Comfort Of Building Users Research Articles

Implications of properties and quality of indoor sensor data for building machine learning applications: Two case studies in smart campuses

Sensor devices are becoming omnipresent, supplying data to a wide range of applications. In the building sector, sensors along with other information sources provide the basis for smart building functionalities. Predicting energy loads and inferring occupancy status of spaces are important tasks that promote energy efficiency and user comfort in buildings. For them, as for many other smart building applications, machine learning modelling utilizing sensor data is commonly applied. This article builds understanding of the environment where this kind of machine learning models have to operate by bringing up properties and quality aspects of the public building data provided by indoor sensor devices. This is done by performing a thorough case study on two real life data sets from university campus buildings located in different climates and applying very different sensor network settings. Outcomes include information about heterogeneity, correlations and temporal patterns present in sensor data, and show the need of the building field for better acknowledging the quality deficiencies that sensor data have. Our results aid in assessing and improving the quality of sensor-based indoor data utilized in machine learning modelling, in evaluating whether a data set is representative enough to build a model that is robust under changing conditions in the building, and in choosing an appropriate number of sensors per space when building an indoor wireless sensor network.

On the use of thermal inertia in building stock to leverage decentralised demand side frequency regulation services

Most governments are applying financial instruments and other polices to encourage distributed renewable electricity generation (DREG). DREG is less predictable and more volatile than traditional forms of energy generation. Closure of larger fossil-fuelled power plants and rising share of DREG is reducing system inertia on energy networks such that new methods of demand response are required. Usually participation in non-dynamic frequency response is reactive, affecting the duty cycle of thermostatically controlled loads. However, this can adversely affect building thermal efficiency. The research presented takes a proactive approach to demand response employing heat transfer dynamics. Here, thermal dynamics exhibit a significantly larger inertia than electrical power consumption. Thus, short-term fluctuations in energy use should have less effect on temperature regulation and user comfort in buildings than existing balancing services. A prototype frequency sensor and control unit for proactive demand response in building stock is developed. The paper reports on hardware-in-the-loop simulations, testing real thermal loads within a simulated power network. The instrumented approach adopted enables accurate real-time electrical frequency measurement, while the control method offers effective demand response, which suggest the feasibility of using decentralised frequency control regulation as a novel approach to existing demand response mechanisms.

Index Analysis Model to Enhance User Comfort in Energy Efficient Buildings

This paper presents the research proposal initiated based on needs of high developing country like Malaysia in energy efficiency studies. The research proposal developed based on a “current” research gap to enhance design related building user comfort criteria towards efficient energy used. Research aims to develop index analysis model to enhance consideration of user comfort towards efficient energy use. The relevant objective and methodology of research in four (4) phases is presented. Firstly, it is to investigate building design attributes related to user comfort in sample size of office buildings. Secondly, it is to capture architectural design related “Energy Efficient” attributes using the same sample size of energy efficient consultants within conducting quantitative interviews. Thirdly, it is to evaluate interrelation of EE attributes versus user comfort attributes with in professional group discussion. Finally, it is to develop index analysis model in consideration of user comfort towards efficient energy used. Accordingly, each objective comply novel findings. In conclusion this paper brief proposed research steps to aims to develop index analysis model to enhance consideration of user comfort towards efficient energy use.

Sustainable workplaces and building user comfort and satisfaction

PurposeThis paper aims to examine the role of sustainable buildings in providing healthy workplaces in physical and perceptual terms.Design/methodology/approachThe paper takes the form of a literature review, considering the history of sustainable development in the built environment and its rationale, then widening the scope to consider sustainable, healthy and productive workplaces.FindingsSustainable construction has focused on environmental sustainability but this may have contributed to improved health, satisfaction and wellbeing amongst building users. Sick building syndrome and poor indoor air are contributory factors to ill health and reduced productivity but this paper suggests that sustainable building practices will reduce these effects, improving the quality of buildings for their occupants.Practical implicationsThis paper argues that building performance measures need to take account of people factors such as employee perceptions and also that the design of workplaces should be regarded as a strategy for productivity enhancement. Management issues should be considered in the design of workplaces. The paper concludes that further research is required into the role of sustainable construction in providing healthy buildings.Originality/valueThe paper makes practical suggestions for corporate real estate and facilities management teams as well as those involved in the design of the buildings. Additionally, it opens suggested avenues for further academic research.