IEQ & THERMAL COMFORT

FOR
BUILDING SERVICES II, B. ARCH. – SEMESTER V
PUNE UNIVERSITY

COMPOSED BY : AR. SURAJ BHUNJE

1. INDOOR ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY (IEQ)
• Any building to perform satisfactorily for its users has to satisfy the later in
two different ways – physiological & psychological.

• Various things that contribute to these can be listed as -

• Thermal comfort
• Visual comfort
• Functional comfort
• Air Quality etc.

• The betterment of these contribute to the same of the space which we can
call as ‘the environment’ being utilized by the occupants.
1. INDOOR ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY (IEQ)
• The indoor environment of the building is what occupants can have a great
amount of control on to modify it to their requirements.

• Intention of this segment is limited to -

• Thermal comfort &
• Air Quality

• Thermal comfort can be taken care of by the Passive or Active ventilation &
cooling &/or heating systems.

• To maintain the air quality which also is a part of operations related to

thermal comfort, mechanical means can be implemented such as CO2
sensors, air filters etc. which fortunately do come along with Active
ventilation & air conditioning systems as an integral part of it.
1.1. HUMAN THERMAL COMFORT
• INTRODUCTION
• Thermal comfort is that condition of mind which expresses satisfaction with the thermal
environment

• Because there are large variations, both physiologically and psychologically, from person to
person, it is difficult to satisfy everyone in a space

• Satisfying the maximum possible % of occupants is the solution

• This standard only addresses thermal comfort in a steady state

• Comfortable conditions Vs Previous thermal state of occupant vary the results

1.1. HUMAN THERMAL COMFORT
• Factors affecting the human thermal comfort –

1. Metabolic rate
• The rate of transformation of chemical energy into heat and mechanical work by
metabolic activities within an organism, expressed in W (Watts) or W/m2.
• Greater the metabolic rate, higher will be the amount of heat generated.
2. Clothing insulation
• The resistance to sensible heat transfer provided by a clothing ensemble. Expressed in
‘clo’ units.
3. Air temperature
• Initiates convective heat transfer between air molecules & occupants’ body as later are
in contact with surrounding air constantly.
• Greater the difference between the two, higher will be the rate of heat transfer.
1.1. HUMAN THERMAL COMFORT
4. Radiant temperature
• Surface temperature of a uniform space which initiates radiative heat exchange between
those surfaces & occupants’ body.
• Greater the difference between the two, higher will be the rate of heat transfer.
5. Air speed
• Vital component in accelerating or reducing the rate of convective heat (sensible &
latent) exchange between air molecules & occupants’ body.
• Higher the speed, greater will be the rate of heat exchange.
6. Humidity
• Is the amount of water vapor present in the air.
• Higher humidity reduces the effectiveness of sweating in cooling the body by reducing
the rate of evaporation.
1.1. HUMAN THERMAL COMFORT

Acceptable operative temperature ranges for naturally conditioned spaces

(Ref. : ASHRAE Standard 55-2004 - Thermal Environmental Conditions for Human Occupancy)
1.1. HUMAN THERMAL COMFORT
• These graphs published after
extensive on-field studies &
experiments have some limitations.

• For temperatures beyond these

ranges & for spaces being
mechanically conditioned, it is
recommended to refer to following.
• http://comfort.cbe.berkeley.edu/
(For mechanically conditioned spaces)
• S. S. Chandel, R. K. Aggarwal,
Thermal Comfort Temperature
Standards for Cold Regions, Ashdin
Publishing, 2012
1.1. HUMAN THERMAL COMFORT
• Apart from adjustments whenever possible in Metabolic rate, which is rear if
the tasks to be done by occupants have limitations of time & Clothing
insulation, which may have limitations by place where the occupant is
working, the remaining parameters can very well be achieved by –
• Passive methods or
• Active methods
• Passive methods can include
• Passive Cooling & Heating (Conductive or Convective or Radiative or a combination of
them) which again can include strategies such as -
• Ventilation
• Evaporative Cooling
• Thermal Mass
• Passive Solar heating etc.
1.1. HUMAN THERMAL COMFORT
• Active methods can include
• Active Heating & Cooling (Conductive or Convective or Radiative or a combination of
them) which again can include strategies such as -
• Mechanical Ventilation (Fans)
• Air conditioning systems with various fuel sources
• Active Solar heating etc.

• We shall be focusing for this session on –

• Passive Ventilation
• Passive Cooling (Evaporative Cooling)
• Mechanical Ventilation (Usage of Fans)
• Mechanical Heating, Cooling & Air conditioning (HVAC systems)