The use of renewable energy sources in buildings is more and more common (both for heating and cooling purposes, as well as electricity generation). The paper focuses on the thermal comfort tests in two buildings: the traditional one (that uses non-renewable sources of energy) and the modern intelligent building “Energis” of Kielce University of Technology. The thermal sensations of students in these two buildings have been compared based on the questionnaire survey and conclusions have been drawn regarding the differences between the feelings of thermal comfort in those two buildings. Apart from subjective feelings of the volunteers, the measurements of indoor air parameters were conducted in both buildings and have been presented in the paper.

Nowadays, we spend most of our time inside buildings. Thus, ensuring adequate thermal comfort is an important issue. The paper discusses the issue of thermal comfort assessment in the intelligent low energy building “Energis” of Kielce University of Technology (Poland). The tests conducted in a selected lecture theater focused on collecting anonymous questionnaires containing thermal sensation and air quality votes of the respondents as well as performing measurements of indoor air parameters (air and globe temperatures, relative humidity, air velocity and CO2 concentration). Based on the obtained data a comparison has been done between the actual sensation votes of the volunteers and the calculation results performed with the Fanger thermal comfort model. Two indices have been considered in the paper: PMV (Predicted Mean Vote) and PPD (Predicted Percentage Dissatisfied). A modification of the model has also been proposed, which considers the impact of the carbon dioxide concentration on thermal comfort.

The paper presents the issue of thermal comfort based on the conducted study. First, the definition and importance of thermal comfort was discussed. Then, air parameters were measured and surveys were conducted regarding questions about the assessment of thermal comfort of persons using the room. The list of the subject thermal comfort evaluation tests are illustrated in the diagrams. The impact of gender and BMI on the Predicted Mean Vote PMV were also analyzed. In the next part, results obtained from surveys and according to formulas from the standard were developed, and then compared.

The main aim of the research is to assess the light intensity and its impact on the productivity of research participants in educational buildings. The research was carried out in 18 rooms in teaching buildings in Poland and involved over two hundred volunteers. The tests were carried out with the following climate parameters: air temperature ranged from 20 to 25.1 °C, relative humidity from 18.16 to 50.9 %, and the concentration of carbon dioxide from 509 to 1634 ppm. The light intensity in the tested rooms ranged from 17.3 to 1095.1 lux. The parameters of the room temperature, carbon dioxide concentration, relative humidity and light intensity were recorded using a microclimate meter. The study participants were asked to answer questions about overall well-being, lighting quality, and productivity in each room. The results show that the air temperature has an effect on the productivity of the participants with the most preferable range of about 22 – 24 °C. It was also observed that productivity increased with improved well – being of the respondents. The analysed research also made it possible to check whether the users were satisfied with the light intensity. 74 % of respondents assessed that with the prevailing lighting, their productivity is normal, and they also felt best in rooms where the light intensity was 200 - 400 lux.

The article presents a comparison of thermal comfort in two educational buildings of the Kielce University of Technology, a traditional building and an intelligent building Energis (using solar energy to generate electricity for heating water and lighting the building). The results obtained from the questionnaires allowed the calculation of the Thermal Sensation Vote (TSV) and comparison with the Fanger model. The analysis consisted in comparing the thermal and air humidity ratings in both buildings. Graphs on thermal assessment, air humidity and thermal preferences were drawn up. On the basis of the obtained results, it can be concluded that the vast majority of the respondents did not feel well in the rooms they studied. The results obtained from the research may be useful for building managers to apply the appropriate thermal conditions.