High Performance

Buildings and
Occupant Comfort
Peter Simmonds, Ph.D., FASHRAE
B and S Analytics, Marina Del Rey and Hong Kong
peter@petersimmonds.com

This ASHRAE Distinguished Lecturer is brought to you by the

Society Chapter Technology Transfer Committee
 Learning Objectives for this Session

• PPD/PMV analysis can be used for space comfort diagnostics.

• Using comfort analysis provides more information for the design team.
• Not all analysis tools are capable of simulating occupant comfort.
• Multiple use spaces still require to provide occupant comfort.
• To understand the application of radiant systems
• To understand the limitations of maintaining comfort

ASHRAE is a Registered Provider with The American Institute of Architects Continuing Education Systems. Credit earned on
completion of this program will be reported to ASHRAE Records for AIA members. Certificates of Completion for non-AIA
members are available on request.

This program is registered with the AIA/ASHRAE for continuing professional education. As such, it does not include
content that may be deemed or construed to be an approval or endorsement by the AIA of any material of construction or
any method or manner of handling, using, distributing, or dealing in any material or product. Questions related to specific
materials, methods, and services will be addressed at the conclusion of this presentation.
 PETER SIMMONDS, ASHRAE Fellow

• Mechanical Engineer
• Specialization:
Building Analysis/Technical Advisor/Sustainable Design, Energy
Conservation/Building Physics and HVAC Design.
• Education:
Craft Apprenticeship as a Plant Fitter
B.Sc., Mechanical Engineering,1977
B.Sc.,Research & Development, 1977
M.Sc., HVAC, 1984
Ph.D. 1989
 PETER SIMMONDS, ASHRAE Fellow
ASHRAE activities involve being a member of:
• TC 2.1 ‘Physiology and the Human Environment
• TC 6.5 ‘Radiant Heating and Cooling’ , (Vice Chair)
• TC 6.9 ‘Thermal Storage’,
• TC 7.5 ‘Building Operation Dynamics’,
• TC 9.12 ‘Tall Buildings’,
• SSPC 55 ‘Thermal Comfort Standard Committee’
• Member of the Standards Committee
• College of Fellows, President Elect
• ISO 205, workgroup 5 and workgroup 8
Member of Dutch Society of Building Services Engineers T.V.V.L.
Quick Resume
• Left England in 1978 to join RTB Van Heugten in the
Netherlands. Designed Hospitals and then moved on to
Museums and Office Buildings. Started designing passive
beams and displacement systems.
• In 1994 joined Flack + Kurtz, worked in New York, San
Francisco and Hong Kong offices. Notable projects Bangkok
Airport, Cheung Kong Center and Chater Road in Hong Kong.
• In 2003 joined IBE in Sherman Oaks, California. Notable
projects, Water and Life Museum, Akron Art Museum,
Cooper Union and Incheon Airport, phase 2.
• In 2014 started B and S Analytics
1st paper on controls, 1994
21 years ago
21 years ago
2000 paper on controls
2006 paper on controls
Thermal Comfort Standard
Definitions
• predicted mean vote (PMV): an index that predicts
the mean value of the votes of a large group of
persons on the seven-point thermal sensation
scale.

• predicted percentage of dissatisfied (PPD): an

index that establishes a quantitative prediction of
the percentage of thermally dissatisfied people
determined from PMV.
 THERMAL COMFORT

• 1) Metabolic rate.
• 2) Clothing insulation.
• 3) Air temperature.
• 4) Radiant temperature
• 5) Air speed.
• 6) Humidity
Thermal Comfort
Standards
Energy Consumption Index
“GREEN” codes
What applications are suitable
for Occupant Comfort?
Cooper Union
The Cooper Union – A
“Single” Facade
“Double” facade
The efficiency of the façade-
summer
The efficiency of the façade-
winter
The efficiency of the façade-
midseason
The Living Skin
The mathematical calculations
P τgb τss2 ρgd2
“Abs” denotes the fraction of absorbed
short wave energy for the glass or
glass shade
Abs=ρss2τgs τgd2 τss
shade on each successive reflection.
τgb ρss2 τgd τgd
ρss τgb
ρss2 τgb τgd2
The portion of the incident beam short
Abs= τss2τgb τg60 τg60
wave energy that is ultimately
ρss2 τgb τgd
P τsb τss ρgd absorbed by the shade, Absbss, is:

