Thermodynamics of comfort in buildings

CIVIL-450 / 3 credits

Teacher: Khovalyg Dolaana

Language: English

Withdrawal: It is not allowed to withdraw from this subject after the registration deadline.

Summary

This course provides an integrated approach to analyzing human thermal comfort and heat exchange by examining the correlation between thermodynamic processes in buildings, human thermoregulation, and the local thermal sensation of occupants.

Content

  • Overview of the heat exchange between humans and the environment
  • Definition of thermal comfort, its fundamentals, and objective characterization
  • Building-environment interaction, exergy analysis
  • Integrated analysis of the thermal environemnt and thermal sensation via lab measurements

Keywords

Human thermal comfort, heat transfer, energy and exergy analysis, indoor climate control

Learning Prerequisites

Recommended courses

  • General physics: thermodynamics (PHYS-106)
  • Building physics (PHYS-118)
  • Thermodynamics and energetics (ME-251)

Important concepts to start the course

Background knowledge in heat transfer

Learning Outcomes

By the end of the course, the student must be able to:

  • Characterize local thermal environment and comfort
  • Carry out measurements of indoor comfort and energy performance using diagnostic instrumentation
  • Take into consideration the effect of various modes of heat transfer on human body

Transversal skills

  • Communicate effectively, being understood, including across different languages and cultures.

Teaching methods

Lectures, laboratory sessions, and group work. Two labs are organized in March and May.

Expected student activities

Laboratory measurements at EPFL-Fribourg combined with group work.

Assessment methods

Two lab reports and presentations

Supervision

Office hours No
Assistants Yes
Forum No

Resources

Virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI)

No

Bibliography

  • Lecture notes (primary source)
  • P. O. Fanger, Thermal Comfort, Danish Technical Press, 1970
  • K. Parsons, Human thermal environments : the effects of hot, moderate, and cold environments on human health, comfort, and performance;
  • Y. A. Çengel, A. J. Ghajar, Heat and Mass Transfer: Fundamentals and Applications, McGraw Hill Education, 5th edition

Ressources en bibliothèque

Moodle Link

Prerequisite for

Master projects

In the programs

  • Semester: Spring
  • Exam form: During the semester (summer session)
  • Subject examined: Thermodynamics of comfort in buildings
  • Courses: 1 Hour(s) per week x 14 weeks
  • TP: 1 Hour(s) per week x 14 weeks
  • Lab: 1 Hour(s) per week x 14 weeks
  • Type: optional
  • Semester: Spring
  • Exam form: During the semester (summer session)
  • Subject examined: Thermodynamics of comfort in buildings
  • Courses: 1 Hour(s) per week x 14 weeks
  • TP: 1 Hour(s) per week x 14 weeks
  • Lab: 1 Hour(s) per week x 14 weeks
  • Type: optional
  • Semester: Spring
  • Exam form: During the semester (summer session)
  • Subject examined: Thermodynamics of comfort in buildings
  • Courses: 1 Hour(s) per week x 14 weeks
  • TP: 1 Hour(s) per week x 14 weeks
  • Lab: 1 Hour(s) per week x 14 weeks
  • Type: optional
  • Semester: Spring
  • Exam form: During the semester (summer session)
  • Subject examined: Thermodynamics of comfort in buildings
  • Courses: 1 Hour(s) per week x 14 weeks
  • TP: 1 Hour(s) per week x 14 weeks
  • Lab: 1 Hour(s) per week x 14 weeks
  • Type: optional
  • Semester: Spring
  • Exam form: During the semester (summer session)
  • Subject examined: Thermodynamics of comfort in buildings
  • Courses: 1 Hour(s) per week x 14 weeks
  • TP: 1 Hour(s) per week x 14 weeks
  • Lab: 1 Hour(s) per week x 14 weeks
  • Type: optional
  • Semester: Spring
  • Exam form: During the semester (summer session)
  • Subject examined: Thermodynamics of comfort in buildings
  • Courses: 1 Hour(s) per week x 14 weeks
  • TP: 1 Hour(s) per week x 14 weeks
  • Lab: 1 Hour(s) per week x 14 weeks
  • Type: optional

Reference week

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