Developing the adaptive model of thermal comfort for offices in the GCC region

Abstract

Escalating building energy expenditure encourages rethinking on thermal comfort delivery in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, in warm desert climate. The GCC states do not have an adaptive comfort standard, or its precursor long term field surveys. Therefore, we carried out thermal comfort field studies in Qatar for thirteen months. In ten typical air-conditioned office buildings, 1174 voluntary subjects completed 3742 questionnaires, while their thermal environments were simultaneously being measured. We found the mean Griffiths comfort temperature to be 24.0 °C. It varied with indoor temperature and seasons. Indoor Griffiths comfort temperature adaptively related with the outdoor temperature. This relationship can be used in buildings of similar nature in the GCC region. The subjects mostly felt cooler sensations. Thermal acceptance was high (82.7 %). The offices had low indoor air movement (median air speed 0.02 m/s), while 80% recorded less than 0.05 m/s. This is below the average air speed of 0.28 m/s, American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-conditioning Engineers permitted. Increased air movement can effectually facilitate an elevated thermal regime, more in sync with outdoor conditions. Adopting variable comfort standards may be advantageous to achieve the building sustainability goals of the GCC nations.