Analysis of Indoor Thermal Environments and AC-Use Behaviours in an Office Building

Abstract

The air-conditioning-use (AC-use) behaviors of building occupants have a significant impact on indoor thermal environments and energy consumption of air conditioners. In an office building in Changsha, some parameters including indoor and outdoor air temperatures, relative humidity, the on/off states of air conditioners, and others were recorded from May 1 to October 31. Indoor environmental parameters were analyzed and indoor thermal comfort was evaluated during summer. In addition, the logistic regression was used to develop a statistical model to predict the AC-use behaviors of office building occupants, compared with self-paid residential buildings. The results indicate that indoor thermal environments were not affected by outdoor environment with personnel air conditioning, and the indoor thermal environments were in the comfort zone in 70.3% of cooling period; According to the proposed formula in the logistic regression, the outdoor tolerant temperature was found as 30.7 °C; The indoor tolerant temperature was found as 28.3 °C; In summer, the probability of turning on air conditioners in office buildings was longer than residential buildings generally. This paper also provides references for energy saving in air conditioning systems in office building in the future.