Thermal Comfort Study of Deady Hall; Discovering the Thermal Conditions Inside the Building, Determining Causes, and Suggesting Solutions

Facilitator: Matt Nelson

Deady Hall, the oldest building at the University of Oregon, has been determined to be thermally uncomfortable. The radiant heating system is dysfunctional at maintaining a comfortable thermal interior environment as determined by ASHREA Standard 55. This is largely because the heaters have no (or a very poor) zoning system and the building lacks sufficient ventilation. This case study looks at the building’s thermal conditions, assessing the temperature differences across rooms and floors and the influential factors. Using HOBO U12 temperature data loggers, spot checks for relative humidity and temperature, interviews and surveys, we gathered information to build a thermal map of the building during winter months. We have determined that the classrooms on all three main floors of Deady Hall fall within the comfort zone an average of 42.3% of the week. A list of possibilities for addressing these thermal issues has been assembled, with energy conservation being a strong factor. This study is a launching point for further exploration; we hope that it will influence changes to the building that would make a positive difference to users and energy use.