Abs=ρssτgb τgτ τss

τgb ρssτgd
ρss τgb τgd where
ρss τgb
tgb=short wave transmittance of the
Abs= τss τgb τgd
ρss τgb
P τgb
glass (a function of incidence angle, θ)
αss=short wave absorptance of the
Abs=τgb τss
shade
τgb τgb
ρgd=diffuse reflectance of the glass

Abs=τgb
Cooper Union
Cooper Union
PPD Results – Different Rooms

Occupied hours

Comfort threshold

Glazing Types
Cooper Union
PPD Results: Classrooms (summer)

Occupied hours

Comfort threshold

Glazing Types
Cooper Union- Results
LEED 2.2, using the ASHRAE 90.1, 2004 standard, the
resulting utility cost savings are $400,770 compared
to $602,672 for the budget case.. The total energy
cost savings is 34% and is therefore eligible for 7
LEED points.
• NYSERDA Energy Compliance, the proposed case is
predicted at consuming 1,170,365 kWh of
electricity per year and the budget case is predicted
at consuming 2,184,932 kWh of electricity per year.
This is a 46% reduction below the budget case.
Space Control System
Radiant Ceiling
 ASHRAE 90.1 addendum R
• Temperature and Humidity Schedules. Temperature and humidity control setpoints and schedules as well as
temperature control throttling range shall be the same for proposed and baseline building designs.
• HVAC Fan Schedules. Schedules for HVAC fans that provide outdoor air for ventilation shall run continuously
whenever spaces are occupied and shall be cycled on and off to meet heating and cooling loads during
unoccupied hours.
• Baseline Design
• Same as Proposed Design
• Exceptions:
• 1. Setpoints and schedules for HVAC systems that automatically provide occupant thermal comfort via means
other than directly controlling the air dry bulb and wet bulb temperature may be allowed to differ provided
that equivalent levels of occupant thermal comfort are demonstrated via the methodology in Appendix D-
Computer Program for Calculation of PMV-PPD of Standard 55.
• 2. Schedules may be allowed to differ between proposed design and baseline building design when necessary
to model nonstandard efficiency measures, provided that the revised schedules have the approval of the rating
authority. Measures that may warrant use of different schedules include, but are not limited to, automatic
lighting controls, automatic natural
• ventilation controls, automatic demand control ventilation controls, and automatic controls that reduce service
water heating loads. In no case shall schedules differ where the controls are manual (e.g., manual operation of
light switches or manual operation of windows).

ASHRAE DL Lecture
Harbin Bank, Beijing
The Climate Facade
China Energy Code Glass
Climate Façade Winter
Climate Façade- Summer
 Conduction Load Summer

SUMMER China Energy Code ARGON

no of
floor out in delta U out
m m2 s Area U value temp temp T energy Area value temp in temp delta T energy
Height W/m2
80 m2 W/m2.KC C K W m2 .K C C K W
Floors 14
Floor Area 2,000
North Elevation 7,200 7,200 2.2 34 25 9 142,560North Elevation 7,200 1.054 34 25 9 68,299
South Elevation 7,200 7,200 2.2 34 25 9 142,560South Elevation 7,200 1.054 34 25 9 68,299
East Elevation East Elevation
(Atrium) 800 800 2.2 34 25 9 15,840(Atrium) 800 5.5 34 25 9 39,600
West Elevation West Elevation
(Atrium) 800 800 2.2 34 25 9 15,840(Atrium) 800 5.5 34 25 9 39,600

