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CLOTHING INSULATION AND THERMAL COMFORT IN AFRICA: CURRENT STANDARDS AND APPLICABILITY

Lundgren Kownacki, Karin LU ; Kuklane, Kalev LU ; Fan, Jintu and Havenith, George (2014) Ambience14 & 10I3M, Scientific conference for Smart and functional textiles, Well-Being, Thermal comfort in clothing, Design, Thermal Manikins and Modelling In Proceedings of Ambience, Scientific Conference for Smart Textiles 1.
Abstract
Background: The adoption of air conditioning (AC) is growing rapidly in developing countries across the world which puts a high burden on electricity distribution systems. This development is mostly driven by income growth and building design, but also due to increasing outdoor temperatures and to provide indoor thermal comfort. Current indoor thermal comfort standards are based on western clothing (in terms of the ASHRAE Standard 55 and ISO 7730). However, due to different clothing practices in regions such as Africa, providing comfortable indoor environments may differ significantly. For optimal design and achieving energy savings of AC systems, accounting for different clothing practices is fundamental.

Methods: The research... (More)
Background: The adoption of air conditioning (AC) is growing rapidly in developing countries across the world which puts a high burden on electricity distribution systems. This development is mostly driven by income growth and building design, but also due to increasing outdoor temperatures and to provide indoor thermal comfort. Current indoor thermal comfort standards are based on western clothing (in terms of the ASHRAE Standard 55 and ISO 7730). However, due to different clothing practices in regions such as Africa, providing comfortable indoor environments may differ significantly. For optimal design and achieving energy savings of AC systems, accounting for different clothing practices is fundamental.

Methods: The research presented is based on a project aimed at the extension of the ASHRAE Standard 55 database to include non-western clothing. The paper focuses on the African clothing tested on thermal manikins. Three sets of female clothing and five sets of male clothing were measured. The ISO7730:2004 standard which uses the PMV/PPD indices was used to assess the optimal indoor temperature (assessed between 20-30 °C). The occupant was considered acclimatized with low activity (120 W), with an air velocity of 0.2 m/s, no additional heat radiation and a relative humidity of 50 %.

Results and Conclusion: The optimal indoor temperature for both women (PMV: -0.09, PPD: 5 %) and men (PMV: 0.1, PPD: 5 %) was found to be 24 °C. Considering better ventilation and evaporation in African clothing the comfort temperatures could be even higher. In conclusion, sub-optimal indoor thermal conditions are being adopted in Africa resulting in lower indoor air temperatures than required, causing an unnecessary waste of energy from AC systems and affecting the thermal comfort of the occupants. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Thermal Comfort, Developing Countries, Air Conditioning, Standardization, Clothing
host publication
Proceedings of Ambience 14&10i3m : Scientific Conference for Smart and Functional Textiles, Well-Being, Thermal Comfort in Clothing, Design, Thermal Manikins and Modellin, 7-9 September 2014, Tampere, Finland - Scientific Conference for Smart and Functional Textiles, Well-Being, Thermal Comfort in Clothing, Design, Thermal Manikins and Modellin, 7-9 September 2014, Tampere, Finland
series title
Proceedings of Ambience, Scientific Conference for Smart Textiles
volume
1
pages
6 pages
publisher
Tampere University of Technology
conference name
Ambience14 & 10I3M, Scientific conference for Smart and functional textiles, Well-Being, Thermal comfort in clothing, Design, Thermal Manikins and Modelling
conference location
Tampere Hall, Tampere, Finland
conference dates
2014-09-07 - 2014-09-09
ISSN
2342-4540
ISBN
978-952-15-3269-6
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
890aa53a-a556-4264-8ac7-af3ec2ac256e (old id 4647073)
date added to LUP
2016-04-04 10:21:41
date last changed
2018-11-21 20:58:18
@inproceedings{890aa53a-a556-4264-8ac7-af3ec2ac256e,
  abstract     = {{Background: The adoption of air conditioning (AC) is growing rapidly in developing countries across the world which puts a high burden on electricity distribution systems. This development is mostly driven by income growth and building design, but also due to increasing outdoor temperatures and to provide indoor thermal comfort. Current indoor thermal comfort standards are based on western clothing (in terms of the ASHRAE Standard 55 and ISO 7730). However, due to different clothing practices in regions such as Africa, providing comfortable indoor environments may differ significantly. For optimal design and achieving energy savings of AC systems, accounting for different clothing practices is fundamental.<br/><br>
Methods: The research presented is based on a project aimed at the extension of the ASHRAE Standard 55 database to include non-western clothing. The paper focuses on the African clothing tested on thermal manikins. Three sets of female clothing and five sets of male clothing were measured. The ISO7730:2004 standard which uses the PMV/PPD indices was used to assess the optimal indoor temperature (assessed between 20-30 °C). The occupant was considered acclimatized with low activity (120 W), with an air velocity of 0.2 m/s, no additional heat radiation and a relative humidity of 50 %.<br/><br>
Results and Conclusion: The optimal indoor temperature for both women (PMV: -0.09, PPD: 5 %) and men (PMV: 0.1, PPD: 5 %) was found to be 24 °C. Considering better ventilation and evaporation in African clothing the comfort temperatures could be even higher. In conclusion, sub-optimal indoor thermal conditions are being adopted in Africa resulting in lower indoor air temperatures than required, causing an unnecessary waste of energy from AC systems and affecting the thermal comfort of the occupants.}},
  author       = {{Lundgren Kownacki, Karin and Kuklane, Kalev and Fan, Jintu and Havenith, George}},
  booktitle    = {{Proceedings of Ambience 14&10i3m : Scientific Conference for Smart and Functional Textiles, Well-Being, Thermal Comfort in Clothing, Design, Thermal Manikins and Modellin, 7-9 September 2014, Tampere, Finland}},
  isbn         = {{978-952-15-3269-6}},
  issn         = {{2342-4540}},
  keywords     = {{Thermal Comfort; Developing Countries; Air Conditioning; Standardization; Clothing}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  publisher    = {{Tampere University of Technology}},
  series       = {{Proceedings of Ambience, Scientific Conference for Smart Textiles}},
  title        = {{CLOTHING INSULATION AND THERMAL COMFORT IN AFRICA: CURRENT STANDARDS AND APPLICABILITY}},
  url          = {{https://lup.lub.lu.se/search/files/5520654/4647074.pdf}},
  volume       = {{1}},
  year         = {{2014}},
}