Ventilation strategies for increasing individual thermal comfort in open-plan offices

The study examined how to improve thermal comfort in office settings using Active Chilled Beams (ACBs) with a new JetCone feature. It aimed to create adjustable ventilation zones within a single office space, allowing for tailored air velocities to meet the varying thermal comfort needs of different occupants, considering their metabolic rates. Simulations and experiments were conducted in office settings to test this new approach, with the ability to create distinct micro-climate zones while maintaining a fixed overall airflow. The study found that this method could ensure acceptable thermal comfort levels for occupants with higher metabolic rates while reducing energy consumption by approximately 15% annually by adjusting cooling setpoint temperatures from 23°C to 25°C i.e. raising the cooling setpoint by 2°C.