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In this paper, a review is made of the adaptive thermal comfort model. This is then applied and compared with the performance of the conventional thermal comfort model for a school located in a Mediterranean weather environment. Measurement data, combined with a building thermal response numerical model, are used to define the comfort performance under ambient natural ventilation and passive conditions for various classrooms. These results can then be used to identify the locations that require further measures to improve comfort, such as extra passive heat load and shading measures. The school design is based on that of an actual school and consists of three buildings, with 94 rooms. Envelope construction consists of opaque panels, 307 glazed window units and concrete floors and ceilings.
The adaptive method uses external and internal environmental variables. Input data include occupation pattern and ventilation strategies. External environmental variables include air temperature, relative humidity, wind velocity and wind direction. Internal parameters include occupancy cycle, occupant activity level, clothing level, airflow rate and flow velocity. Indoor ventilation conditions are based on the airflow rate and the air velocity values measured in real classrooms.
Environmental thermal comfort conditions were evaluated, in all occupied spaces, using the PMV index method of the Fanger model corrected with the adaptive model.