Short answer

Integrate ventilation and thermal comfort design from the early stages, tailoring solutions to the specific functional requirements and occupant needs of each building type.

Field
Human Factors
Source
Energies (2023)
Method
Semi-Systematic Review
Sample
88 publications
Evidence
Strong effect

Effective ventilation and thermal comfort systems are crucial for creating optimal indoor conditions that significantly impact occupant well-being and performance across various building typologies. This human factors research insight is drawn from a 2023 study published in Energies. Using Semi-systematic review with 88 publications, researchers explored how this design variable affects real-world outcomes. The key design takeaway: Integrate ventilation and thermal comfort design from the early stages, tailoring solutions to the specific functional requirements and occupant needs of each building type.

Study
Human FactorsRecentStrong effect

Optimizing Indoor Environments: Ventilation and Thermal Comfort Strategies for Diverse Building Types

Effective ventilation and thermal comfort systems are crucial for creating optimal indoor conditions that significantly impact occupant well-being and performance across various building typologies.

Energies · 2023

01

Key Findings

  • 01Ventilation and thermal comfort are primary determinants of indoor air quality and occupant well-being.
  • 02Research in this area is highly active, with a focus on diverse building types including offices, schools, hospitals, bedrooms, and atriums.
  • 03Specific design strategies for ventilation and thermal comfort vary significantly depending on the building's function and occupancy.
02

Application

Design takeaway

Integrate ventilation and thermal comfort design from the early stages, tailoring solutions to the specific functional requirements and occupant needs of each building type.

How to apply

When designing any building, conduct a thorough review of current research specific to the building's intended use and occupant profile to inform ventilation and thermal comfort strategies.

Project actions

  • 01When researching a design project, look for studies that specifically address the environmental conditions relevant to your project's context.
  • 02Consider how different environmental factors (like air flow, temperature, humidity) interact and affect user experience.
03

Method & Evidence

AimWhat are the latest research trends and findings regarding ventilation and thermal comfort in different building types to inform design practice?
MethodSemi-Systematic Review
ProcedureA review of 88 articles published between 2020 and 2023, indexed in Scopus, focusing on 'ventilation' and 'thermal comfort' in conjunction with specific building types (offices, schools, hospitals, bedrooms, atriums). Data was summarized by publication year, author origin, and keywords, with synthetic conclusions drawn for each building type.
Sample88 publications
ContextBuilding design and environmental control

Variables

IV["Building type (office, school, hospital, bedroom, atrium)","Ventilation strategies","Thermal comfort parameters"]
DV["Indoor air quality","Occupant comfort levels","Occupant performance/well-being"]
CV["Publication year (2020-2023)","Database (Scopus)","Keywords used for search"]
04

Strengths & Limitations

Strengths

  • +Comprehensive review of recent literature (2020-2023).
  • +Focus on multiple, distinct building types.
  • +Provides a structured overview of research trends and findings.

Limitations

The findings are based on a review of existing literature, which may not capture all innovative or emerging solutions. The specific building types reviewed might not cover every possible scenario.

Reliability & validity

The reliability of the review's findings depends on the quality and scope of the included studies. Validity is enhanced by the systematic approach to selecting and analyzing the literature, but is limited by the chosen keywords and database.

Think critically

How might the 'popularity' of research in this area influence the direction and focus of design solutions, potentially overlooking niche or emerging needs?

05

Design Principles

"Indoor environmental quality is a multi-faceted aspect of design that requires a holistic and context-specific approach."

Designers and engineers must consider the specific needs of occupants in different environments, such as offices, schools, hospitals, and residential spaces. Tailoring ventilation and thermal comfort strategies ensures not only user satisfaction but also contributes to healthier and more productive indoor settings.

06

What This Means for Your Design

Good ventilation and temperature control are super important for making people feel comfortable and healthy inside buildings, and how you do it depends on whether it's an office, school, or home.

How to use in your project

  • 1.Cite this review when discussing the importance of indoor environmental quality and the need for context-specific design solutions in your design project's research section.
07

Add to My Project

08

Quick Cite

Paragraph starter

This research highlights the critical role of ventilation and thermal comfort in ensuring appropriate conditions for occupants across diverse building typologies, including offices, schools, hospitals, and residential spaces. The findings underscore the need for design practitioners to adopt context-specific strategies, informed by the latest research, to optimize indoor environmental quality and enhance user well-being and productivity.

09

Source

Energies

Recent Achievements in Research on Thermal Comfort and Ventilation in the Aspect of Providing People with Appropriate Conditions in Different Types of Buildings—Semi-Systematic Review

journal · 2023

View source

Questions About This Research

What does the research say about optimizing indoor environments: ventilation and thermal comfort strategies for diverse building types?
Integrate ventilation and thermal comfort design from the early stages, tailoring solutions to the specific functional requirements and occupant needs of each building type. Evidence: Energies (2023).
Why does "Optimizing Indoor Environments: Ventilation and Thermal Comfort Strategies for Diverse Building Types" matter for design?
Designers and engineers must consider the specific needs of occupants in different environments, such as offices, schools, hospitals, and residential spaces. Tailoring ventilation and thermal comfort strategies ensures not only user satisfaction but also contributes to healthier and more productive indoor settings.
How can designers apply this research?
Integrate ventilation and thermal comfort design from the early stages, tailoring solutions to the specific functional requirements and occupant needs of each building type.
What were the main findings?
Ventilation and thermal comfort are primary determinants of indoor air quality and occupant well-being.. Research in this area is highly active, with a focus on diverse building types including offices, schools, hospitals, bedrooms, and atriums.. Specific design strategies for ventilation and thermal comfort vary significantly depending on the building's function and occupancy.
What research method was used?
Semi-Systematic Review with 88 publications.
How strong is the evidence?
Evidence strength is rated Strong effect, based on a 2023 journal from Energies.
What should I do differently in my next project?
When designing any building, conduct a thorough review of current research specific to the building's intended use and occupant profile to inform ventilation and thermal comfort strategies.
What are the limitations?
The review is limited to publications indexed in Scopus and keywords used, potentially excluding relevant research from other databases or with different search terms. The focus is on published research, which may not always reflect cutting-edge industry practices.