Comparison of radiant and convective cooling of office room: effect of workstation layout

The impact of heat source location (room layout) on the thermal environment generated in a double office room with four cooling ventilation systems - overhead ventilation, chilled ceiling with overhead ventilation, active chilled beam and active chilled beam with radiant panels was measured and compared. The room was furnished with two workstations, two laptops and two thermal manikins resembling occupants. Two heat load levels, design (65 W/m2) and usual (39 W/m2), were generated by adding heat from warm panels simulating solar radiation. Two set-ups were studied: occupants sitting by the windows, and near the opposite wall. The room air temperature of 26 oC was kept constant. Air temperature, globe (operative) temperature, manikin based equivalent temperature and air velocities were all measured. All systems performed equally well and managed to keep the required thermal environment.