ASHRAE Standard 55-2004

for High Performance Buildings

Brian Lynch,

HBDP, LEED AP

Western Mechanical Solutions

Resources

ANSI/ASHRAE 5555-2004
Thermal Environmental Conditions for Human Occupancy

Brian Lynch, Secretary

Committee Member thru June 2012

ANSI/ASHRAE 5555-2004
Thermal Environmental Conditions for Human Occupancy

Standing Standard Project Committee (SSPC) 55

Continuous Maintenance

Meets:

ASHRAE Winter Meeting (January)

ASHRAE Annual Meeting (June)

Conference Call 2-4 times p

per year
y

ANSI/ASHRAE 5555-2004
Thermal Environmental Conditions for Human Occupancy

Continuous Maintenance

3 addenda out earlier this year (one

recalled)

ANSI/ASHRAE 5555-2004
Thermal Environmental Conditions for Human Occupancy
Continuous Maintenance

4 addenda currently out / being reviewed:

30 day ended October 12th (addenda f)

45 day ended October 27th (addenda g)

SET* methodology
revises 7.6.2.1 (surveying occupants) and Appendix E
(Thermal Environment Survey)

60 day ending November 11th (addenda d and e)

D: Quite Extensive
E: simplifies Section 6 (documenting design and
showing compliance)

ASHRAE Research
The ASHRAE Research Strategic Plan centers on the
concept of Sustainability.
One of the goals of this research is to optimize and
make consistent ASHRAE Standards 90, 62, and 55 to
achieve measured and verified high system energy
efficiency with high indoor environmental quality.

New Package from ASHRAE Gives Users Tools for LEED

ASHRAE

standards have long been a part of the LEED programs technical

requirements,
and we are pleased to offer these standards together to best benefit the building
industry.
-W. Stephen Comstock, ASHRAE publisher
The full package includes:
ANSI/ASHRAE/IESNA Standard 90.1-2004 90.1-2004 Users Manual
ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 62.1-2004,Ventilation for Acceptable Indoor Air Quality
62.1-2004 Users Manual
ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 55-2004, Thermal Environmental Conditions for Human
Occupancy
Advanced Energy Design Guide for Small Office Buildings
Advanced Energy Design Guide for Small Retail Buildings
Advanced Energy Design Guide for K12 School Buildings
Procedures for Commercial Building Energy Audits

ANSI/ASHRAE 5555-2004
Thermal Environmental Conditions for Human Occupancy

Thermal comfort is the

main reason we have
buildings.

ANSI/ASHRAE 5555-2004
Thermal Environmental Conditions for Human Occupancy

Tents are pretty energy

efficient
efficient.

History
1966 replaced 1938 Code for Minimum
Requirements for Comfort Air Conditioning
Comfort Zone = 73-77 F, 20 to 60 %
RH, 45 fpm

1981 recognized a Winter and Summer

comfort Zone.

8 Sections

1.
2
2.
3.
4.
5.
6
6.
7.
8.

Purpose
Scope
S
Definitions
General Requirements
Conditions
Compliance
Evaluation
References

ANSI/ASHRAE 5555-2004
Thermal Environmental Conditions for Human Occupancy

Section 1
Purpose:
- specify the combinations of

indoor thermal environmental factors

personal factors

- acceptable to a majority of the occupants

within the space.

ANSI/ASHRAE 5555-2004
Thermal Environmental Conditions for Human Occupancy

Section 2 Scope

Addresses environmental factors

And personal factors
up to 10,000 ft
doesnt cover air quality, etc.

Section 3 Definitions
S ti 4 - General
Section
G
lR
Requirements
i
t

must specify the space to which it applies

activity and clothing of the occupants must be considered

ANSI/ASHRAE 5555-2004
Thermal Environmental Conditions for Human Occupancy
Section 5 Conditions that Provide Thermal Comfort
5.1 Introduction

Six Primary Thermal Comfort Variables

Air temperature
Humidity

ANSI/ASHRAE 5555-2004
Thermal Environmental Conditions for Human Occupancy
Section 5
5.1 Introduction

Six Primary Thermal Comfort Variables

Metabolic rate
Clothing insulation
Air temperature
Radiant temperature
Air Speed
Humidity

ANSI/ASHRAE 5555-2004
Thermal Environmental Conditions for Human Occupancy

Method for Determining Acceptable

Thermal Conditions in Occupied
p
Spaces (Section 5.2)

Graphical Method for Typical Indoor

Environments

C
Computer
t M
Model
d lM
Method
th d ffor G
Generall
Indoor Application

Acceptable Range of Operative

Temperatures ASHRAE 55
55--2004, Figure 5.2.1.1

Acceptable Range of Operative

Temperatures Figure 5.2.1.1

Operative Temperature

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PMV PPD Index

predicted mean vote (PMV): an index that predicts the mean
value of the votes of a large group of persons on the sevenpoint thermal sensation scale.
PMV model uses heat balance principles to relate the six key
factors for thermal comfort to the average response of
people on a seven point scale.
predicted percentage of dissatisfied (PPD): an index that
establishes a quantitative prediction of the percentage of
thermally dissatisfied people determined from PMV.

