A study of modifications to the geometry of an interior envelope and the effect on mean radiant temperature and occupant thermal comfort

Abstract

As designers of the built environment, we are challenged to understand the potential to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of these systems through architectural solutions. As the primary goal of thermal regulation in the built environment is to provide comfort to the human occupants of the space, a detailed understanding of the variables that affect this comfort is an important foundation on which to stand. This thesis selects the variable of Mean Radiant Temperature (MRT) as a tool through which to design a thermally active interior envelope. The effects of variations in angle and temperature on the MRT for the specific location of the occupant as well as the distribution of MRT values for a matrix of points within a small scale room are investigated. A novel approach to an interior envelope condition is proposed as a means of dynamically distributing heat to the human body through the configuration of a thermally active paneled surface with the intention of re-inventing the visual and thermo-spatial effects of the hearth in architectural design. The potential to layer the effects of the geometric study with ambient energy flow capture and redistribution as well as thermal storage through material performance is proposed as future work. Additionally, the potential to expand the geometric studies to include variable surface area formations that could begin to engage in a more complex relationship between view factor and heat reflections is proposed for further inquiry.

Thermal conditioning of the interior spaces of our buildings is a key factor in human comfort and health. In order to maintain these standards of comfort, we rely on the consumption of various forms of energy to heat, cool and ventilate. These control systems in the modern built environment account for over fifty percent of primary energy consumption in the US building sector and have been dominated by systems that rely on burning fossil fuels to heat and cool exterior air to manage interior air temperatures. Not only do these systems of heating and cooling rely on a finite resource high in carbon emissions as primary energy, they are also reliant on air as an effective medium for conveying heat to and from the human body while physiology shows the majority of heat transfer with the human body occurs through radiation.