Development of reference summer weather years for analysis of overheating risk in buildings

ABSTRACT

Overheating in buildings arising from climatic extreme heat events has been identified as a health concern to vulnerable occupants. However, there have been very limited studies to generate suitable weather data to evaluate by simulation the overheating risk and its effect on the comfort and health of occupants. This paper develops a methodology to identify reference summer weather years (RSWY) for overheating risk analysis. The methodology includes generation of historical climate data, and development of a heat stress metric for the definition and characterization of heat events. The Standard Effective Temperature was selected among a short list of popular metrics, modified and named t-SET to account for transient heat events, activity levels of occupants, and thermoregulatory controls of sleeping subjects. The t-SET model predictions compared well with measured body temperatures of subjects undergoing multi-stage activities under hot conditions. The t-SET index was used to generate RSWY for selected Canadian cities.

KEYWORDS:

• Extreme summer weather year
• overheating
• weather data
• climate change
• heat wave
• building simulation

Acknowledgement

This work was carried out by the National Research Council Canada with funding from Infrastructure Canada in support of the Pan-Canadian Framework on Clean Growth and Climate Change. The authors are very thankful for their support.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was carried out by the National Research Council Canada with funding from Infrastructure Canada in support of the Pan-Canadian Framework on Clean Growth and Climate Change.