Title : STUDY OF THERMAL ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY SAVINGS CONSIDERING ADAPTIVE THERMOSTAT CONTROL: A CASE STUDY OF AN AIR CONDITIONED OFFICE BUILDING IN COMPOSITE CLIMATE OF INDIA
Authors : Shivraj Dhaka (1), Jyotirmay Mathur (1), Vishal Garg (2), Andreas Wagner (3) and Ghanshyam Das Agarwal (1)
Publication : February 13-16, 2013
Volume :
Pages : 6-Jan
Price : 250
Abstract : Thermal comfort in building results from a complex set of physical conditions, occupant sensations and preferences as well as occupants behaviour therefore thermally comfortable environment leads to better energy efficiency in buildings. A field study was carried out at five star rated (Certified by Bureau of Energy Efficiency, BEE) air conditioned office building (day time occupancy) located at Jaipur, composite climate of India. The purpose of conducting this study was to evaluate the existing thermal environmental conditions and then to propose the required thermal comfort conditions and determine energy saving potential considering adaptive thermostat control strategy. Questionnaire was developed for conducting the field survey including objective and subjective information as per class II protocol of field measurements. Statistical analysis of occupant responses and recorded environmental variables was performed to determine the required comfortable temperature in the building and this temperature was used as thermostat set point of the air conditioner. The office building was modelled using eQUEST simulation program and calibrated with measured annual energy consumption. Result revealed that majority of the occupants felt thermally comfortable at proposed room temperature of 27.5oC as against the existing practice of maintaining 20-22oC at which most of the occupants were complaining overcooling and discomfort. Proposed set point temperature of air conditioner also resulted in building energy saving of about 7.86 %.