316,800 215,798 32%

 Solar Transmission

SUMMER China Energy Code- June ARGON

Area SC solar energy Area SC W/m2 energy
Height m2 W/m2 W m2 C W
North Elevation 7,200 0.45 80 259,200North Elevation 7,200 0.36 80 207,360
South Elevation 7,200 0.45 433 1,402,920South Elevation 7,200 0.36 433 1,122,336
East Elevation 800 0.45 112 40,320East Elevation 800 0.88 112 78,848
West Elevation 800 0.45 77 27,720West Elevation 800 0.88 77 54,208
1,730,160 1,462,752
Building Loads
Typical Floor With Blinds With Blinds
Base Case U= 2.2 MSF -2-99+B MSF -2-98+B
W/m2.K SC= winter = 1.018 W/m2.K summer= winter = 1.018 W/m2.K summer=
0.45 1.014 W/m2.K SC= 0.140 1.014 W/m2.K SC= 0.138
GL-1 U=4.6 W/m2.K SC=0.69 GL-1 U=4.6 W/m2.K SC=0.69

Cooling
W 99,172 34,429 34,062
W/m2 35.42 12.30 12.17
Heating
W -59,558 -31,106 -31,106
W/m2 -21.27 -11.11 -11.11

Atrium
Base Case U= 2.2 MSF -2-99+B MSF -2-98+B
W/m2.K SC= winter = 1.018 W/m2.K summer= winter = 1.018 W/m2.K summer=
0.45 1.014 W/m2.K SC= 0.140 1.014 W/m2.K SC= 0.138
GL-1 U=4.6 W/m2.K SC=0.69 GL-1 U=4.6 W/m2.K SC=0.69
Cooling
W 10,227 17,174 17,174
W/m2 32.57 54.70 54.70
Heating
W -17,868 -37,473 -37,473
W/m2 -56.90 -119.34 -119.34

Total
Cooling
W 109,400 51,603 51,237
W/m2 39.07 18.43 18.30
Heating
W -77,426 -68,579 -68,579
W/m2 -28 -24 -24
Façade Performance
Typical floor
Required Supply Air
Volumes

• Summer
• CEC VAV = (61,000m3/h)
• Gensler VAV = (42,000 m3/h)
• Gensler AB = (8,300 m3/h)

• Winter
• CEC = 5.4 m3/s (19,440 m3/h)
• Gensler =5.4 m3/s (19,440 m3/h)
Annual Electric
Consumption
15,000,000

14,500,000

14,000,000
kWh

13,500,000

13,000,000

12,500,000

12,000,000
CEC VAV VAV Active Beams VAV +

Alternatives
Fan Power
600

500

400
kW

300

200

100

0
CEC VAV VAV Active Beams VAV +

alternatives
CO2 Emissions
11,500

11,000

10,500
tons CO2

10,000

9,500

9,000
CEC VAV VAV Active Beams VAV +

Alternatives
Typical Floor
Simulation Model
Analysis Plane
Analysis Plane
 Summer Comparison
Percentage People Dissatisfied -Summer
22

20

18
People Dissatisfied %

16

14

12

10

6
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24

Hour of Day

#REF! #REF! CLIMATE WITH SLATS CLEAR CEC GLASS

 Summer Comparison
Internal Dry Bulb Temperatures -Summer
36
35
34
33
32
31
Temperature (°C)

30
29
28
27
26
25
24
23
22
21
20
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24

Hour of Day

External Temperature #REF! #REF!

CLIMATE WITH SLATS CLEAR CEC GLASS
 Winter Comparison
Percentage People Dissatisfied -Winter
14

12
People Dissatisfied %

10

2
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24

Hour of Day

#REF! #REF! CLIMATE CLEAR WINTER CEC GLASS WINTER

 Winter Comparison
Internal Dry Bulb Temperatures -Winter
24

23

22

21
Temperature (°C)

20

19

18

17

16
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24

Hour of Day

External Temperature #REF! #REF! CLIMATE CLEAR WINTER CEC GLASS WINTER
Vaanke Binjiang
 Shanghai, China

