Hot in Here: Office Occupant Thermal Comfort in Lawrence Hall

This case study investigated office occupant thermal comfort in Lawrence Hall. More specifically, it focused on the winter heating season thermal comfort in these office spaces. In a building that is composed of approximately seven major additions and/or renovations spanning nearly a century, the variety of heating and ventilation systems varies greatly. The combination of qualitative and quantitative data from both humans and metering devices combined begins to show a comprehensive view of thermal comfort in Lawrence Hall offices. Through occupant surveys and data collecting, the thermal comfort levels of office spaces in Lawrence Hall were analyzed and compared via ASHRAE Standard 55-2004. Furthermore, other considerations such as heating system types, the presence of operable windows and thermostat controls were analyzed to find out more about thermal comfort in Lawrence Hall office spaces. While the results of this study are just the beginning of understanding thermal comfort issues in office spaces, they begin to show surprising relationships between office occupants and their office spaces.