger is the lightweight machine has the ability to automatically collect data during intervals determined by the user on a 24-hour basis. Once activated, the data logger is set and left unattended to measure and record information for the duration of the experiment period. After the completion of the data collection, the data logger can be easily turned off and the data will be readily accessible in a SD card for further analysis.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Figure!3.1:!Data!logger!
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Figure!3.2!:!Location!of!data!logger!in!selected!room!
3.2 Human perception on thermal comfort
Relative humidity is the ratio of the current absolute humidity to the highest possible absolute humidity (which depends on the current air temperature). A reading of 100 percent relative humidity means that the air is totally saturated with water vapor and cannot hold any more, creating the possibility of rain.
Humans are very sensitive to humidity, as the skin relies on the air to get rid of moisture. The process of sweating is your body's attempt to keep cool and maintain its current temperature. If the air is at 100-percent relative humidity, sweat will not evaporate into the air. As a result, we feel much hotter than the actual temperature when the relative humidity is high. If the relative humidity is low, we can feel much cooler than the actual temperature because our sweat evaporates easily, cooling us off. For example, if the air temperature is 24 degrees Celsius and the relative humidity is zero percent, the air temperature feels like 21 degree Celsius to our bodies. People tend to feel most comfortable at a relative humidity of about 45%. The creation of humidifiers and dehumidifiers help to keep indoor humidity at a comfortable level.
According to MS 1525, the indoor design conditions of an air-conditioned space for comfort cooling should be as follow, recommended design for dry bulb temperature should range between 23°C to 26°C and minimum dry bulb temperature should be around 22°C in order for one to feel comfortable indoors. Another recommended criteria would be that air movement should range of 0.15 m/s to 0.50 m/s and the maximum air movement should be around 0.7 m/s. Great flow of air movement would also lead to comfortable air ventilation for individual in the indoors. Recommended design relative humidity should be around 55 % to 70 % in order to keep the individual in a comfortable state.
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3.3 Relevance to Law
The following information is according to UBBL 1984 Part III Space, Light and Ventilation.
Clause 39(1): Natural Lighting and Ventilation
Every room is designed in such that all of them must be provided with natural lighting and ventilation by means of one or more windows having a total area of not less than 10% of the clear floor area in that particular room and shall have openings capable of allowing a free uninterrupted passage of air of not less than 5% of such floor area.
Total area of windows = 5.02 m2
Total area of doors = 9.60m2
Total = 14.62 m2
Area of clear floor with data logger = 15.19 m2
Natural lighting and ventilation (%) = 14.62/15.19 X 100%
= 96.25 %
The occupant has sufficient natural lighting and ventilation in the room.
Clause 42(2): Minimum area of rooms in residential buildings
The width of every habitable room in a residential building shall be not less than 2 metres.
Clear floor area of selected room (m2) = 15.19 m2
The area of room exceeds the minimum requirement and is therefore considered habitable.
Clause 44(1)(a): Height of rooms in residential buildings, shophouses, schools etc.
The height of rooms in residential buildings, except shop houses shall be :
For living rooms and bedrooms are not less than 2.5 metres
Height of selected room (m) = 2.8 m
The minimum requirement is fulfilled and therefore considered habitable.
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4.0 Results A
nd Analysis
4.1 Graph analysis
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Graph 4.1 (a) : The relationship betw
een indoor and outdoor temperature and hum
idity level
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1200!1300!1400!1500!1600!1700!1800!1900!2000!2100!2200!2300!0000!0100!0200!0300!0400!0500!0600!0700!0800!0900!1000!1100!1200!1300!1400!1500!1600!1700!1800!1900!2000!2100!2200!2300!0000!0100!0200!0300!0400!0500!0600!0700!0800!0900!1000!1100!1200!1300!1400!1500!1600!1700!1800!1900!2000!2100!2200!2300!0000!0100!0200!0300!0400!0500!0600!0700!0800!0900!1000!1100!1200!
Interior!Humidity!
(%)!
Interior!Tem
perature(°C)!Exterior!Tem
perature(°C)!Exterior!Hum
idity(%)!
1!2
3!
