Development of a temperature control model used in HVAC systems in school spaces in Mediterranean climate

Abstract

In this paper a temperature control model used in heating, Ventilating and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems in school spaces, in Mediterranean climate, is developed. This empirical model considers the indoor preferred environmental temperature, the outdoor environmental temperature and the adaptation to the seasons of the year and to the spaces. In the development of the empirical model, in a school building located in the Algarve region, in the South of Portugal, occupied spaces by the non-teacher staff (administrative and auxiliary), teachers and students were used. In these spaces, equipped with heating, ventilating and air-conditioning systems, the occupants can change, during one year of school activities, the indoor environmental conditions in order to obtain acceptable comfort conditions. The indoor air temperature and relative humidity inside four spaces, namely an office room, a secretary room, a teachers room and a library room, the outdoor air temperature and other parameters related to the spaces and heating, ventilating and air-conditioning systems were measured every minute during one year. This empirical model, based in a group of equations for different months and for several spaces, gives information that can be used in the control of a heating, ventilating and air-conditioning systems, in school spaces, in Mediterranean climate, in order to promote indoor acceptable conditions with energy savings. In this model the adaptation to the outdoor environment, for different seasons, the clothing level and the fact that occupants enter and leave frequently from spaces equipped with heating, ventilating and air-conditioning systems to others not equipped are analyzed.