Publication Type
Journal Article
Version
publishedVersion
Publication Date
6-2023
Abstract
Mixed-mode buildings use natural ventilation (NV) through operable building envelopes (e.g., windows) and mechanical air-conditioning (AC) systems to condition indoor spaces with the goal of energy savings without compromising occupant comfort requirements. As a result, occupants within such buildings experience different thermal and acoustic conditions. In mixed-mode buildings, however, there is no clear guideline on assessing or predicting occupants’ thermal perception (e.g., thermal sensation and acceptability) and the interaction effects between thermal and acoustic comfort. This study investigates thermal and acoustic comfort as well as their interaction effects in mixed-mode buildings under NV and AC modes. A field study was conducted in a mixed-mode office building in Singapore with a tropical climate. The results showed that subjects’ actual thermal sensation and thermal acceptability were affected by the operation modes. Elevated air movement by ceiling fans improved subjects’ thermal acceptability, particularly in the NV mode. The results indicated the need for a different thermal comfort model even when switching between NV and AC modes within the same day. Traffic noise also significantly affected thermal sensation and thermal acceptability at noise level higher than 55 dBA. The findings suggest that mixed-mode buildings are potentially applicable in the tropics and provide valuable information on the practical operation of mixed-mode buildings from thermal and acoustic perspectives. Future research needs to investigate how to integrate thermal and acoustic studies and their results into mixed-mode operations to improve building energy efficiency and occupant comfort.
Keywords
Mixed-mode, Thermal comfort, Acoustic comfort, Combined effects, Natural ventilation, Ceiling fans
Discipline
Energy Policy | Engineering
Research Areas
Integrative Research Areas
Publication
Building and Environment
Volume
238
First Page
1
Last Page
15
ISSN
0360-1323
Identifier
10.1016/j.buildenv.2023.110342
Publisher
Elsevier
Citation
PENG, Yuzhen; ANTANURI, Nogista; LAU, Siu-Kit; JEBELLI, Bahador; JUSUF, Kardinal Steve; MILLER, Clayton; TEO, Ting Yi; CHUA, Xuan Yun; and CHONG, Adrian.
Experimental assessment of thermal and acoustics interactions on occupant comfort in mixed-mode buildings. (2023). Building and Environment. 238, 1-15.
Available at: https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/cis_research/597
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.
Additional URL
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.buildenv.2023.110342