Evaluation of thermal comfort in a historic building refurbished to an office building with modernized HVAC systems

• Published in: Advances in building energy research Vol. 14; no. 2; pp. 218 - 237
• Main Authors: Bakhtiari, H., Akander, J., Cehlin, M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Taylor & Francis 02.04.2020; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: Air conditioning; Building management systems; Buildings; Control equipment; Data logging; District heating; Electronic devices; Energy demand; Environmental quality; Exhaust systems; Heat exchangers; Heat pumps; Heat recovery; historic building; Historic buildings; Historic buildings & sites; Historic sites; Historical buildings; HVAC; HVAC equipment; Hållbar stadsutveckling; Indoor environmental quality; Indoor environments; Modernization; Office buildings; on-site measurements; Radiators; Room temperature; standardized questionnaire; Summer; Sustainable Urban Development; Thermal comfort; Ventilation
• ISSN: 1751-2549; 1756-2201; 1756-2201
• DOI: 10.1080/17512549.2019.1604428

Envelopes with low thermal performance are common characteristics in European historic buildings, causing higher energy demand and insufficient thermal comfort. This paper presents the results of a study on indoor environmental quality (IEQ), with special focus on thermal comfort, in the historic City Hall of Gävle, Sweden, now used as an office building. There are two modern heat recovery ventilation systems with displacement ventilation supply devices. The district heating network heats the building via pre-heat supply air and radiators. Summer cooling comes from electric heat pump ejecting heat into the exhaust ventilation air. A building management system (BMS) controls the heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) equipment. The methodology included on-site measurements, BMS data logging and evaluating the occupants' perception of a summer and a winter period indoor environment using a standardized questionnaire. In conclusion, indoor environmental quality in this historic building is unsatisfactory. Stuffy air, too high, too low and varying room temperatures, lighting problems and noise are constant issues. Although it is equipped with modern ventilation systems, there are still possibilities for improving thermal comfort by improved control strategies, since upgrading the building's envelope is not allowed according to the Swedish Building Regulations in historic buildings with heritage value.