Thermal comfort evaluation in a mechanically ventilated office building located in a continental climate

• Experimental Post-occupancy comfort assessment in mechanically ventilated office building.
• Long term and high-quality indoor–outdoor monitoring.
• Hall methodology application in thermal comfort assessment.
• Quantitative approach to pseudo-comfortable office rooms.

To quantify the thermal comfort achieved in an office building placed in Madrid and considering climatic variations, building designs, behaviour of inhabitants and the operation of the conditioning systems, two experimental campaigns have been carried out during the summer and the winter time. Depending on the season of the year different temperature profiles have been obtained as a consequence of meteorological variables and inhabitant concerns. Energy balance between indoors and outdoors indicate the thermal oscillation as well as the thermal deviation from the comfort bands. To analyze the daily evolution two typical days have been calculated by the Hall methodology. The quantification of thermal sensation of the occupants has been calculated by the PMV/PPD methodology. This evaluation shows low percentages of people dissatisfied with the indoor environments and low energy demands achieved inside the offices.