Summary

This course provides an integrated approach to analyzing human indoor thermal comfort by examining the correlation between human thermoregulation, heat exchange with the indoor environment, overall and local thermal sensation of occupants.

Content

Keywords

Human thermal comfort, ergonomics of indoor thermal environment, indoor climatization, heat transfer, energy

Learning Prerequisites

Required courses

• Heat and mass transfer (ME-341)

Recommended courses

• General physics: thermodynamics (PHYS-106)
• Building physics (PHYS-118)
• Thermodynamics and energetics (ME-251)
• Comfort and architecture: sustainable strategies (AR-442)
• Urban thermodymanics (CIVIL-309)
• Building energetics (ENG-445)

Important concepts to start the course

Heat transfer, human comfort, indoor thermal environment, heating/cooling needs of buildings

Learning Outcomes

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

• Characterize local thermal environment and comfort
• Assess / Evaluate energy to provide thermal comfort to people
• 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
• Perform data analysis and presentation

Transversal skills

• Write a scientific or technical report.
• Make an oral presentation.
• Plan and carry out activities in a way which makes optimal use of available time and other resources.
• Demonstrate the capacity for critical thinking

Teaching methods

• Lectures on theoretical introduction to the topics of heating and cooling in buildings, human energy balance, thermal comfort, and transient performance of the buildings.

• Practical activities at the EPFL-Fribourg campus, in facilities of the Laboratory of Integrated Comfort Engineering and Smart Living Lab, to enrich understanding on dynamic indoor environment and the associated energy expense to maintain comfortable conditions.

Expected student activities

• Attend lectures and laboratory activities
• Work in groups on practical activities, analysis of data, reporting, and presentation

Assessment methods

• Presentation and report on lab work #1: 30%
• Presentation and report on lab work #2: 50%
• Quiz on the course material: 20%

Supervision

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 (Third Edition), CRC Press, 2022
• Y. A. Çengel; A. J. Ghajar, Heat and Mass Transfer: Fundamentals and Applications, McGraw Hill Education, 5th edition.
• M. Moran, H. N. Shapiro, D. D. Boettner, M.B. Bailey, Fundamentals of Engineering Thermodynamcis, John Wiley & Sons, 7th edition.

Ressources en bibliothèque

• P. O. Fanger, Thermal Comfort, Danish Technical Press, 1970
• M. Moran, H. N. Shapiro, D. D. Boettner, M.B. Bailey, Fundamentals of Engineering Thermodynamcis, John Wiley & Sons, 7th edition.
• Y. A. Çengel; A. J. Ghajar, Heat and Mass Transfer: Fundamentals and Applications, McGraw Hill Education, 5th edition.
• ASHRAE Handbook

Prerequisite for