Assessing energy preservative measures and substantial parameters for optimizing cooling performance in atrium buildings

Abstract

Atrium nowadays is applied extensively by professional designers and owners to bring various benefits such as adequate daylight, circulation spaces and surfaces for landscape applications. One of the most significant problems regarding this popular architectural feature is the space conditioning of atriums which has relatively large volume compared with traditional commercial and institutional spaces. This may lead to high energy consumption, if atriums are fully conditioned unless effective design strategies are implemented. It is often very difficult to achieve high thermal comfort and low energy consumption at same time. The potential for energy conservation through severe control of indoor temperatures strengthen the examination of the applicability of the universal values of comfort temperatures recommended by international comfort standards. The aim of this paper to assess energy conservation measures, which supports to conditions of the thermal environment and has contributed to achieve architectural design features. Systematic investigation of factors for energy conservation via literature review helped to reveal about the design features which have influenced in developing comfortable environment; daylighting, acoustics, natural ventilation and thermal control have been identified as environmental factor in rolling out the architectural features in atriums. The result would help to optimize at initial design stage the controlled environment and would provide valuable feedback to help architects and designers to identify the most energy efficient atrium building type.