Conference Agenda

In 1930’s modern architects in Israel discussed the influence of local climate on the building design. The climatic adaptation of these buildings was based merely on the Architecture itself. Environmental aspects, such as natural ventilation and shading, were a significant part in the architectural discourse and practice. The solutions provided sometimes were based on research and sometimes on common sense. Despite the efforts, these solutions have been never properly evaluated to confirm if they are indeed performing as expected. Lack of strict testing has been due to the absence of methods and tools to carry out these tests, especially spatial tools. However, today we can assess the thermal performance of the building by using novel computer models, and presenting the results on the space itself through spatial maps. This study will focus on the climatic performance of residential buildings in the 1930’s, which were built in Tel-Aviv in the International style. It will examine these buildings in terms of their ability to achieve thermal comfort. It will also question the intentions of the architects and the effectiveness of their architectural solutions in order to maintain comfortable conditions in the buildings.

This paper discusses occupants’ comfort, summertime overheating and heat stress in multi-family Colonial Revival style timber-frame buildings in Hartford region of Connecticut, United States. The study considered thermal comfort survey of occupants using questionnaire and on-site measurements of parameters as the methodology. The Wet-Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) and the Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI) heat indices are also calculated using the variables measured during the survey. Across the buildings, the results show a mean temperature of 25.3°C, a mean RH of 61.2%, and an average dew-point of 17.2°C. The occupants feel warm as over 67% responses are on the warm part of the sensation scale while 74% prefer to be much cooler and 83% of the revealed the occupants are thermally satisfied with the thermal environment. The study reveals the occupants are prone to summertime overheating. Applying the WBGT and the UTCI mathematical models, the study recommends the WBGT of 21.7°C and the UTCI of 25.8°C as possible heat stress thresholds. Also, the study found out the basement areas provide the most comfortable thermal environment for the occupants. The results show a higher heat stress index is reported in this study than the existing research on heat stress in buildings.

This paper aims to discuss about the thermal performance during the winter season of the recent production of open plan micro-apartments in São Paulo. The field research was conducted during 20 days, in the cold weather period, and consisted in the measurement and analysis of five units that are representatives of this dwelling typology.

Using numerical analysis, I investigated the human body exergy balance under an unsteady-state thermal environment surrounding the human body in the course of individuals moving indoors after having been outside for a while in summer. The mechanisms of thermal physiological adaptation such as sweat secretion were clarified from the exergetic perspective to some extent. Human body exergy consumption rate in the conditions that indoor absolute humidity is equal to outdoor is smaller than that in the conditions in which indoor absolute humidity is lower than outdoors. It suggests that extracting indoor moisture by ventilation is preferred compared to the dehumidification.