Increase comfort
The DEP California Office Building in California, Pennsylvania relies on significant daylighting strategies, an east-west solar orientation, a robust thermal envelope including insulated concrete forms along with high performance windows and an efficient HVAC system to reduce energy consumption by a projected 40%.

Raised access flooring allows underfloor air delivery, occupant control, and flexible cabling and reconfiguration of spaces.

Banner photo: William & Flora Hewlett Foundation, Menlo Park, CA. The Hewlett Foundation's building was designed to save energy and increase the comfort of occupants through individually controlled systems such as operable windows, localized manual floor diffusers, and natural light control throughout the workspace.
Photo credit: Wm. & Flora Hewlett Foundation

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Thermal Comfort

What you don't see can make a big difference

What's meant by thermal comfort?
A workspace that's stuffy may make people feel drowsy, impairing performance. A restaurant that's cold or drafty may drive customers away. A retail store that's uncomfortably hot may distract customers from their shopping.

But when people are in a well-designed, high performance building, what do they notice about the temperature and air? NOTHING! Thermal comfort is the absence of distraction!

The heart of thermal comfort is the building's mechanical system, air distribution system, controls, and the building shell. To achieve good thermal comfort, a building should be designed to:

Provide an acceptable level of temperature and humidity.
Create habitability through air movement, ventilation, and slight temperature variation.
Allow occupants to control and modify conditions to suit preferences.

What can improved thermal comfort do for my organization?
Complying with building and energy codes only means that your building meets the law's minimum requirements. Whether planning a retrofit or new construction, going beyond code to create a building with superior thermal comfort adds tangible value to your building. You'll gain benefits in these areas:

Work environment. Studies have shown that in buildings with superior thermal comfort, employee satisfaction increases and absenteeism decreases. An enhanced indoor environment may even increase the ability to attract and retain employees.
Productivity. Thermally comfortable buildings have been shown to improve productivity. Increasing productivity is usually a more effective route to improving the bottom line than reducing operating costs, since employee-related costs typically outweigh the costs of facility operations and maintenance by more than 10 to 1.
Operating costs. Integrated design and high efficiency equipment can reduce a building's annual energy costs by much as 50%, while increasing comfort. Effective heating, ventilating and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems also mean fewer complaints to facilities staff, which saves money. When evaluating designs, take into account the lifecycle cost-the cost of owning and operating a system over its lifetime-rather than just first cost.
Equipment costs. By designing a building from the start for superior thermal performance, it's often possible to install smaller HVAC equipment, which can represent a substantial first-cost savings.
Market value. In many regions, buildings with superior indoor environmental quality are valued at a premium.

How can I achieve excellent thermal comfort in my building?

Plan early. Superior thermal comfort must be planned from the start. Give the design team clear support for high performance. Building owners will reap the greatest savings if high performance design is incorporated early in the design phase rather than later in the construction process.
Commit to integrated design. Integrated design considers the building structure and systems as a whole and optimizes their interaction for economic and environmental benefit. It brings together the owners, architects, engineers, contractors, commissioning agents, and facility managers to collaborate in the design process.
Include a commissioning agent. Having a commissioning agent on the team from the start helps ensure that the building systems are designed and installed as intended. Commissioning can save as much as 7% of energy use in new buildings, and 13% in renovated buildings.

Key design factors for excellent thermal comfort

The design team. Select a design team and HVAC contractors who understand integrated design and can demonstrate how they have addressed thermal comfort on similar projects.

Issues to discuss with your team include:

Orientation and building envelope. Is the building orientation and shell designed to minimize thermal loads? Will features such as shading devices, high performance glass, and "cool roofs" be used to reduce solar heat gain?
Interior planning. How will equipment and systems such as computers and lights affect internal loads? Will materials, furniture, and finishes be specified that minimize interior air pollution?
Mechanical and air distribution systems. Have the building's thermal requirements been carefully calculated? Is the mechanical equipment appropriately sized rather than oversized? (Oversized equipment costs more upfront, operates ineffectively, and wastes energy.) Is the air distribution system designed for optimal energy savings and comfort? (Poor duct design and fan operations can waste significant system energy.)
Controls. Have control systems been selected that allow individuals to control the temperature of their space? Will an energy management system be used to sense changing conditions and operate the mechanical systems for optimum building performance?