ASHRAE Thermal Sensation Scale

Predicted Percentage of Dissatisfied (PPD) <10%
Predicted Mean Vote (PMV) >-0.5 to <+0.5
+3 hot
+2 warm
+1 slightly warm
0 neutral
-1 slightly cool
-2 cool
-3 cold

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Acceptable Range of Operative

Temperatures ASHRAE 55
55--2004, Figure 5.2.1.1

Acceptable Range of Operative

Temperatures ASHRAE 55
55--2004, Figure 5.2.1.1

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Local Thermal Discomfort Factors

Radiant temperature Asymmetry
Vertical air temperature difference
Floor surface
s rface temperature
temperat re
Temperature variation with time
Cyclic variations in operative temperature
Drifts or ramps
Draft (in winter) - ISO Comfort Standard 7730 defines draft as Unwanted local cooling.

A certain percentage of people are usually dissatisfied by a factor other than

thermal sensation, such as draft or radiant asymmetry.

ASHRAE Thermal Comfort Tool

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14

15

Designing for Thermal Comfort - Cooling

Typical Office Cooling Values
Air temperature (75 F)
F)
Humidity (50% RH)
Metabolic rate (1 met)
Radiant temperature (75 F)
Clothing insulation (0.5 to 1.0 clo)
Air speed
p
((40 fpm
p or less))

Savings from Raising Thermostat

Settings in Cooling
Rule of Thumb

Each degree of thermostat offset saves ~ 2% of cooling energy

Energy Model - 20,000 ft2 Office

Location

75F Cooling

79.7F Cooling

%
Reduction

Miami

121,290 kWh

108,735 kWh

10.35 %

Houston

94 420 kWh
94,420

87 046 kWh
87,046

7 81 %
7.81

Los Angeles

45,913 kWh

43,404 kWh

5.46 %

Kansas City

50,575 kWh

46,071 kWh

8.91 %

Chicago

43,035 kWh

39,175 kWh

9.01 %

Denver

38,904 kWh

35, 147 kWh

9.66 %

Madison

38,147 kWh

34,799 kWh

8.78 %

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Air Speed Required to Offset

Increased Temperature Figure 5.2.3

17

Acceptable Range of Operative

Temperatures ASHRAE 55
55--2004, Figure 5.2.1.1

11 F per clo effect of changing clothing insulation on the

11
optimum operative temperature

18

Radiant Temperature

Radiant heating or cooling sources do not change

the temperature of the air in a space directly.
Due to the wavelength of the energy, an object is
directly heated or cooled without cooling the air
between.

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7.6.2.1 Survey Occupants. The purpose of this standard is to ensure

that a room, building, etc., is comfortable for a substantial majority (at
least 80%) of the occupants. Therefore, an effective way to evaluate
the environmental conditions is to survey the occupants. This survey
should be performed for every operating mode, in every design
condition. This would require a survey check sheet to be provided by
the team responsible for validating the thermal environment of the
space. The sheet shall have, as a minimum, the following data for the
occupant to fill in:
Occupants name, date, and time
Approximate outside air temperature
Clear sky/overcast (if applicable)
Seasonal conditions
Occupants clothing
Occupants activity level
Applicable equipment
General thermal comfort level
Occupants location

Where is the Standard going?

Standard 55 must find ways to better support

High Performance Buildings better.
Change in Air speed limits good step.
Must work on Adaptive Method.

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Acceptable Operative Temperature

Ranges for Naturally Conditioned Spaces
Figure 5.3

toc = 66 + 0.255(t
0.255(tout - 32)

Acceptable Operative Temperature

Ranges for Naturally Conditioned Spaces
Figure 5.3

Denver =
73.4F
73.4

76.5

76.6

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Where is the Standard going?

Mixed Mode ventilation swing seasonal use,

different zones.

Where is the Standard going?

What are people submitting for Standard 55

compliance (LEED and Standard 189.1)

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Where is the Standard going?

Rearrange standard to start with occupant. Start

with parameters such as metabolic rate, clothing,
and then working outward.
Move impact of clo on setpoints from Appendix B
to front of normative body of standard.

Where is the Standard going?

HVAC is for people, requirements are for

occupants, not buildings.
Goal should be to focus on making people
comfortable not buildings.

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