1,720,974 research outputs found
Modelling window status in school classrooms. Results from a case study in Italy
Get PDFIn free running buildings users restore their thermal comfort usually opening and closing windows. In
school buildings the window use is also useful to achieve good IAQ and avoid health hazards among
students and teachers. In last decades many surveys focused on this topic, in order to understand which
environmental parameters are the main triggers for users' actions. This paper investigates the relationship
between window use and environmental stimuli in an Italian classroom. The survey concerned
the monitoring of indoor and outdoor environmental variables and occupants' actions on windows to
assess if occupants were influenced by the environment and the daily routine. Linear and logistic
regression analyses were carried out to evaluate the relationship between variables and actions. The
results highlight that indoor and outdoor temperatures are the main action trigger, while the relationship
with CO2 concentration is weak. Also the daily routine affected students' actions, in fact the opening
frequency is higher during breaks. Findings from previous studies are confirmed and new insight on
behavioral pattern for school classrooms are presented
ANALISI DELL’INTERAZIONE TRA UTENTI E FINESTRE IN UNA SCUOLA ITALIANA. RISULTATI DA UN CASO DI STUDIO
Get PDFLe finestre sono lo strumento maggiormente utilizzato dagli utenti di un edificio per ristabilire la sensazione di comfort termico. Nelle scuole, l’utilizzo delle finestre permette di migliorare la qualità dell’aria ed evita lo sviluppo di malattie respiratorie. Numerose ricerche recenti si sono occupate di definire i parametri ambientali che stimolano maggiormente le azioni degli utenti. Il presente articolo analizza le relazioni che intercorrono tra l’uso delle finestre e alcuni parametri ambientali nelle aule italiane. Lo studio ha previsto il monitoraggio simultaneo delle variabili ambientali e delle azioni degli occupanti e analisi in regressione lineare e logistica per individuare le correlazioni. I risultati evidenziano che le azioni degli studenti sono influenzate principalmente dalla temperatura interna e da quella esterna e avvengono con più frequenza durante gli intervalli tra lezioni consecutive
Comparing real and predicted window use in offices. A POE-based assessment
No full textAccurate predictions of human-building interactions are essential to decrease energy waste and improve indoor comfort.
Although users’ dynamic behaviour has been recognised, most of simulation programs still work using deterministic rules. This
paper investigates the effectiveness of both deterministic and stochastic models in reproducing window openings, using a Post-
Occupancy evaluation (POE). A summer monitoring campaign in offices settled in Mediterranean climate was performed to
acquire experimental data. Results highlight that deterministic approaches poorly reflect real behaviours. Probabilistic models
seem to represent effective users’ actions. Findings demonstrate the urgent need of behavioural approaches in simulations
Indoor air quality and thermal comfort optimization in classrooms developing an automatic system for windows opening and closing
Get PDFThermal comfort and indoor air quality in school classrooms are essential requirements to promotestudents’ productivity and reduce health symptoms. This paper presents the development of an automaticsystem for window openings, based on thermal comfort and indoor air quality correlations. The researchwas carried out in two adjacent classrooms. The initial phase aimed at assessing environmental conditionsin classrooms, testing objective and subjective comfort models and establishing trigger parameters forwindow opening events; the second phase regarded the implementation of an adaptive control algorithmin an automatic system piloting windows with the aim of maintaining a satisfactory environment bothin terms of IAQ and thermal comfort. The main results show that: (1) the IAQ is a relevant issue in schoolclassrooms, because students usually suffer high CO2levels; (2) the stronger driving force for undertakingadaptive actions is thermal comfort, while the need to improve the air quality is a secondary constraint;(3) the mechanized system ensures a good quality in terms of IAQ, thermal comfort and users’ satisfaction
Comfort e qualità dell’aria per scuole smart: un innovativo sistema di apertura automatizzata delle finestre
No full textA literature review on driving factors and contextual events influencing occupants' behaviours in buildings
Get PDFThe present paper illustrates the results of a literature review on occupants' behaviours, assessing the
actions' drivers. There is no general agreement about the reasons people interact with building systems
or the driving factors that trigger their decisions. Even if lot of researchers focus on this target, they
usually analyse one or two actions, while no survey makes a comprehensive investigation. Windows,
lights, blinds, air-conditioning, thermostat, fans and doors patterns are investigated in different building
uses (offices, houses and schools). The analysis is split in three parts: 1) evaluating the influence of
environmental parameters 2) and time-related events (e.g. arrivals and departures) and 3) describing the
variables adopted in behavioural models. The results suggest that not only environmental factors play a
key role in the use of building systems but also contextual factors, as well as routine and habits, largely
affect occupants' behaviours. Behavioural models are becoming more and more complex and comprehensive
to better reproduce the human component. Considering the principal driving factors inside the
behavioural models would bring a double benefit: improving the results of building simulation programs
and assisting designers during the project of energy-saving and comfortable building
A framework for comfort assessment in buildings and districts retrofit process
