Building comfort performance assessment using a monitoring tool

Abstract

Often a discrepancy exists between the theoretical and actual (perceived) comfort level in buildings. Monitoring tools, like Monavisa, are used to assess the building system performance. In this study, it is investigated whether and to what extent the data collected by a monitoring tool can also be used to assess the building comfort level. To this end additional measurements are done in three case study buildings, next to the data the installed monitoring tool collects from the building system. Furthermore, the occupants of these buildings filled in questionnaires about their comfort perception. Analysis and comparison of the measurement and questionnaire results with comfort standards and monitoring tool data showed that the building sensor, depending on its position in a room, can miss influences like solar radiation which are experienced by (part of) the building occupants. Assessment of this data may lead to an inaccurate comfort assessment for an entire room. Furthermore, it appeared that questionnaires are essential in giving value to the comfort assessment produced by a monitoring tool. This because a monitoring tool assesses the comfort parameters based on (theoretical) comfort standards, which may not apply to a practical situation and the actual indoor environment perception of the building occupants