Investigating the cooling load of a university building: A case study in Darwin

The human body resembles a heat engine as it constantly generates heat. The thermal envelope of a human must be maintained at optimum levels for maximum performance and comfort. In hot environments, extra heat is required to be expelled from the body while in the colder environment, the heat must be retained. Contradiction to both these conditions leads to discomfort. Thermal condition is thus defined as mind satisfaction, as assessed by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air- Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) standards, leading to human satisfaction at utmost comfort levels for temperatures between 22C to 27C and relative humidity between 40% and 60%. This chapter investigates the reduction of cooling load of a university building in Darwin, Australia, as a case study. This will be achieved with the use of the Revit software and tested in EnergyPlus in accordance with the climate of Darwin to achieve the desired comfort levels and results. Simulations are made by varying the construction materials of the walls and ceilings, glazing the windows, cool paint coating, solar panel installation, and glass replacement of windows for the acquirement of necessitated results. The results thus obtained will provide a deeper understanding of the thermal comfort and cooling load. Based on these results, conclusions will be drawn by suggesting various alternatives for the improvement of human comfort and reducing energy consumption simultaneously.