Determination of Optimum Window to External Wall Ratio for Offices in a Hot and Humid Climate

• Main Author: Halil Alibaba
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2016-02-01
• Series: Sustainability
• Subjects: PMV-PPD; ISO; ASHRAE; EDSL Tas; low energy design; sustainable buildings; thermal comfort; hot-humid climate
• Online Access: http://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/8/2/187

Heat loss and gain through windows has a very high impact on the thermal comfort of offices. This paper analyzes a standard low energy consumption university office that has a standard envelope. Dynamic thermal simulations with EDSL Tas software, a predicted mean vote (PMV), and a predicted percentage of dissatisfied (PPD) with all local discomfort as stated in ASHRAE, ISO 7730: 2005, EN 15251: 2007 were used for thermal sensation, in order to optimize the best window to external wall proportion in a hot and humid climate that exists in the Famagusta case study. A simulated office building is oriented east to west in order to take advantage of the wind direction. In May 45% (PPD < 6%–0.7% open window), 93% (PPD < 10–0.2 open window), and 97% (PPD < 15%–0.1% open window) thermal comfort scores are obtained when the window to external wall ratio (WWR) is 10%. In October 43% (PPD < 6%–0.7% open window), 86% (PPD < 10–0.2 open window), and 92% (PPD < 15%–0.1% open window) thermal comfort scores are obtained when the WWR is 10%. In September 49% (PPD < 10% full open window) and 51% (PPD < 15%–0.1% open window) thermal comfort scores are obtained when the WWR is 10%.