Abstract
This paper presents findings from extensive field surveys in three airport terminal buildings in the UK, where the indoor environmental conditions were seasonally monitored and simultaneous structured interviews were conducted with 3087 terminal users. Moving beyond the recent work which brought to light the significantly differentiated requirements for thermal comfort between passengers and staff, this paper expands on the investigation of thermal and lighting comfort needs for the entire spectrum of terminal users under the scope of energy conservation. The results demonstrate the influence of the thermal environment on overall comfort and reveal consistent discrepancies, up to 2.1 °C, between preferred and experienced thermal conditions. Outdoor temperature dictated the clothing levels worn indoors, where the preferred thermal state was other than neutral. Terminal users demonstrated high levels of thermal tolerance and wide acceptability temperature ranges, averaging 6.1 °C in summer and 6.7 °C in winter, which allow for heating energy savings through the fine-tuning of indoor temperature set-points. Lighting comprises an additional field for energy savings through the maximisation of natural light. Bright rather than dim conditions were preferred and a preference for more natural light was evident even in cases where this was deemed to be sufficient, while the preference for more daylight was found to be time-dependent suggesting a link with the human circadian rhythm. The findings from this study can inform strategies aimed at reducing energy use in airport terminals without compromising comfort conditions as well as the design and refurbishment of new and existing terminals respectively.
Highlights
Airport terminals are characterised by open and large spaces with non-uniform heat gains and often with extensive glazing areas aimed at providing natural light and aesthetically attractive facilities
3.4 Evaluation of thermal comfort conditions 3.4.1 Thermal sensation and preference Correlation analysis indicated that TS and thermal preference (TP) correlates better with operative temperature than with any other of the physical variables, with the associated Pearson coefficients (r) in the range of 0.2-0.4 (p
The results showed that 59% of the interviewees in London City Airport (LCY), 67% in Manchester Terminal 1 (MAN T1) and 63% in Manchester Terminal 2 (MAN T2) who were satisfied with the thermal conditions in winter were at a thermal state other than neutral (Fig. 4)
Summary
Airport terminals are characterised by open and large spaces with non-uniform heat gains and often with extensive glazing areas aimed at providing natural light and aesthetically attractive facilities. While HVAC systems are most often among the highest energy end use together with lighting, outdoor temperature and daylighting are the main external influencers of energy demand patterns [2]. Reduction of the energy used for the regulation of the indoor thermal environment can be accomplished and maximised alongside other energy efficiency strategies through the optimisation of environmental controls, including adjustments of the indoor climatic set-points and of the respective heating and cooling dead bands in accordance to the outdoor weather conditions. The adoption of a broader range of indoor temperatures would yield less energy for heating, cooling and ventilation, but requires awareness and understanding of occupant comfort requirements to avoid jeopardising comfort
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