According to the graph we can conclude that, relative humidity experiences rapid changes but fewer changes occur in temperature. Both the outdoor and indoor temperature and relative humidity affects one another. As the temperature decreases, relative humidity increases and vise versa. Therefore, it is safe to say that the temperature and relative humidity are inversely proportional. The graph is broken down into 3 parts and is further analyzed as follow:
1. During this portion of the experiment the percentage of humidity is higher due to the fact that there is lesser heat to evaporate the water vapor in the air. In addition to that, the presence of the water feature at our site increases the humidity percentage. The evaporation that occurs with the water feature contributes a lot to maintaining a cool and humid environment for the site.
2. This portion of the graph is a complete opposite of the situation that has happened in the first part of the graph. In this case, the air is less humid due to the loss of water vapor to evaporation. Even with the existence of the water feature, the rate of evaporation from it is not fast enough to help maintain the humidity of the air.
3. Humidity is at 100% during this time due to rainfall. Humidity levels are at the maximum and no further addition of humidity can be added due to the high saturation of water vapor. The temperature drops here as the rainy weather also leads to a colder and moister environment.
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4.2 Bioclimatic Chart
Figure 4.2(a): Bioclimatic Chart
With the collection of data logger results, the average indoor temperature and relative humidity
of the room is calculated, which is at 27.9°C and 69.22% respectively. The results has then
been plotted onto a bioclimatic chart. As a result, the average temperature and relative humidity
of the investigated room unit is located within the human comfort zone.
Although on the verge of not being in the comfortable zone the room conforms to the Uniform
Building By-laws with the suitable ratio between the floor plan and ventilation opening. This may
be one of the strongest reasons as to why the room is deemed comfortable. With large amounts
of light penetrating the window openings and strong winds blowing in from the balcony the room
is very well lit and ventilated, thus providing the user with the adequate needs to be comfortable.
!Average!temperature:!27.9°C!
Average!relative!humidity!:!69.22%!
4.3 Sun Analysis 4.3.1 Sun path analysis at Brio Serviced Apartments, Setiawalk
Diagram 4.3(a) Sun path diagram in Brio Serviced Apartments, Setiawalk
Marco climate Being located at the latitude of 3° 1' 51.8484'' N, the chosen site is located close to the equator. Malaysia naturally has abundant sunshine and solar radiation. However, it is rare to have a full day with completely clear skies.
9am In the morning, the sun is located on the eastern side. The apartment unit is shaded by the other two blocks therefore receives less sunlight and no direct heat. !
!12pm During noon, the the sun shine directly on the building. Roofed areas are shaded. The apartment unit is shaded by the neighbouring blocks.
4.3.2 Sun-shadow casting of investigated block (macro) !
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!5pm The sun shines directly above, from the south western side of the building. The front
porch is mostly shaded from the sun during this time. The whole unit is exposed to
direct sunlight and heat at this time.
4.3.3 Micro Sun Analysis Sun path of apartment unit Solar Ray of room 9.00am
12.00pm
5.00pm
4.4 Wind Analysis The wind rose is an analysis of wind data, consisting of data of the wind speed and direction over a certain period of time. The wind rose chart has bars of the relative amounts of wind in each direction, and each bar is split into different colours to show the relative amounts of time the wind spends at each bin of speeds in that direction.
4.4.1 Analysis on Wind Speed and Magnitude (Micro)
From : 7th September 2013(12pm) to 10th September 2013 (12pm)
The wind rose chart showing the wind speed and magnitude from Sep 7 to 10 indicates that South by South East has the largest wind magnitude with the longest amount of time spent in that direction, followed by East by South East, then South, followed by East and South East, then South by South West, then South West, followed by West and West by South West and then with North West having the smallest wind magnitude with the least amount of time spent in that direction. Over that period of time, there is no recorded wind blowing in the direction of North, North by North East, North East, East by North East, West by North West, and North by North West. The highest amount of bin range is the range of 1 to 4, which indicates that the wind spends the longest time within the bin range of 1 to 4 km/h, followed by the bin range of 4 to 7, then 7 to 11 and 17 to 21, with 11 to 17 being the lowest amount, which indicates that the wind spends the least amount of time within the bin range of 11 to 17 km/h. The wind speed does not exceed 22km/h over the period of the time recorded. There are a total of 12 calms during this period of time, whereby no wind is recorded to be blowing. One calm is recorded on 7 Sep, four calms recorded on 8 Sep and eight calms recorded on 9 Sep. No calms is recorded on 10 Sep.
