PDF
Optimizing daylighting and passive thermal comfort in office buildings: a comparative framework for Nigeria’s temperate dry climate
Article Sidebar
https://doi.org/10.32487/nuce.v5i2.736
PDF downloads: 13
Main Article Content
Abstract
There is disagreement among numerous researchers regarding sustainable office building design especially for the ideal values of Daylighting and Passive Indoor Thermal Comfort (DPITC) in tropical countries like Nigeria. The study aims to develop a framework for a sustainable office building for optimum daylighting and passive indoor thermal comfort (DPITC) in the temperate dry climate of Nigeria. Using a quantitative experimental design with OpenStudio 3.3.0 simulation tools, the study compared closed-plan (double-banked) and open-plan office building prototypes in Jalingo, Zaria, and Abuja from January to December 2024. The open-plan design demonstrated statistically significant superiority over closed-plan designs across key metrics: Daylight Autonomy (45.7%, p < .0001), Useful Daylight Illuminance (55.2%, p < .0001), Spatial Daylight Autonomy (55.2%, p < .0001), and Relative Humidity (10.6%, p < .0001). Multiple regression analysis yielded a predictive equation: A = 170.87 - 512.232WWR + 49.41PF - 8.6R, enabling architects to optimize orientation (A), window-to-wall ratio (WWR), overhang projection factor (PF), and wall R-values for DPITC. The framework provides evidence-based guidance for sustainable office design in Northern Nigeria's temperate dry climate. Findings support the hypothesis that mean effects of DPITC are significantly different for at least one of the azimuths, WWR, overhang projection factors, and R-values of external wall materials in open-plan office buildings in this climate zone.
Downloads Statistics
Article Details
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Any further distribution of this work must maintain attribution to the author(s) and the title of the work, journal citation and DOI.
References
Sloan Management Review, 48(2), 63-74.
Anumah, J.J. & Anumah, L. (2017). Building Orientation; Enhancing Nature with Nature.
Journal of Applied Sciences & Environmental Sustainability, 3 (7), 29 – 35.
Architectural Energy Corporation (2006). Daylighting metric development using daylight
autonomy calculations in the sensor placement optimisation tool. Technical report prepared for CHPS. http://www.archenergy.com/SPOT
ASHRAE Standard 55. (2024). Thermal environmental conditions for human occupancy.
Author, Georgia, USA.
Awbi, H. B. (2003). Ventilation of buildings. Spon Press.
Bernstein, E., & Turhan, U. (2018). The impact of open-plan offices on collaboration and
productivity. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 55, 241-248.
Chandra, S., Kumar, S., & Kumar, A. (2011). Thermal comfort in tropical climates. Journal
of Building Engineering, 2(1), 1-11.
Choi, J., Lee, J., & Kim, B. (2017). Energy efficiency in open-plan and closed offices: A
comparative study. Energy and Buildings, 154, 137-145.
Choi, J., Lee, J., & Kim, B. (2018). Sustainable design in open-plan and closed offices: A
comparative study. Sustainability, 10(11), 3842.
FMEnv (2019). Nigeria's National Climate Change Policy.
Haynes, B., Suckley, L., & Nunnington, N. (2019). The impact of office design on
productivity and well-being: A systematic review. Journal of Facilities Management, 17(2), 147-163.
Hyde, R. (2000). Climate responsive design: A study of buildings in tropical and subtropical
regions. Taylor & Francis.
Illuminating Engineering Society (2012). IES Approved Method: Spatial Daylight Autonomy
(sDA) and Annual Sunlight Exposure (ASE). New York: IES; 2012. (IES LM-83-12)
International Energy Agency (IEA). (2013). Daylighting in Buildings: A Guide to Good
Practice.
International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) (2020). Renewable Energy Market
Analysis: Developing Countries.
International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). (2019). Renewable energy market
analysis: Developing countries.
ICC (2014). 2015 International Energy Conservation Code. International Code. Doi:
http://codes.iccsafe.org/
IPCC (2014). Climate Change 2014: Mitigation of Climate Change.
IPCC (2019). Climate Change and Land: an IPCC special report.
IEA (1997). Daylighting monitoring protocols & procedures for buildings. IEA
IEA (2000). Daylight in buildings, a source book on daylighting systems and components.
Energy Conservation in Buildings & Community Systesms. Berkeley, CA: The Lawrence
Berkeley National Laboratory.
IEA (2001). Monitoring procedures for the assessment of daylighting performance of
buildings. IEA SHC TASK 21 / ECBS ANNEX 29
Kim, J., Lee, J., & Choi, J. (2020). Open-plan offices and sustainable design: A review.
Journal of Green Building, 15(2), 147-163.
Kim, J., Lee, J., & Kim, B. (2019). Thermal comfort and energy consumption in office
buildings: A case study of open-plan and closed offices. Building and Environment, 147, 105-114.
Li, Q., Yoshino, H., & Mochida, A. (2017). Study on the thermal environment of office
buildings in tropical regions. Building and Environment, 123, 245-255.
Lstiburek, J. (2006). Moisture control for buildings. ASHRAE Journal, 48(10), 34-41.
Lee, J., Kim, J., & Kim, B. (2018). Energy consumption in office buildings: A comparative
study of open-plan and closed offices. Energy and Buildings, 179, 147-155.
Lee, J., Kim, J., & Choi, J. (2020). Open-plan offices: A review of energy efficiency and
occupant satisfaction. Building and Environment, 168, 106845.
Musa, M.A. (2022). A Framework for Enhancing Passive Indoor Thermal and Visual
Comfort in Multi-storey Office buildings in Temperate-dry Climate of Nigeria. Unpublished PhD thesis, Department of Architecture, Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, Nigeria.
NBS (2020). Nigeria's Urbanization Review.
NERC (2020). Nigerian Energy Sector Review.
Olgyay, V. (1963). Design with climate: Bioclimatic approach to architectural regionalism.
Princeton University Press.
Szokolay, V.S. (2008). Introduction to architectural science; The Basis of sustainable design.
Elsevier Oxford, UK.
Taha, H. (1997). Urban climates and heat islands: Albedo, evapotranspiration, and
anthropogenic heat. Energy and Buildings, 25(2), 99-103.
Taleghani, M., Tenpierik, M., & van den Dobbelsteen, A. (2015). Thermal comfort in office
buildings in tropical climates: A review. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 43, 281-294.
UN-Habitat (2016). Urbanization and Development: Emerging Futures
Wong, N. H., & Li, D. H. (2007). Thermal comfort in tropical buildings. Energy and
Buildings, 39(7), 752-761.