Periodic Reporting for period 1 - IndoorSTIMULI (Wellbeing, Health and Performance Promoted by Visual and Thermal Stimuli: Fenestration Design to Support People’s Indoor Environment Needs)
Reporting period: 2021-09-01 to 2023-08-31
Fenestration design plays a decisive role in how we will design and operate buildings in the future. Solar loads, daylight access, view out, and indoor thermal exposures are all affected by fenestration design. Indoor spaces with daylight and windows benefit occupants' health, mood, and performance. However, little is known about the effects of the interaction between visual stimuli from the window view, daylight, and the indoor thermal exposure and how such interactions can be reliably evaluated. This knowledge gap has motivated IndoorSTIMULI, with which we study the combined effect of these three parameters and their interaction and attempt to quantify their impacts on human responses.
The scientific objectives of this MSCA project were: 1) To identify whether there is an effect of spectral selective glazing on occupants’ thermoregulation and visual and thermal assessments; 2) To explore the combined effect of different urban window views, daylight spectral composition, and indoor temperature on the user's physiological response, subjective assessment and performance; 3) To explore differences in psychophysiological and subjective responses due to human diversity factors as gender and, 4) To suggest guidelines for the design of fenestration that optimize visual and thermal conditions for buildings with low energy use.
We examined two urban window views, three glazing properties, and two indoor temperatures. The experiments occurred in a real-life context where participants were exposed to different visual-thermal stimuli. Participants' skin temperature and heart rate variability were monitored through wearable devices, and their subjective assessments and task performance were collected through questionnaires and tests.
The scientific objectives of this MSCA project were: 1) To identify whether there is an effect of spectral selective glazing on occupants’ thermoregulation and visual and thermal assessments; 2) To explore the combined effect of different urban window views, daylight spectral composition, and indoor temperature on the user's physiological response, subjective assessment and performance; 3) To explore differences in psychophysiological and subjective responses due to human diversity factors as gender and, 4) To suggest guidelines for the design of fenestration that optimize visual and thermal conditions for buildings with low energy use.
We examined two urban window views, three glazing properties, and two indoor temperatures. The experiments occurred in a real-life context where participants were exposed to different visual-thermal stimuli. Participants' skin temperature and heart rate variability were monitored through wearable devices, and their subjective assessments and task performance were collected through questionnaires and tests.
IndoorSTIMULI activities were developed for two years (24 months). The activities were grouped into four work packages (WP).
Within WP1, activities related to the project management, implementation and development of the proposal were conducted. Ethical issues such as recruitment procedures, details on incidental findings, approval by ethics committee, data protection measures, and anonymization/pseudonymisation were addressed. A data management plan was delivered within the initial five months of the Action. WP1 also sought to endorse the development of a plan following FAIR principles and the H2020 policy on publication, as described in the Data Management Plan. Moreover, A career development plan presented the potential training activities at the host institution. An application for funding to conduct the experiments was submitted to and granted by COWI Fonden. The purpose of the grant was to acquire the resources to pay the salaries of the 48 participants and purchase additional equipment and materials needed to equip the rooms used as living labs.
WP2 comprised the experimental design, elaboration of the experimental protocol, and the participants' recruitment. The initial research plan was refined and adjusted to the time and resources available for the project. Recruitment activities, from advertisement, recruitment screening questionnaire, and individual interviews to check the suitability for the study of 48 participants, took one month. The selected rooms to conduct the experiments were also prepared during the summer of 2022. Heat pumps to control the indoor temperature were purchased and installed during this period. Window frames changed during the experimental sessions were built with the three selected glazing types. WP2 provided two-way training to the researcher through collaborative work with graduate students, supervision of one master’s dissertation, and participation in the host institution's fundraising, teaching, supervision, and research management courses.
WP3 contained the core research activities. The main objective of this WP was to collect the experimental data through a Living Lab campaign. The 144 experimental sessions were covered over 1.5 months. During this period, the Fellow trained two master students who helped with the experiments. The data collected comprised participants’ visual and thermal perception, task performance, skin temperature, and heart rate variability. Indoor environmental data included air and globe temperatures, air velocity, relative humidity, vertical and horizontal illuminance, correlated color temperature and light spectral composition, and CO2 concentration. The preliminary results indicate that the subjective thermal assessments did not differ significantly between the two assessed urban views; most participants were comfortable with natural light levels and judged an adequate horizontal illuminance of around 1000 lux; there was no significant difference in thermal perception based on the view; a preliminary model suggested that thermal sensation increased with higher operative temperature, vertical illuminance, and with a parking lot view, but significance was observed only for temperature.
