Thermal environments in an atrium space as an institution for the elderly in a winter city.

This paper presents a method for the dynamic numerical analysis in calculating the thermal environment in the atrium space of an institution for the elderly. The analysis is carried out and using BASIC. In Kushiro, it is very foggy, cool and highly humid in Summer. On the other hand, it has little snow with clear skies while still being cold in Winter. In Winter, the atrium space is heated by satisfactory solar radiation in the daytime, so outdoor air flowing into the atrium space is warmed . Usually, Wards are directly ventilated by cool outdoor air, but when taking in the fresh outdoor air warmed through the atrium space, we can decrease heating load. When the room air temperature in the atrium space decreases to under 10 degrees Celsius, it is difficult to use the atrium space for a rehabilitation or as a lounge space. In this situation, the floor is heated by the remnant heat from neighboring buildings. By this pre-heating system through the atrium space, the decrease of total beating load is 30%. Even if the roof-top openings are opened in Summer and the atrium space is ventilated, humidity in the atrium space will decrease because of the solar radiation through glazed roofs. Then it is possible to cool by exhausting warm air at the ceiling level. In addition to the buoyant convection, the floor is cooled by using cool well water the same temperature as the dew point temperature of the room air. The temperature decrease in an occupied space is 10 degrees.