Get PDFThe retrofit design of buildings and districts cannot exclude the occupants’ perspective if comfortable and healthy conditions have to be obtained. For this reason, the NewTREND1 project developed a collaborative platform for the energy efficient buildings and districts retrofit that includes the users’ perspective. Three modules have been developed for thermal comfort, acoustic comfort and behavioural assessment. These modules are integrated into a Simulation and Design Hub that, after gathering data from on-site measurements, builds a simulation model of the district, calculates yearly results and exposes them to the design team through a dedicated District Information Model server and user interfaces. These modules perform deep investigations on the occupants’ sensation and behaviour, based on both measured and simulated datasets and provide comparisons of comfort performances, considering different retrofit scenarios and related uncertainties. In details, the thermal comfort module performs analysis according to both predictive and adaptive models, evaluates the variability around the design conditions together with sensitivity analysis that highlights which parameters are the most critical for the retrofit design. The acoustic module provides a complete tool to predict and assess the indoor acoustic comfort, taking into account the performance of building envelope and the impact of district noise. Finally, the behavioural module empowers the building energy simulation with co-simulation capabilities that reproduces the real occupants’ behaviours in relation to comfort conditions. The final goal of the framework is to support the decision-making process in selecting the optimal retrofit option that achieves the targeted energy efficiency without infringing the occupant’s expectation in terms of comfort and well-being
Investigation on window opening and closing behavior in schools through measurements and surveys: A case study in Budapest
Get PDFIn this study, a multidisciplinary approach has been adopted to observe and investigate window opening and closing behavior in two classrooms of a Hungarian school. Surveys and measurements have been used to identify environmental, contextual or habitual drivers of window use. For this purpose, 8-months long time-series datasets and qualitative teacher interviews were the tools used to investigate behavior. The two classrooms have identical boundary conditions; however, drivers for window adjustments were observed to be different. In one case, window use is primarily triggered by habits and time-dependent actions, whereas, in the second one, environmental parameters are the key drivers. In the latter case, stochastic behavioral models have been developed aiming at a future implementation in energy simulations. In the literature, few studies focused on analyzing these phenomena, resorting to interdisciplinary methods to reach a comprehensive understanding of occupants' behavior. Moreover, assessing behavior can lead to an optimization of the indoor environment, which is of primary importance in school buildings both in terms of energy use and pupils' health
Measuring Occupants’ Behaviour for Buildings’ Dynamic Cosimulation
Get PDFMeasuring and identifying human behaviours are key aspects to support the simulation processes that have a significant role in buildings’ (and cities’) design and management. In fact, layout assessments and control strategies are deeply influenced by the prediction of building performance. However, the missing inclusion of the human component within the building-related processes leads to large discrepancies between actual and simulated outcomes. This paper presents a methodology for measuring specific human behaviours in buildings and developing human-in-the-loop design applied to retrofit and renovation interventions. The framework concerns the detailed building monitoring and the development of stochastic and data-driven behavioural models and their coupling within energy simulation software using a cosimulation approach. The methodology has been applied to a real case study to illustrate its applicability. A one-year monitoring has been carried out through a dedicated sensor network for the data recording and to identify the triggers of users’ actions. Then, two stochastic behavioural models (i.e., one for predicting light switching and one for window opening) have been developed (using the measured data) and coupled within the IESVE simulation software. A simplified energy model of the case study has been created to test the behavioural approach. The outcomes highlight that the behavioural approach provides more accurate results than a standard one when compared to real profiles. The adoption of behavioural profiles leads to a reduction of the discrepancy with respect to real profiles up to 58% and 26% when simulating light switching and ventilation, respectively, in comparison to standard profiles. Using data-driven techniques to include the human component in the simulation processes would lead to better predictions both in terms of energy use and occupants’ comfort sensations. These aspects can be also included in building control processes (e.g., building management systems) to enhance the environmental and system management
Experimental study on occupants interaction with windows and lights in Mediterranean offices during the non-heating season
Get PDFThe modelling of human behaviour is an important challenge for the building sector, as the actions of users have significant impacts on both energy consumption and comfort assessment. In the search for a comprehensive
understanding of the behaviour of occupants, many researchers have directed their efforts towards determining typical patterns and developing models to predict human-building interactions. This study investigates the behaviour of building users during the summer season in offices in Mediterranean climate. Studies focusing on this area are still lacking, despite their importance for cooling loads. A survey is conducted using a dedicated sensor network to monitor environmental variables, and to determine the presence of people and their interactions with windows and lights in three offices. The driving factors for the actions of users are assessed and behavioural models are proposed. The results indicate that interactions with windows and lights are driven by both timerelated events and environmental factors, confirming previous findings. A comparison of the proposed models with others developed for different climate zones suggests that interactions with windows are affected by the geographic area, while light switching behaviour seems to be very similar for the different case studies. A simplified approach for the consideration of different user-device interactions is also proposed. This novel method, developed to evaluate the interactivity between users and building systems, is based on a coefficient of interactivity, CI. Both the behavioural models and the simplified approach could be introduced into future simulations to improve predictions of energy use in buildings
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