Simulation of energy use, human thermal comfort and office work performance in buildings with moderately drifting operative temperatures

Annual primary energy use in a central module of an office building consisting of two offices separated with a corridor was estimated by means of dynamic computer simulations. The simulations were conducted for conventional all-air VAV ventilation system and thermo active building system (TABS) supplemented with CAV ventilation. Simulations comprised moderate, hot–dry and hot–humid climate. Heavy and light wall construction and two orientations of the building (east–west and north–south) were considered. Besides the energy use, also capability of examined systems to keep a certain level of thermal comfort was examined. The results showed that with the moderate climate, the TABS decreased the primary energy use by about 16% as compared with the VAV. With hot–humid climate, the portion of the primary energy saved by TABS was ca. 50% even with the supply air dehumidification taken into account. The TABS working in a moderate climate kept the predicted percentage of dissatisfied (PPD) <10% during 60–80% of the working hours per year. Optimization of the TABS's control strategy (circulation pump dead-band, water supply temperature) resulted in significant reduction of the annual working hours with PPD > 10%; 1.4% in comparison to 17.5% h/yr. The highest estimated loss of occupants’ productivity related to their thermal sensation hasn’t exceeded 1% in whole year average.

► Thermo active building system (TABS) decreased the primary energy use by ca. 50%.
► With the TABS system, operative temperature drifts ranged from 0.3 K/h to 0.5 K/h.
► Light building construction was associated with higher prevalence of discomfort.
► Optimization of TABS's control seems necessary to meet thermal comfort requirements.