Thermal environment in simulated offices with convective and radiant cooling systems under cooling (summer) mode of operation

Thermal comfort in buildings using radiant vs. all-air systems: A critical literature review

“…These studies used multiple methods to demonstrate their findings and, in addition, several types of all-air and radiant systems were tested. The two systems performed similarly when compared based on building energy simulation [56], laboratory studies [65], [70] and human subject testing in laboratory conditions [77], [76]. Radiant cooling ceiling panels showed better results than all-air systems based on laboratory studies [66] and occupant responses in a building [48].…”

“…One study using physical measurements in laboratory conditions showed that a chilled ceiling with DV offers improved comfort compared to DV only [66]. Using the same method, [65], [70] did not find increased comfort for either radiant and convective systems. Rigorous laboratory studies from Schellen et al [76], [77] did not prove preferences for either of the two systems.…”

“…Although this study shows an advantage for the radiant system variant, we decided not to include this study within our final count because it refers to a combination with a very specific air systems and because the metric used for the analysis (PDdraft) may overestimate discomfort. Mustakallio et al [70] studied thermal comfort conditions of a 17.3 m 2 room (modelled as a 2-person office and as a 6-person meeting room) including thermal manikins, two types of internal loads (medium and high) and a façade with a window. Four cooling variants were tested: (1) radiant panels with mixing ventilation using two linear diffusers located right below the radiant ceiling; (2) radiant panels with chilled beams using suspended radiant panels centred above the desk area, (3) chilled beam, and (4) mixing ventilation with desk-integrated cooling radiators.…”

“…Variant 2 remains radiant and therefore we decided to keep this study for our final assessment. From all studies based on physical measurements in laboratory settings we thus retain two lab testing of multiple systems in heating mode that showed comfortable conditions for both all-air and radiant systems [65], [70] and one experiment of a DV system combined with a radiant chilled ceiling making a positive case in favour of radiant systems [66]. We include further laboratory studies based on both physical and human subject testing in section 4.3.1.…”

Human response to the thermal indoor environment created by a radiant, and a combined radiant and convective cooling system

“…Mainly due to this increasing interest and increasing use, several recent studies compared the thermal indoor environment created by radiant and convective systems by climate chamber studies [3], [4], [5] and by field studies [6], [7]. A recent literature review [8] focused on the thermal comfort resulting from radiant and all-air systems and concluded that there was a need for further studies to be able to provide a definitive conclusion on which system provides a more satisfactory thermal indoor environment.…”