An assessment of the thermal conditions and users' thermal adaptability in air-conditioned offices in a hot climate region
Fatema Al-Akhzami, Hanan Al-Khatri*, Saleh Al-Saadi, Chaham Alalouch
Sultan Qaboos University, Seeb, Oman
DOI: 10.62744/CATE.45273.1203-561-569
Email: khatri@squ.edu.om
Abstract:
Indoor thermal condition is a global concern that plays a major role in the wellness, comfort, and satisfaction of office workers. The thermal environment was evaluated in an office building in a hot region using subjective and objective measurements. Considering the former, a questionnaire was distributed to the employees to assess their thermal perceptions. Specialized instruments were used for the objective measurements to monitor thermal parameters following the guidelines of ASHRAE-55 and ISO-7730. A total of 220 employees took part in the survey, and 207 valid questionnaires were included in the analysis. According to the subjective assessment, the thermal votes of the employees were between (cold) to (slightly warm), and the majority were thermally comfortable and accepted the environment. This implies that a temperature of 22.8 ± 1.2 C appears to be a comfortable range. Using the Griffiths method, the comfort temperature (Tc) was calculated as 23.5 ± 1.9 C. Additionally, the employees ranked 11 indoor factors that influence their work productivity. Noise conditions were ranked as the most important factor. The results of the reported study provide a base for further research and useful information
on the comfort temperature of office buildings in hot regions.
Keywords: Thermal Adaptive Model, Hot Climate, Comfort Temperature, Office Buildings