Stanley R. Kurvers

Thermal indoor climate building performance characterized by human comfort response

Abstract In the assessment of buildings thermal indoor climate in The Netherlands, the directives used are the ones given in 1979 and 1991 by the Government Buildings Agency (GBA). The criteria formulated in 1991 in the form of ‘weighted excess hours’ were a subject for debate. This article treats these directives and their backgrounds. Additionally, it contains information about a project started (September 2000) with as a goal to innovate these directives. This project is developed with the support of NOVEM and the GBA. On the one hand, it tries to improve and optimize the communication necessary with regards to the debates on backgrounds. On the other hand, it treats new notions about desired comfort temperature (Brager and De Dear). This focuses on the relation of the indoor comfort temperature with the outside temperature in the preceding 1 month period. The new criteria and assessment instruments will be presented in a ISSO-publication.

Temperature, thermal sensation and workers’ performance in air-conditioned and free-running environments

Recently, several empirical relationships of temperature or thermal sensation vote with workers’ performance have been published. All these relationships are based on data concerning air-conditioned environments. It has been empirically established that workers in a free-running, naturally ventilated office environment judge thermal comfort and show adaptive behaviour in a way that is quite different from in an air-conditioned environment. Therefore, the relationships mentioned above cannot be extrapolated to free-running office environments. Field studies into the impact of temperature and thermal sensation on workers’ performance in free-running environments are needed. At this time our expectation is that in free-running environments performance is the highest at the neutral or comfortable temperature and that performance decreases when the temperature deviates from the neutral. Furthermore, we expect performance in free-running environments with the matching comfort temperature to be higher than that in air-conditioned environments with the matching comfort temperature.

The creation of SenseLab : a laboratory for testing and experiencing single and combinations of indoor environmental conditions

ABSTRACT Research has shown that staying indoors is not good for our health. People spend more and more of their time indoors. Therefore, providing a healthy and comfortable indoor environment is very important. The SenseLab will contribute to the understanding of and coping with the indoor environment. Students, teachers, researchers, but also the general public are able to experience and test different combinations of environmental conditions. The SenseLab is built around the four indoor environmental quality (IEQ) factors (air, thermal, light and acoustical quality), including: the experience room, for integrated perception of IEQ, so studying all factors together. And four test chambers, open to the public, where you can take a sniff of materials, feel heat and cold, see how light influences perception and experience how acoustics can be improved. A genuine playground for your senses.

Indoor climate guidelines in The Netherlands

Purpose – This paper sets out to highlight several aspects of a project, aimed at developing an advanced thermal comfort guideline, based on the adaptive thermal comfort theory.Design/methodology/approach – The paper introduces the new Dutch adaptive guideline for thermal comfort. The initial method exceeding hours (TO) is discussed, as well as the more recent method of weighted temperature exceeding hours (GTO). An evaluation of the practical and theoretical shortcomings of the TO and GTO methods is discussed, as well as the rationale behind the adaptive ATG guideline. Furthermore, the results are presented of computer simulations in which the predictions of the different methods are compared. Productivity effects of the new guideline are also discussed, as well as the implications for cooling system sizing and energy efficiency.Findings – The adaptive temperature limits (ATG) guidelines appears to be a more reliable method for the assessment of thermal comfort, in particular for passive, free‐running bu...

The scope of inducing natural air supply via the façade

ABSTRACT An overview is given of recent developments in the use of a system of inducing natural air supply via the façade in the Netherlands. This is followed by a review of the results of measurements from climate chamber experiments of its inducing ventilation performance and detailed insights gained from related experiments of climate chamber measurements for a school and a hospital. Finally, lessons learned from practical experience gained in a newly built office and two schools are outlined. These studies of different systems of natural air supply via the facade are used to inform a scoping review of options for use in the design of new buildings using such systems in the future. Because turbulence is an important comfort-parameter, having a positive as well as negative influence on comfort and with physical principles that are, in relation to a number of parameters, still unknown, the issue of turbulence within such systems is discussed in more detail.