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Figure 4.1 (a) : Wind rose chart for micro analysis
0%
2%
4%
6%
8%
10%
12%
14%
16%
18%North
NNE
NE
ENE
East
ESE
SE
SSE
South
SSW
SW
WSW
West
WNW
NW
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Wind Speed and Magnitude7 Sep 12pm to 10 Sep 12pm
22+ 17-21 11-17 7-11 4-7 1-4
4.4.2 Analysis on Average Wind Speed and Magnitude (Macro)
From : January to September 2013 of Subang Jaya
The wind rose chart showing the average wind speed and magnitude from Jan to Sep of 2013 indicates that over the period of these nine months, North West has the largest wind magnitude with the longest amount of time spent in that direction. This is followed by South. There is no recorded average wind blowing in the other directions. The average bin ranges recorded range from 4 to 11, which means that the average wind speed ranges from 4 to 11 km/h.
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!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Figure!4.2!(a)!:!Wind!rose!chart!of!macro!analysis!
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40%
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70%
80%North
NNE
NE
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East
ESE
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SSE
South
SSW
SW
WSW
West
WNW
NW
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Wind Speed and MagnitudeAverage from Jan to Sep of Subang Jaya
22+ 17-21 11-17 7-11 4-7 1-4
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4.4.3 Ventilation in Investigated Unit
The figure shows the wind movement through the openings in the floor plan. The wind moves through the doors and windows in the unit, and the wind enters only through one direction in which the condominium unit faces, which is on the opposite side of the entrance. There are many fenestrations along that façade, allowing the wind to pass through and circulate out in the same direction through a different room. However, the ventilation is poor towards the opposite side of the unit as there are fewer openings along that façade. Air ventilation will only occur if the doors and windows are kept opened, and ventilation will be poor if the doors and windows are kept shut.
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Figure 4.4.3(a) : Air movement through doors, windows and openings.
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4.4.4 Fenestration
The investigated room of the apartment unit has a large window spanning from one end of the wall to the other as seen in Figure 1.This window façade faces the outdoor view as shown in Figure 2, and allows wind to enter. The wind moves through the room to the back, where there is no wall to hinder ventilation. The gap between the wooden pillars helps to dissipate the air and provide smooth air flow. This is shown in Figure 3. Figure 4 shows the living room whereby the open balcony allows a great amount of air in, encouraging air ventilation throughout the space. This will also affect the air ventilation in the investigated room, which is situated right next to it.
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Figure 1 : Location of window in investigated room Figure 2 : Building facade
Figure 3 : Entrance into investigated room Figure 4 : Balcony located in the living room
4.5 Heat Transfer in Investigated Room 4.5.1 Thermal heat transfer
Heat is the energy in transmitted from warmer systems to colder systems. There are 2
ways of transferring heat which are solar radiation and thermal radiation. The main
source of solar radiation is the heat transferred from the sun which is a natural resource
and the other way would be thermal radiation which is the heat transferred from the
electric appliances available in the room.
4.5.2 Solar radiation
Solar radiation is radiant energy that emitted by the sun, which particularly consists of
electromagnetic energy. The electromagnetic energy transfers light and heat into the
building. The investigated room receives direct sunlight and heat as there is no external
shading to prevent it from penetrating through. The only form of shading that the room
receives is the shading by the curtains and tinted glass. Both these internal shading
elements does help block out an amount of radiation but not much. However this allows
the room to obtain maximum natural lighting and natural ventilation, therefore cutting
electrical cost and saving money in the long run.
Diagram 4.5.2 : Solar radiation within the house
4.5.3 Thermal radiation
Thermal radiation is released by the electrical appliances available in any room. The
electrical appliances such as televisions, modems, and computers in the room
contributes to thermal radiation.
As for the lighting in the room, there are two LED lamp installed in the investigated room
which produces very minimal thermal radiation.
Figure 4.5.3 (b): LED Lamp at the ceiling.
