Thermal comfort assessment and potential for energy efficiency enhancement in modern tropical buildings: A review

A comparison of thermal comfort predictive control strategies

Energy consumption, indoor thermal comfort and air quality in a commercial office with retrofitted heat, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system

The indoor environment directly affects health and comfort as humans spend most of the day indoors. However, improperly controlled ventilation systems can expend unnecessary energy and increase health risks, while improved thermal and air quality can often result in higher energy consumption. One way to approach this dilemma is by understanding the effectiveness of the variables influencing indoor air quality (IAQ) related health and comfort. The objective of this paper is to highlight evidence and variables from empirical and deterministic models, which are combined in analytical models that current machine learning techniques often overlook. This paper reviews the analytical models and identifies the corresponding input variables, discussing their application in models based on artificial neural networks (ANNs) and reinforcement learning (RL). ANN and RL models have accurately described non-linear systems with uncertain dynamics and provided predictive and adaptive control strategies. The first part of this study focuses on the most common thermal comfort models and their variables, mainly related to steady-state and adaptive models. The second part reviews typical models of determining indoor air pollutants and their relationship with ventilation requirements and health effects. Forty-five works closely related to the field are summarized in multiple tables. The last part identifies the factors needed to predict thermal comfort and IAQ.

Measuring the right factors: A review of variables and models for thermal comfort and indoor air quality

We analyze the impact of outdoor temperature on high-stakes decisions (immigration adjudications) made by professional decision-makers (US immigration judges). In our preferred specification, which includes spatial, temporal and judge fixed effects, and controls for various potential confounders, a 10 °F degree increase in case-day temperature reduces decisions favorable to the applicant by 6.55%. This is despite judgements being made indoors, 'protected' by climate-control. Results are consistent with established links from temperature to mood and risk appetite and have important implications for evaluating the influence of climate on 'cognitive output'.

https://www.aeaweb.org/articles/pdf/doi/10.1257/app.20170223

Temperature and Decisions: Evidence from 207,000 Court Cases

A new method of determination of indoor temperature and relative humidity with consideration of human thermal comfort

A study was carried out to investigate the influence of outdoor air parameters on energy-saving capability in an air-conditioned building with heat-pipe used in air-conditioning processes. The study indicates that the sensible heat recovered by heat-pipe is related to the outdoor wet-bulb temperature and to the temperature difference of outdoor dry-bulb and wet-bulb temperatures. The lower the outdoor design wet-bulb temperature and the larger the temperature difference of outdoor dry-bulb and wet-bulb temperatures, the more the sensible heat recovered with heat-pipe. Compared with conventional air-handling method, the air-conditioning system with heat pipe incorporated with cooling coil in air-handling unit can significantly reduce both the cooling load and the total energy load of a central air-conditioning system.

Kunli Yang

Papers

A new method of determination of indoor temperature and relative humidity with consideration of human thermal comfort

Effect of outdoor air parameters on energy consumption with heat-pipe used in air-handling unit