Comfort conditions for built environments in Sri Lanka

Abstract

The neutral temperatures for different locations in Sri Lanka have been established using actual climatic data. Based on these neutral temperatures, 'standard comfort zone for each of these locations can be identified on the psychrometric chart. Field measurements have been carried out for the validation of comfort zones for Sri Lankan conditions. The effects of physiological cooling at relatively high internal air velocities have been highlighted. In order to check the applicability of standard modification techniques for the comfort zones to take account of elevated internal air velocities, surveys have been carried out at two different velocities. The need for additional boundaries to standard modifications to suit Sri Lankan conditions have been highlighted. This provides a method of extending the boundaries of these comfort zones thereby accommodating higher levels of dry bulb temperatures and humidites in the built environments. This fact can be utilised as the basis of minimising the energy demand in buildings either air conditioned or not, by making use of combined modes at different internal air velocities.