Figure 4.5.3 (a): Thermal radiation from electrical appliances
4.6 Other factors affecting investigated room unit’s temperature
4.6.1 Building design approach
The penthouse unit is designed in such a way that one façade faces the outdoor view, whereas
the opposite side of the façade does not face outdoors. Therefore, many windows and
openings are placed along the façade that faces the outdoors, to maximize the amount of air
flowing in. The living room leads directly to the balcony, which is kept open most of the time for
ventilation purposes, as shown in Figure 1. The opening to the balcony is very large to allow a
great amount of air flow into the apartment. With the use of natural ventilation and passive
cooling, there is less need for electrical or mechanical devices for cooling. The investigated
room has a large window opening as well, to maximize the amount of air flowing into the room,
as shown in Figure 2.
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!!!!!!!!!!!!Figure!1!:!Balcony!! ! ! ! ! !!!!!!!!!Figure!2!:!Investigated!room!
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4.6.2 Architectural and passive design strategy
The apartment unit used for the case study is considered to be an energy efficient building that
optimizes the energy efficiency of the building. It utilizes day lighting and natural ventilation to
achieve thermal comfort. The large openings and fenestrations along the apartment façade
provide considerably good ventilation for the building, as a great amount of air flow is allowed
into the unit, as shown in Figure 1. The air flows in and out the same direction, or through the
entrance door situated at the opposite side of the unit. The fresh air continuously flowing in
helps to alleviate odors and improve indoor environment quality.
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Figure!1:!Arrows!depicting!the!direction!and!movement!of!air!
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4.6.3 Air-conditioning and mechanical ventilation (ACMV) system
There is a ceiling fan and an air-conditioning system in the investigated room. However, the air-
conditioner is not used during the period of days of data recording. The appliances used in the
room during the period of data recording are the lights, the fan and the desktop. All these
appliances will affect the indoor temperature and indoor humidity, thus affecting thermal
comfort. The light and desktop provide heat, which raises the indoor temperature. The fan helps
to cool the room temperature and provide consistent air movement in the room. Air movement is
essential for thermal comfort as it enhances heat transfer between air and the human body, thus
lowering skin temperature and accelerating the cooling of the human body. It is more effective if
there are varied air velocity and direction. The number of occupants in the room will also affect
the indoor temperature and humidity, which is also affected by individual clothing, individual
metabolic rate and air movement preference of the occupant.
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Figure!1:!The!investigated!room!!
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!!!!Figure!2:!Ceiling!fan!!
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Figure!3:!Air@conditioning!system!!
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!!!!!Figure!4:!Lighting!
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4.6.4 Factors Affecting Thermal Comfort
The six factors affecting thermal comfort are both environmental and personal. These factors may be independent of each other, but together contribute to one’s thermal comfort.
Environmental factors:
1. Air temperature
Air temperature depends on the velocity of movement of gas molecules. Air temperature affects the growth and reproduction of living organism and climate parameters. This factor is also affects other components such as rate of evaporation, relative humidity, wind speed and direction, precipitation (rain fall) patterns and types.
2. Radiant temperature
Thermal radiation is the heat that radiates from a warm object. Radiant heat may be present if there are heat sources in an environment. Radiant temperature has a greater influence than air temperature on how we lose or gain heat to the environment the amount of radian energy our skin absorbs is almost as much radiant energy as a matt black object, although this can be reduced by wearing reflective clothing. Examples of radiant heat sources include: the sun and electrical appliances.
3. Air velocity
This describes the speed of air moving across a person and may help cool one if it is cooler than the environment. Air velocity is an important factor in thermal comfort because people are sensitive to it. Still or stagnant air in indoor environments that are artificially heated may cause people to feel stuffy. It may also lead to a build-up in odor. Moving air in warm or humid conditions can increase heat loss through convection without any change in air temperature. Small air movement in cool or cold environments may be perceived as draught. If the air temperature is less than skin temperature it will significantly increase convective heat loss. Physical activity also increases air movement, so air velocity may be corrected to account for a person's level of physical activity.
