Adaptive Comfort Models Applied to Existing Dwellings in Mediterranean Climate Considering Global Warming

Daniel Sánchez-García, Carlos Rubio-Bellido, Jesús A. Pulido-Arcas, Fco. Javier Guevara-García and Jacinto Canivell
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Daniel Sánchez-García: Department of Building Construction II, University of Seville, 41012 Seville, Spain
Carlos Rubio-Bellido: Department of Building Construction II, University of Seville, 41012 Seville, Spain
Jesús A. Pulido-Arcas: Department of Building Science, University of Bio-Bio, Concepción 4030000, Chile
Fco. Javier Guevara-García: Department of Building Construction II, University of Seville, 41012 Seville, Spain
Jacinto Canivell: Department of Building Construction II, University of Seville, 41012 Seville, Spain

Sustainability, 2018, vol. 10, issue 10, 1-21

Abstract: Comfort analysis of existing naturally ventilated buildings located in mild climates, such as the ones in the Mediterranean zones, offer room for a reduction in the present and future energy consumption. Regarding Spain, most of the present building stock was built before energy standards were mandatory, let alone considerations about global warming or adaptive comfort. In this context, this research aims at assessing adaptive thermal comfort of inhabitants of extant apartments building in the South of Spain per EN 15251:2007 and ASHRAE 55-2013. The case study is statistically representative housing built in 1973. On-site monitoring of comfort conditions and computer simulations for present conditions have been carried out, clarifying the degree of adaptive comfort at present time. After that, additional simulations for 2020, 2050, and 2080 are performed to check whether this dwelling will be able to provide comfort considering a change in climate conditions. As a result, the study concludes that levels of adaptive comfort can be considered satisfactory at present time in these dwellings, but not in the future, when discomfort associated with hot conditions will be recurrent. These results provide a hint to foresee how extant dwellings, and also dwellers, should adapt to a change in environmental conditions.

Keywords: adaptive comfort; natural ventilation; performance simulation; climate change; dwellings (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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