Balancing Thermal Comfort and Energy Efficiency through Envelope Performance and HVAC Control
Thermal comfort is a fundamental component of indoor environmental quality, directly affecting occupant health, productivity, and overall building performance. In office environments, achieving comfort while minimizing energy use remains a persistent challenge. Conventional HVAC systems typically rely on dry-bulb temperature (DBT) control; however, this simplified approach often overlooks radiant temperature effects, leading to spatial discomfort and inefficiencies. Limitations of Dry-Bulb Temperature–Based Control DBT-based HVAC control assumes uniform thermal conditions within indoor spaces, neglecting the influence of surrounding surface temperatures. In practice, variations in wall, window, and façade temperatures—especially near building perimeters—create uneven radiant conditions. These discrepancies can result in localized discomfort for occupants, even when DBT setpoints are technically met. Influence of Building Envelope Performance on Comfort Field measurements conducted...