4. Humidity
If water is heated and it evaporates to the surrounding environment, the resulting amount of water in the air will provide humidity. Relative humidity is the ratio between the actual amount of water vapor in the air and the maximum amount of water vapor that the air can hold at that air temperature. Relative humidity between 40% and 70% does not have a major impact on thermal comfort. Humidity in indoor environments can vary greatly, and may be dependent on whether there are drying processes where steam is given off. High humidity environments have a lot of vapor in the air, which prevents the evaporation of sweat from the skin. In hot environments, humidity is important because less sweat evaporates when humidity is high (80 %). The evaporation of sweat is the main method of heat loss in humans. The image below shows the water feature that helps increase the humidity of the site.
Figure 4.6.4(a) : Water feature on site
Personal factors:
1. Clothing Insulation
Clothing interferes with our ability to lose heat to the environment. Thermal comfort is very much dependent on the insulating effect of clothing on the wearer. Wearing too much clothing may be a primary cause of heat stress even if the environment is not considered warm or hot. If clothing does not provide enough insulation, the wearer may be at risk from cold injuries such as frost bite or hypothermia in cold conditions. Clothing is both a potential cause of thermal discomfort as well as a control for it as we adapt to the climate in which we live and play. One may add layers of clothing if they feel cold, or remove layers of clothing if they feel warm.
2. Metabolic heat
The work or metabolic rate is essential for a thermal risk assessment. It describes the heat that we produce inside our bodies as we carry out physical activity. The more physical work we do the more heat we produce. The more heat we produce, the more heat needs to be lost so we don’t overheat. The impact of metabolic rate on thermal comfort is critical. When considering these factors, it is also essential to consider a person's own physical characteristics. A person's physical characteristics should always be borne in mind when considering their thermal comfort, as factors such as their size and weight, age, fitness level and sex can all have an impact on how they feel, even if other factors such as air temperature, humidity and air velocity are all constant.
4.6.5 Building Materials
Construction materials, surface finishes and building components have their own characteristics
and properties which can affect the thermal comfort of the building.
Heat transfer is the transition of thermal energy from a hotter object to a cooler object. When an
object is at a different temperature from another body or its surroundings, heat flows so that the
body and the surroundings reach the same temperature, at which point they are in thermal
equilibrium. Such spontaneous heat transfer always occurs from a region of high temperature to
another region of lower temperature, as described by the or the Clausius statement. Where
there is a temperature difference between objects in proximity, heat transfer between them can
never be stopped; but it can only be slower down.
A U value is a measure of heat loss in a building element such as a wall, floor or roof. It can also
be referred to as an ‘overall heat transfer co-efficient’ and measures how well parts of a building
transfer heat. This means that the higher the U value the worse the thermal performance of the
building envelope. A low U value usually indicates high levels of insulation. They are useful as it
is a way of predicting the composite behavior of an entire building element rather than relying on
the properties of individual materials.
Sector in Room Material Resistant Description U-value (W/m2k)
Gravity
Wall
Brick
Fire, sound, termite, decay
8” brick, 200mm
0.41
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Roof
Reinforced concrete slab
Fire, sound, wind, termite, decay
(140 lb. / ft3) 4" Thick 0.18
0.16
Floor
Timber Fire, sound, indentation,
abrasion 1220x170x150mm 0.55
0.50
Window panel Aluminum frame Rust 40mm thick 1.30
0.23
Glass panel Tempered glass
Rust, heat, sound, water, dust
Upper panel: 700x1200mm
Lower panel: 700x600mm
3.00
0.16
Brick wall
- Strong and durable
- Made from clay soil dug from the ground.
- Does not age, rot, decay or erode
- Weather resistance – UV, blistering heat, degradation.
- Sound insulation
- Lower embodied energy
- Cold - brick keeps in heat (insulates)
- Electricity - they will not carry an electrical charge
- Fire resistant and termite resistance
Aluminum frame window
- Long life span
- Light weight, strong and durable
- Sound insulation
- Rot and rust resistant
- Surface - electrophoresis coating
- Easy installation
- Low maintenance
- High thermal conductance (disadvantage)
Tempered glass window panels
! Four to five times stronger than annealed glass
! Sound insulation
! Safety
! Low-energy
! Strength
! Clear and clean
! coating – outer pane
Timber Floor
- Does not corrode
- Low energy of production
- At low stress levels the strain is proportional to the strain.
