Adaptive Thermal Comfort Potential in Mediterranean Office Buildings: A Case Study of Torre Sevilla

Abstract

The design and construction of buildings is currently subject to a growing set of requirements concerning sustainability and energy efficiency. This paper shows a case study of the Torre Sevilla skyscraper, located in the city of Seville (in the south of Spain), which has high-tech energy-efficient features and which uses air-conditioning systems during most of its operating hours. The analysis carried out starts from a simulation in which occupants’ thermal comfort are obtained, based on the adaptive comfort model defined in the standard EN 15251:2007. With this approach, it is possible to determine the number of hours during operation in which the building has adequate comfort conditions only with the help of the envelope and natural ventilation. Consequently, the remaining useful hours require the use of air-conditioning systems. The results show that it is possible to improve the thermal performance of the building due to its location in the Mediterranean climate. To do this, advanced mixed mode (through manual-opening or mechanically-controlled opening windows) and active air-conditioning are suggested. This experimental proposal provides a reduction of the occupation hours which require the use of air-conditioning equipment by 28.57%, reducing the air-conditioning demand and, consequently, the energy consumption of the building.

Evaluation of Mixed-Mode Ventilation Thermal Performance and Energy Saving Potential from Retrofitting a Beijing Office Building

“…In many previous studies [23,24,[37][38][39], the PMV model and adaptive model as described in CIBSE Guide [40], EN 15251 [41], and ASHRAE Standard55 [31] were compared…”

Influence of the Advancement in the LED Lighting Technologies on the Optimum Windows-to-Wall Ratio of Jordanians Residential Buildings

“…Research performed in southern Spain adopted a case-study approach, by concentrating on an energy-efficient, high-tech skyscraper that produced savings in terms of occupation hours, which reduced the use of air-conditioning by 28% and also significantly decreased the overall amount of energy consumed [16]. Research on how the adaptive thermal-comfort module on the amount of energy consumed by buildings was performed on a standard residential structure situated on the University of Newcastle campus, located in Australia, determined that the use of an adaptive strategy could generate considerable savings, related to cooling and heating energy, of up to 70% in temperate climate zones [17][18][19][20][21].…”

Window Design of Naturally Ventilated Offices in the Mediterranean Climate in Terms of CO2 and Thermal Comfort Performance

“…Other researchers [50] confirm that regional adaptive comfort indicators showed more reliable results than the ASHRAE adaptive model for school buildings in the Mediterranean climate. A similar study in the same country [51] applied adaptive thermal comfort in Mediterranean office buildings. They found that natural ventilation through window openings (manual or mechanical) provided up to 30% more occupancy hours that are comfortable based on the EN 15251:2007 standard, and with window-material improvements, that percentage could be raised to more than 50%.…”