H
eight : 140 M
Area : 89,700 SM
U
se : Mixed Use
- Multi-
Tenant
Office
F
o
r
m
 Building Physics BALANCE OF DAYLIGHT & VIEW PREFERENCE
daylight & views 232 m2 out of daylight zone
155 m perimeter with view
37.4% river front view
40.6% river lateral view

CLEAR HEADROOM (3.0m target)

22.0% back view
DAYLIGHT GLASS
0.8 reflectance

WINDOW HEIGHT
VISION GLASS
WORKING PLANE (0.7 m above ground)

0.3 reflectance

thermal comfort
DISTRIBUTED LIGHT LEVELS IN DEEP PLAN OFFICE
PPD

08:00

PPD

12:00
Mean Radiant Temperature MRT

PPD

16:00

LUX LEVELS O N WORK PLANE FOR 10 000 LUX SKY ILLUMINANCE (CIE O VERCAST SKY)
 Building Structures and
Services

economic dimension
occupant comfort
CLEAR HEADROOM

SPACE DEPTH

EARLY SPACE PLANNING & LAYO UT OF AHU’s IMPAC T OF RISERS ON CORE DESIGN

AB VS VAV

CORE DESIGN CO MPARISON

Façade Analysis
CLIMATE FACADE WITH GLASS O UTER LAYER IMPAC T ON COOLING LOADS

100%
60 W/m2
39%

17%

4% 17% 23%

8% 36%

internal sensible loads for 15th July

C LIMATE FACADE WITH EXTERIOR MESH LAYER IMPAC T ON COOLING LOADS

100%
60 W/m2
46%

16%

4% 16%

19%
5% 33%

internal sensible loads for 15th July

Breakdown of Energy
components

Envelope 44%
Lighting 17% Envelope 33% Lighting 21%

Occupants 10% Occupants 12%

Equipment 34%
Equipment 29%

China Energy Code Baseline proposed Facade Design

 EUI Vanke BinJiang
58,000m2

Vanke BinJiang 58864 m2

annual max
cooling electrical electrical annual CO2
cooling energy energy for max annual load for total electrical emision
load kW kWh cooling electrical electrical cooling electrical consumpti CO2 metric
(thermal) (thermal) kWhe load kW energy kWh kW load kW on kWh emision kg tonnes kWh/m2 Kbtu/ft2
LDI VAV 6,519 10,064,737 1,677,456 4,591 17,051,982 1,086 5,678 18,729,438 14,196,914 14,197 -3% 318 100.90
Base Case (VAV) 5,949 9,185,667 1,530,945 4,591 16,660,289 992 5,583 18,191,233 13,788,955 13,789 0% 309 98.00
VAV and HP Glass 5,380 8,306,598 1,384,433 4,591 16,268,596 897 5,488 17,653,029 13,380,996 13,381 3% 300 95.10
Active Beams 5,564 8,591,140 1,431,857 4,459 14,462,117 927 5,387 15,893,973 12,047,632 12,048 13% 270 85.62
VAV + 5,564 8,591,140 1,431,857 4,459 14,571,912 927 5,387 16,003,768 12,130,856 12,131 12% 272 86.21
VRV 5,863 9,052,240 1,503,450 4,527 14,752,448 977 5,504 16,255,897 12,321,970 12,322 11% 276 87.57
 EUI Zhuhai 67,800m2

Zhuhai option 4 67803m2

annual max
cooling electrical electrical annual CO2
cooling energy energy for max annual load for total electrical emision
load kW kWh cooling electrical electrical cooling electrical consumpti CO2 metric
(thermal) (thermal) kWhe load kW energy kWh kW load kW on kWh emision kg tonnes kWh/m2 Kbtu/ft2
Base Case (VAV) 6,253 9,654,643 1,609,107 5,083 18,169,740 1,042 6,125 19,778,848 14,992,366 14,992 292 92.50
VAV+ HP Glass 5,686 8,779,622 1,463,270 5,083 17,779,851 948 6,031 19,243,122 14,586,286 14,586 3% 284 90.00
Active Beams 5,868 9,059,625 1,509,937 5,083 16,407,461 978 6,061 17,917,398 13,581,388 13,581 9% 264 83.80
VAV + 5,868 9,059,625 1,509,937 5,083 16,517,170 978 6,061 18,027,108 13,664,548 13,665 9% 266 84.31
VRV 5,863 9,052,240 1,585,434 4,527 14,752,448 977 5,504 16,337,882 12,384,114 12,384 17% 241 76.41
 EUI Harbin Bank 44,800m2

