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2024 Vol.15, Issue 3

General Article

Determination of thermal comfort in residential buildings of Subtropical highland climate - A Case of Hamirpur, Himachal Pradesh, India
Muralee Manav1*
,
Sharma Aniket2
1Master’s Scholar, Department of Architecture, National Institute of Technology, Hamirpur, Himachal Pradesh, India
2Assistant Professor, Department of Architecture, National Institute of Technology, Hamirpur, Himachal Pradesh, India
*Corresponding Author
30 September 2024. pp. 285-306
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Abstract

The main aim of this research is to determine how environmental variables affect the thermal comfort of residents of 11 conventional and traditional residences in the Hamirpur district of Himachal Pradesh, India having a Subtropical highland climate (Cwa) zone. To record activity, level of clothing, and thermal preferences, during the months of July and September 2022, as well as January and March 2023, a questionnaire survey was undertaken. Using a handheld anemometer, relative humidity, air temperature, and airspeed were measured. The study found variation in neutral temperatures across the year’s different seasons as well as in thermal adaptation that included not only altering their clothing insulation, but occupants also actively controlled the air circulation by using fans and operable windows. The correlation between physical environmental variables that include indoor-outdoor temperature, relative humidity, and wind speed; and the personal variables that include Thermal sensation and preference of the residents has been studied. The findings reveal that the occupants were unsatisfied with their environment in January and July but satisfied with it during September and March. For the study area, the seasonal neutral temperatures are found to be 25.71°C in July, 24.65°C in September, 21.32°C in January, 22.60°C in March, and 23.39°C for the overall study with a thermal comfort range between 19.39°C to 27.39°C with a relative humidity of 42.5% - 60%.

Keywords
thermal comfort
neutral temperature
ASHRAE
residential buildings
PMV-PPD
subtropical highland climate
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Information
  • Publisher :Sustainable Building Research Center (ERC) Innovative Durable Building and Infrastructure Research Center
  • Publisher(Ko) :건설구조물 내구성혁신 연구센터
  • Journal Title :International Journal of Sustainable Building Technology and Urban Development
  • Volume : 15
  • No :3
  • Pages :285-306
  • Received Date : 2023-04-12
  • Accepted Date : 2023-06-23
  • DOI :https://doi.org/10.22712/susb.20240022
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