Thermal comfort and adaptation in semi-outdoor environments

Designing semi-outdoor environments such as atria or open-style cafes is a popular technique in modern architecture to provide occupants with natural outdoor elements in an artificialenvironment. Occupants are likely to expect a thermal environment differing from the indoors, and thermal adaptation is expected to play a major role in achieving comfort.Seasonal field surveys were conducted in four semi-outdoor environments for short-term occupancy with different levels of environmental control. Observations were made on occupancy conditions and clothing adjustments.

Moderating indoor conditions with hygroscopic building materials and outdoor ventilation

This paper contains a numerical study of the indoor temperature, humidity, and comfort and indoor air quality conditions in a bedroom located in Saint Hubert, Belgium. The performance of the bedroom is presented for a range of constant outdoor ventilation rates (0.1 ach to 1 ach) with and

Overview of existing guidance and ventilation approaches for control of diesel exhaust inside locomotive facilities

This paper provides an overview of existing guidance, regulations, and design approaches to control diesel exhaust from locomotives operating in buildings. First, design guidance and standards for exposure to major components of diesel exhaust are reviewed. Next, issues regarding engine design, fuel composition, and outdoor emissions control strategies and their potential impact on current and future indoor emissions are discussed. Ventilation approaches that have been implemented in existing facilities are also presented.

Integrated damper and pressure reset for VAV supply air fan control

This paper presents an integrated damper and pressure reset (IDPR) method for variable air volume (VAV) system fan control. The IDPR method controls the static pressure at a minimum required level while maintaining at least one terminal box damper at full open position. When the entire system

A BEMS assisted commissioning tool to improve the energy performance of HVAC systems

This paper is a presentation of a concept for a new automated tool that uses the capabilities of Building Energy Management Systems (BEMS). Some parts of the commissioning process can be automatized and can generate benefits over the whole life of a building.

Hybrid model for building performance diagnosis and optimal control

This paper proposes a new hybrid model for automatic diagnostics and optimal supervisory control. Detailed physical parameters represent half of the model and identified parameters describe another half. That hybrid model can be used to predict accurately the cooling and heating energy consumption of buildings in a wide range of operation conditions.

Design and optimization of control strategies and parameters by building and system simulation

In this paper, an example of how to use the dynamic building and system simulation to design, determine and optimize the characteristics of a heating and cooling system of a school building in southern Germany, is presented.

The importance of control system commissioning for enchanced building operations

This paper points out the importance of control system in the overall operation of buildings and gives a description of practical issues in association with modern IT-oriented control systems.

Energy efficient residential ventilation control

A concept is investigated for the energy efficient control of residential mechanical ventilation in response to outdoor air temperature and the corresponding stack-driven infiltration. The control concept takes advantage of the natural air leakage characteristics of a house and the ability of temperature-driven stack infiltration to provide ventilation air to the house. As the outdoor to indoor temperature difference increases and natural infiltration increases, the fan operation is reduced, thereby minimizing over-ventilation.

Developing virtual laboratories for the design and test of ventilation control strategies

The control industry integrates more and more recent innovations, especially on the sector of communication networks (bus), control (fuzzy logic, neural networks...) and informatics (hard-and software) for the development of Building Automation and Control Systems of HVAC plants. These complex control strategies are now being implemented on ventilation systems (hybrid systems, mechanical systems, etc) to satisfy energy and environmental issues.

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