- Larger sections have significant resistance to fire
- Timber is a poor conductor of heat. (disadvantage)
6.0 References Departments of Standard Malaysia (2007), ”4.4 Daylighting”, “4.6.3 Air Movement”, “4.6.4 Daylighting & Ventilation from windows”, “5.4 Daylighting”, “8.1.2 Indoor Design Condition”, CODE OF PRACTICE ON ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND USE OF RENEWABLE ENERGY FOR NON-RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS (FIRST REVISION) ICS: 91.040.01. “Principle of Heat Transfer”, “Heat Transfer Mechanism”, Basic of Heat Transfer Retrieved from: http://www.efunda.com/formulae/heat_transfer/home/overview.cfm Date retrieved: 30/09/2013 “What is thermal comfort?”, “Six Basic Factors”, Thermal Comfort Retrieved from: http://www.hse.gov.uk/temperature/thermal/explained.htm Date Retrieved: 30/09/2013 “39. Natural Lighting and Ventilation”, “40. Air Wells”, “42.Minimum area of rooms in residential buildings”, “46.Height of rooms in residential buildings, shop houses, schools, etc. “Space, Light & Ventilation”, UBBL PART III Retrieved from: http://www.scribd.com/doc/37904241/Ubbl-Part-III Date Retrieved: 30/09/2013 Yaik-Wah Lim, Faculty of Built Environment, Institute Sultan Iskandar of Urban Habitat and High-rise, University Technology Malaysia, Malaysia (2010), Empirical Validation of Daylight Simulation Tool with Physical Model Measurement, Science Publications, American Journal of Applied Sciences 7 (10): 1426-1431, 2010 ISSN 1546-9239. Anderson. 2006 “Conventions for U value calculations: BRE 443” BRE Scotland (for further reading and full explanation of calculation methodologies) Raymond E.Patenaude (2013), ERIA, ASHRAE Malaysia Chapter, “Designing Buildings in Hot & Humid Climates”, Energy Efficiency in Sustainable Living. Retrieved from: http://www.eria.org/events/8.%20Stretching%20EE%20to%20the%20Limit%20-%20Ir%20Chen%20TL.pdf Retrieved date: 01/10/2013 Francis D.K. Ching (2008), “Chapter 6 Roof Systems”, Building Construction Illustrated (Fourth Edition), John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey, pg 195 “U-values for Materials”, “Specific Gravity of Materials”, Reference Table for "U" Values. Retrieved from: http://www.combustionresearch.com/Infra-Spec/infra-spec/uvalue.html Date retrieved: 02/10/2013 “3.2.2 Standard and Grade”, Timber Flooring Retrieved from: http://www.timberbuilding.arch.utas.edu.au/publications/PDF/3%20Timber%20Flooring.pdf Date retrieved: 02/10/2013
Date Time Value Unit Value Unit
9/7/2013 12:01:18 66.7 %RH 28.8 Degree C
9/7/2013 13:01:18 65.6 %RH 28.5 Degree C
9/7/2013 14:01:18 64.5 %RH 28.9 Degree C
9/7/2013 15:01:18 63.9 %RH 29.2 Degree C
9/7/2013 16:01:18 65.8 %RH 29.4 Degree C
9/7/2013 17:01:18 65.8 %RH 29.9 Degree C
9/7/2013 18:01:18 65.4 %RH 29 Degree C
9/7/2013 19:01:18 73.5 %RH 28.1 Degree C
