How can you design a green building for optimal thermal comfort?

2 Active systems

Active systems are the mechanical and electrical equipment that provide heating, cooling, lighting, and ventilation to the building. They should be designed to complement the passive design and respond to the changing needs and preferences of the occupants. For example, you can use high-efficiency heat pumps, boilers, or chillers to supply the required heating or cooling load, and variable air volume (VAV) systems to adjust the air flow rate and temperature according to the zone demand. You can also use sensors, controls, and automation to monitor and optimize the system performance and energy use.

3 Renewable energy

Renewable energy is the energy that comes from natural sources that are replenished faster than they are consumed, such as solar, wind, hydro, biomass, or geothermal. It can reduce the greenhouse gas emissions and environmental impact of the building by replacing or supplementing the conventional fossil fuel-based energy sources. For example, you can install photovoltaic (PV) panels, solar water heaters, wind turbines, or biomass boilers to generate electricity or heat from renewable sources. You can also use energy storage systems, such as batteries or thermal tanks, to balance the supply and demand of renewable energy.

4 Indoor environmental quality

Indoor environmental quality (IEQ) is the overall condition of the indoor space that affects the health, comfort, and productivity of the occupants. It includes aspects such as air quality, thermal comfort, lighting quality, acoustic quality, and visual comfort. To improve the IEQ of a green building, you can use low-emitting materials, filters, and ventilation systems to reduce the indoor pollutants and contaminants. You can also use daylighting, artificial lighting, window views, and sound insulation to enhance the visual and acoustic comfort of the occupants.

5 Occupant behavior

Occupant behavior is the way that the people who use the building interact with its physical and social environment. It affects the thermal comfort and energy consumption of the building by influencing the settings and operation of the active systems, the use of the passive design features, and the personal adaptation measures. To encourage the occupant behavior that supports the green building goals, you can use feedback, incentives, education, and participation to raise the awareness and motivation of the occupants. You can also use personal controls, such as thermostats, fans, blinds, or lighting switches, to allow the occupants to adjust their thermal environment according to their preferences.

6 Green building certification

Green building certification is the process of verifying and recognizing the environmental performance and sustainability of a building according to a set of standards and criteria. It can help you design a green building for optimal thermal comfort by providing you with a framework, guidance, and benchmark for your project. For example, you can use the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system, which is one of the most widely used and recognized green building certification systems in the world. It evaluates the building performance in various categories, such as energy, water, materials, IEQ, and innovation, and awards different levels of certification, such as certified, silver, gold, or platinum.