Occupant Comfort in Buildings

In general, either its residential or commercial, buildings are designed to help in performing certain action. In a building people may be performing tasks that may need extreme physical effort like exercises to just sleeping. Whatever may be the task the main should be that people should be safe and feel comfortable. A holistic approach towards building design includes not only comfort but also the affordability of occupant and the sustainability aspect of the construction and life cycle cost. A best comfortable and healthy option compromise with least negative impact on the environment should be preferred. Such buildings are called GREEN Buildings.

Following are the some of the factors considered for the occupant comfort.

• Thermal Comfort: This deals with thermal comfort of a person i.e. he/she should feel neither too hot nor too cold and should to be perform his/her desired task at the room temperature in efficient manner. This is very important aspect, it is a factor that may eliminate tiredness and lethargy due to extreme temperature discomfort. To maintain the thermal comfort right balance of some aspects should be considered are
• Temperature
• Humidity
• Air speed
• Visual Comfort:  This deals with people having adequate amount of light to be able to comfortably perform certain task. Light requirements for different activities may differ and hence there should not too much light that produces GLARE nor should it be too dim. Natural lighting more preferred than electrical lighting. Different arrangements of windows and electrical lighting is used in balanced way to minimize cost and maximize comfort.
• Air Quality: This deals with people having access to clean and fresh air all around the living space. Windows and doors should be able to provide enough cross ventilation withstanding the polluted and harmful air. Air needs to be filtered if the natural air contains pathogens and harmful substances in more than acceptable limits.
• Acoustic Comfort: This deals with people being able to hear and communicate in the space under use. Different parts of the same building may require to have certain level of noise level allowed and certain may need complete silence. Room size and the materials used inside a space are the main factors that play role in creating acoustic comfort.