The Impact of Occupant Window Operation on Indoor Temperature and Air Quality During the Cooling Season

Abstract

The increase in carbon emissions has contributed to rising global temperatures, necessitating higher energy consumption in buildings to maintain thermal comfort during the summer months. The building envelope, as the protective layer of a building, plays a critical role in maintaining indoor comfort and dictating building energy use. However, when assessing the performance of the building envelope, occupant interaction is poorly considered. This study investigates the impact of occupant façade interaction when evaluating alternative façade solutions for thermal comfort in summer season. Occupant behaviour models, specifically window operation models, are identified and implemented to assess their impact on indoor comfort and air quality. This is done by first identifying façade archetypes and generating scenarios with selected occupant behavior models. The results revealed that occupant interaction with windows significantly impact internal air temperatures and thermal comfort, while alternative façade solutions have a relatively lower impact. Largest ventilation areas were associated with lower air temperatures. Consequently, the number of discomfort hours are also lower in scenarios with occupant interaction compared to without. The impact of the façade ventilation area, window-to-wall ratio and thermal mass was more relevant in the scenarios where windows were always closed. The findings of this study can serve as a foundation for the development of strategies that promote occupant interaction with the façade which can lead to reduced building energy demand.