Simulation of thermal comfort in soccer stadia using TRNSYS 17

The Soccer World Cup in Qatar 2022 has started a discussion on thermal comfort in soccer stadia, particularly in hot and humid climates and their related energy consumption.  To evaluate the thermal comfort in such an environment a calculation algorithm for the so-called “perceived temperature” (PT), is incorporated into the TRNSYS 17 simulation package. In addition, an extended 3D MRT model is applied allowing detailed 3D modeling of longwave and shortwave solar radiation on a sensor depending on its location within an environment. This paper presents the first study of different stadia types focusing on the effect of longwave and shortwave radiation on the thermal comfort. The results show that solar radiation striking a spectator causes a significant increase of the PT and the associated thermal stress level. Thermal comfort simulations enable planers to evaluate and optimize the design concept of stadia roofs including material properties.