Assessment of the impact of HVAC system configuration and control zoning on thermal comfort and energy efficiency in flexible office spaces

In office buildings, the space layout usually needs to be repeatedly redesigned in order to meet tenants’ requirements during the building's life cycle. In this study, the effect of a flexible space layout design on thermal comfort and energy demand is investigated in a modern open-plan office space. Using dynamic thermal simulation, the applicability of three different HVAC systems (mechanical ventilation, radiant ceiling and a thermally-active building system) combined with four control zoning strategies are assessed. Finding a robust solution for each configuration and control strategy can support design decisions during the design planning or interior renovation phase. The main objective is to enable a flexible space layout design during the complete building life cycle without compromising on thermal comfort or energy efficiency. The results show that radiant ceilings and thermally-active building systems are promising solutions for flexible office spaces in the location of Stuttgart, whereas mechanical ventilation systems require a more complex control strategy to ensure thermal comfort. Connecting the field of building controls with parametric building modeling enables flexible space layout designs to be assessed with different HVAC systems.