Optimizing and predicting occupant thermal comfort in indoor office environment: The role of desk fan air velocity
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
8-15-2025
Abstract
Achieving optimal comfort in office environments while reducing energy demands remains a critical challenge, particularly in hot and humid climates. This study investigates the role of desk fan air velocity as a localized cooling strategy in office buildings and explores its integration with physiological response monitoring and machine learning models to support occupant-centric thermal prediction. A controlled human-subject experiment was conducted with 21 participants exposed to nine combination of air temperature (18.3 to 26.7°C or 65 to 80°F) and air velocity (0.0, 0.5, and 1.0 m/s). Subjective thermal sensation, satisfaction, and acceptance were collected along with physiological data, including Heart Rate (HR), Skin Temperature (TEMP), Electrodermal Activity (EDA), and Blood Volume Pulse (BVP). Results indicate that moderate desk fan air velocity (0.5 m/s) enables an increase in the cooling setpoint temperature from 22.2°C (72°F) to 25.6°C (78°F) without compromising comfort. Hierarchical clustering revealed distinct thermal comfort profiles, highlighting individual variability. Predictive models using Support Vector Machines (SVM) and Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) were developed to classify thermal comfort based on physiological data, achieving high classification accuracy under 10-fold cross-validation. This study uniquely integrates wearable-based physiological sensing with machine learning to support real-time thermal comfort prediction, offering a pathway toward personalized environmental control. The findings provide empirical support for combining localized air movement with elevated temperature setpoints, contributing to energy-efficient Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) operations.
Publication Source (Journal or Book title)
Building and Environment
Recommended Citation
Norouziasl, S., Islam, M., Jafari, A., Bhattacharya, A., & Zhu, Y. (2025). Optimizing and predicting occupant thermal comfort in indoor office environment: The role of desk fan air velocity. Building and Environment, 282 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.buildenv.2025.113241