Dissemination and communication were within WP4. The scientific outcome targeted international scientific journals and participation in peer-reviewed conferences. Activities conducted during the two years of the fellowship were presented at international conferences and symposiums like Build for Life Conference/ Daylight Symposium 2021, Comfort at the Extremes 2022, Light Symposium 2022, Nlited Summer School 2022, Daylight Award Ideation Workshop 2023, Daylight Academy Annual Meeting 2023, Healthy Buildings 2023. Two papers were published in Building & Environment and Energy & Buildings journals as open access and papers in conference proceedings. Currently, we are preparing two journal papers to present the results of the experiments.
Within WP1, activities related to the project management, implementation and development of the proposal were conducted. Ethical issues such as recruitment procedures, details on incidental findings, approval by ethics committee, data protection measures, and anonymization/pseudonymisation were addressed. A data management plan was delivered within the initial five months of the Action. WP1 also sought to endorse the development of a plan following FAIR principles and the H2020 policy on publication, as described in the Data Management Plan. Moreover, A career development plan presented the potential training activities at the host institution. An application for funding to conduct the experiments was submitted to and granted by COWI Fonden. The purpose of the grant was to acquire the resources to pay the salaries of the 48 participants and purchase additional equipment and materials needed to equip the rooms used as living labs.
WP2 comprised the experimental design, elaboration of the experimental protocol, and the participants' recruitment. The initial research plan was refined and adjusted to the time and resources available for the project. Recruitment activities, from advertisement, recruitment screening questionnaire, and individual interviews to check the suitability for the study of 48 participants, took one month. The selected rooms to conduct the experiments were also prepared during the summer of 2022. Heat pumps to control the indoor temperature were purchased and installed during this period. Window frames changed during the experimental sessions were built with the three selected glazing types. WP2 provided two-way training to the researcher through collaborative work with graduate students, supervision of one master’s dissertation, and participation in the host institution's fundraising, teaching, supervision, and research management courses.
WP3 contained the core research activities. The main objective of this WP was to collect the experimental data through a Living Lab campaign. The 144 experimental sessions were covered over 1.5 months. During this period, the Fellow trained two master students who helped with the experiments. The data collected comprised participants’ visual and thermal perception, task performance, skin temperature, and heart rate variability. Indoor environmental data included air and globe temperatures, air velocity, relative humidity, vertical and horizontal illuminance, correlated color temperature and light spectral composition, and CO2 concentration. The preliminary results indicate that the subjective thermal assessments did not differ significantly between the two assessed urban views; most participants were comfortable with natural light levels and judged an adequate horizontal illuminance of around 1000 lux; there was no significant difference in thermal perception based on the view; a preliminary model suggested that thermal sensation increased with higher operative temperature, vertical illuminance, and with a parking lot view, but significance was observed only for temperature.
Dissemination and communication were within WP4. The scientific outcome targeted international scientific journals and participation in peer-reviewed conferences. Activities conducted during the two years of the fellowship were presented at international conferences and symposiums like Build for Life Conference/ Daylight Symposium 2021, Comfort at the Extremes 2022, Light Symposium 2022, Nlited Summer School 2022, Daylight Award Ideation Workshop 2023, Daylight Academy Annual Meeting 2023, Healthy Buildings 2023. Two papers were published in Building & Environment and Energy & Buildings journals as open access and papers in conference proceedings. Currently, we are preparing two journal papers to present the results of the experiments.
This project enhances our knowledge of the interplay between visual and thermal factors in indoor spaces, particularly when natural light from windows is the light source. The study involved 48 participants and collected data on subjective assessments, task performance, skin temperature, and heart rate variability. This data will be shared to support collaborative databases and advance research involving human participants. Our partial findings suggest that, for low iron glazing, subjective thermal assessments were similar between two window views, with most participants comfortable with natural light levels. However, under cool conditions, thermal sensation was lower with tinted glazing compared to Low-E glazing. Nevertheless, the study also found that more participants were uncomfortable in warmer conditions. These results can contribute to a better understanding of the non-visual effects of light and temperature in office-like settings and may aid in improving thermal comfort and daylighting standards for more sustainable buildings.
This MSCA project has had a significant positive impact on the researcher's career, enhancing her potential and prospects. The scientific activities within the project have played a vital role in further developing the Fellow’s skills, particularly in conducting experiments in controlled and semi-controlled facilities. Additionally, the researcher's involvement in managing the project has sharpened her managerial abilities, which are crucial for leading research efforts. This newfound knowledge and skill set have empowered the researcher to plan and execute experimental research in the field of indoor environment confidently and independently.
This MSCA project has had a significant positive impact on the researcher's career, enhancing her potential and prospects. The scientific activities within the project have played a vital role in further developing the Fellow’s skills, particularly in conducting experiments in controlled and semi-controlled facilities. Additionally, the researcher's involvement in managing the project has sharpened her managerial abilities, which are crucial for leading research efforts. This newfound knowledge and skill set have empowered the researcher to plan and execute experimental research in the field of indoor environment confidently and independently.