Ninth International Conference on The Constructed Environment

Abstract

Even though windows have a large-scale impact on thermal comfort considering window sizes and orientations, most of the time, it becomes difficult for naturally ventilated architecture design studios in Dhaka to provide the comfortable thermal environment for teaching-learning inside the studios because of overheating during summer sessions, results electrical appliances to create artificial environment that often create tremendous pressure on the overall national energy demand. This research aims to find out an effective window category from available window configurations in existing architecture design studios, located at different public and private universities in Dhaka through simulation studies for improving the thermal conditions (air temperature, relative humidity and wind speed), which can be perceived as comfortable by most of the occupants, according to Predicted Percentage of Dissatisfied (PPD). Field investigation was done to identify the existing windows, which were used in design studios in the context of Dhaka. Then, the case design studio space was selected and simulation tool- EnergyPlusTM was used for measuring the performance of the available window configurations with respect to thermal conditions. Finally, the test points of online 3D- case studio were developed for the simulation analysis. Based on the analysis, ‘segregated viewing windows’ category was found as most effective among the selected window categories for architecture design studios in Dhaka. It is expected that, by careful selection of window configurations and little changes in window size and location, better thermal environment can be ensured in architecture design studios.