CI-81-02-4 -- Heating the Perimeter Zone of an Office Building: An Analytical Study Using the Proposed ASHRAE Comfort Standard (55-74R) PDF

The proposed ASHRAE Standard 55-74R can be used to determine the conditions in a building that are thermally acceptable for human activity. One important application of this standard is analyses of comfort conditions in the perimeter zone of an office building during the heating season. Using this proposed standard along with fundamentals of radiant and convection heat transfer, an analytical study was performed to demonstrate the dependence of operative temperature on outdoor temperature. Three different types of heating systems were analyzed: baseboard convection, all-air, and radiant panel. One particular building wall construction, which conforms to the ASHRAE Standard on Energy Conservation in New Building Design (90-75R), was evaluated. The results suggest that it would be necessary to raise the air temperature in the space to a slightly higher value to maintain a constant operative temperature. An alternative solution would be the use of a wall section with less glazing area. The results of this study should be useful in designing and operating office buildings with uniform comfort in the perimeter zones.