Achieving Thermal Comfort by using Ceiling Fans in A Naturally Cooled Office Building in Hot And Humid Climate of India

Ceiling fans recirculate air within a space and affects the comfort of the occupant. It is widely used in India. It reduces the perceived temperatures by assisting cooling by evaporation through skin. Many mathematical models and studies are available which show the variation of comfort temperatures subsequent calculation of discomfort hours with varying ceiling fan air speed.Studies have also shown deviations of local comfort surveys with the PMV/PPD and ASHRAE adaptive standards in predicting human comfort. In addition, these comfort indices are not tailored to address Indian climatic context and culture. Therefore referring to the BIS code SP41: 1987 we have used a new methodology to calculate the indoor space condition and indoor discomfort hours of an actual office building in a hot and humid climate in India using variable speed ceiling fans. The new method includes modelling of the building’s ventilation system in Energy Plus and the subsequently calculates the discomfort hours based on the comfort criteria of SP41: 1987 for naturally ventilated buildings.The study concludes by assessing the performances and results achieved in thermal comfort and energy consumption by the building design and spelling out the operation protocol of the building vis-à-vis ventilation and cooling.