9/7/2013 20:01:18 74.1 %RH 28.1 Degree C
9/7/2013 21:01:18 70.4 %RH 27.9 Degree C
9/7/2013 22:01:18 71.1 %RH 28.3 Degree C
9/7/2013 23:01:18 72.5 %RH 28.3 Degree C
9/8/2013 0:01:18 72.1 %RH 28 Degree C
9/8/2013 1:01:18 74.2 %RH 27.9 Degree C
9/8/2013 2:01:18 74 %RH 27.9 Degree C
9/8/2013 3:01:18 74.5 %RH 27.4 Degree C
9/8/2013 4:01:18 73 %RH 27.3 Degree C
9/8/2013 5:01:18 74 %RH 27.5 Degree C
9/8/2013 6:01:18 76.2 %RH 27.4 Degree C
9/8/2013 7:01:18 75.6 %RH 27.3 Degree C
9/8/2013 8:01:18 76.2 %RH 27.3 Degree C
9/8/2013 9:01:18 75.5 %RH 27.5 Degree C
9/8/2013 10:01:18 73.7 %RH 28 Degree C
9/8/2013 11:01:18 71.6 %RH 28.3 Degree C
9/8/2013 12:01:18 66 %RH 28.6 Degree C
9/8/2013 13:01:18 63.1 %RH 29.1 Degree C
9/8/2013 14:01:18 58.2 %RH 29.5 Degree
7.0 Appendix 7.1$Readings$of$data$logger$
C
9/8/2013 15:01:18 64.9 %RH 29.4 Degree C
9/8/2013 16:01:18 72.6 %RH 27.7 Degree C
9/8/2013 17:01:18 70.9 %RH 28 Degree C
9/8/2013 18:01:18 70.8 %RH 27.8 Degree C
9/8/2013 19:01:18 72.9 %RH 27.8 Degree C
9/8/2013 20:01:18 72.6 %RH 27.7 Degree C
9/8/2013 21:01:18 72.7 %RH 28.2 Degree C
9/8/2013 22:01:18 72.5 %RH 28.2 Degree C
9/8/2013 23:01:18 72.8 %RH 28.3 Degree C
9/9/2013 0:01:18 73.6 %RH 28.2 Degree C
9/9/2013 1:01:18 73.3 %RH 28.1 Degree C
9/9/2013 2:01:18 74.9 %RH 27.6 Degree C
9/9/2013 3:01:18 75.3 %RH 27.5 Degree C
9/9/2013 4:01:18 76.1 %RH 27.4 Degree C
9/9/2013 5:01:18 76.3 %RH 27.3 Degree C
9/9/2013 6:01:18 76.8 %RH 27.2 Degree C
9/9/2013 7:01:18 74.7 %RH 27.1 Degree C
9/9/2013 8:01:18 75 %RH 27.2 Degree C
9/9/2013 9:01:18 76.3 %RH 27.4 Degree C
9/9/2013 10:01:18 75.9 %RH 27.5 Degree C
9/9/2013 11:01:18 73.7 %RH 27.5 Degree C
9/9/2013 12:01:18 70.7 %RH 27.9 Degree C
9/9/2013 13:01:18 68.3 %RH 28.1 Degree C
9/9/2013 14:01:18 66.6 %RH 28.7 Degree C
9/9/2013 15:01:18 66.4 %RH 28.9 Degree C
9/9/2013 16:01:18 70.5 %RH 28.3 Degree C
9/9/2013 17:01:18 72.1 %RH 28.4 Degree
!
!Table 7.1(a) Relative humidity and temperature collected from data logger on 7th September 2013, 12.00pm to 10th September 2013, 12.00am.
C
9/9/2013 18:01:18 70.8 %RH 28.2 Degree C
9/9/2013 19:01:18 73.9 %RH 27.8 Degree C
9/9/2013 20:01:18 73.1 %RH 27.7 Degree C
9/9/2013 21:01:18 72.8 %RH 27.3 Degree C
9/9/2013 22:01:18 69.8 %RH 27.1 Degree C
9/9/2013 23:01:18 70.3 %RH 27.1 Degree C
9/10/2013 0:01:18 70.4 %RH 27 Degree C
9/10/2013 1:01:18 70 %RH 26.9 Degree C
9/10/2013 2:01:18 70.8 %RH 26.7 Degree C
9/10/2013 3:01:18 70.5 %RH 27 Degree C
9/10/2013 4:01:18 73.3 %RH 26.2 Degree C
9/10/2013 5:01:18 74.4 %RH 26 Degree C
9/10/2013 6:01:18 73.7 %RH 26.3 Degree C
9/10/2013 7:01:18 74 %RH 26.3 Degree C
9/10/2013 8:01:18 75.7 %RH 25.9 Degree C
9/10/2013 9:01:18 80.2 %RH 25.7 Degree C
9/10/2013 10:01:18 78.6 %RH 26.3 Degree C
9/10/2013 11:01:18 77.4 %RH 26.5 Degree C
9/10/2013 12:01:18 77.5 %RH 26.6 Degree C