Harbin Bank 44800m2

annual max
cooling electrical electrical annual CO2
cooling energy energy for max annual load for total electrical emision
load kW kWh cooling electrical electrical cooling electrical consumpti CO2 metric
(thermal) (thermal) kWhe load kW energy kWh kW load kW on kWh emision kg tonnes kWh/m2 Kbtu/ft2
Base Case CEC 5,264 8,127,616 1,354,603 3,818 13,585,568 877 4,695 14,940,171 11,324,650 11,325 333 105.75
Option 1 4,234 6,536,678 1,089,446 3,818 13,098,210 706 4,516 14,187,656 10,754,244 10,754 5% 317 100.42
Option 2 4,234 6,536,678 1,089,446 3,818 13,098,210 706 4,523 14,187,656 10,754,244 10,754 5% 317 100.42
Option 3 4,368 6,744,192 1,124,032 3,818 13,161,779 728 4,546 14,285,811 10,828,644 10,829 4% 319 101.12
Option 4 5,085 7,850,931 1,308,489 3,818 13,500,810 847 4,665 14,809,299 11,225,449 11,225 1% 331 104.82
7/31 proposed glass 4,413 6,813,363 1,135,561 3,818 13,182,968 735 4,553 14,318,529 10,853,445 10,853 4% 320 101.35
 EUI Qian Hai 44,000m2

Qian Hai 44444 m2

annual max
cooling electrical electrical annual CO2
cooling energy energy for max annual load for total electrical emision
load kW kWh cooling electrical electrical cooling electrical consumpti CO2 metric
(thermal) (thermal) kWhe load kW energy kWh kW load kW on kWh emision kg tonnes kWh/m2 Kbtu/ft2
Base Case (VAV) 5,780 8,923,927 1,487,321 3,798 14,278,245 963 4,762 15,765,566 11,950,299 11,950 355 112.48
VAV+ HP Glass 5,182 8,001,349 1,333,558 3,798 13,867,165 864 4,662 15,200,724 11,522,148 11,522 4% 342 108.45
Active Beams 4,603 7,106,760 1,184,460 3,798 12,306,367 767 4,565 13,490,827 10,226,047 10,226 14% 304 96.25
Radiant Ceiling 4,603 7,106,760 1,184,460 3,798 12,435,870 767 4,565 13,620,330 10,324,210 10,324 14% 306 97.18
LVMH- Paris
LVMH- Paris
What results are we trying to
provide?
LVMH- Paris
LVMH- Paris
LVMH- Paris
LVMH- Paris
LVMH- Paris
LVMH- Paris
LVMH- Paris
LVMH- Paris
The Forum
 Forum Conditioning system

Variable volume
displacement
Radiant
ventilation system
ceiling for
heating and
cooling

Exhaust air Radiant

floor for
heating and
cooling
The Forum
CFD for Comfort analysis
CFD for Comfort analysis
CFD for Comfort analysis
CFD for Comfort analysis
LVMH- Paris
Comfort Analysis
PPD results
LVMH- Paris
LVMH- Paris
 ASHRAE Thermal Comfort Tool

Socal Chapter sept 14,2010

 RPE Design Tool

Socal Chapter sept 14,2010

 RPE Design Tool

Socal Chapter sept 14,2010

The ultimate comfort
clothing
Thank You
• Questions
Questions
• Will Thermal Comfort ever be code enforced?
• What are the liabilities of designing for Thermal
Comfort compliance?
• How do you commission Thermal Comfort operated
spaces?
• Will people actually be comfortable in Thermal
Comfort operated spaces?
• How do you calculate adaptive comfort for naturally
ventilated spaces?