Thermal Comfort Assessment Modeling of Buildings in Erbil Using Two Indices: (PMV and UTCI)

Abstract

The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) defines comfort as the state of satisfaction with the surrounding thermal environment. Thermal comfort outdoors follows two models: the steady-state model, influenced by the local urban climate, and the adaptive model, based on human adaptation to climatic conditions. To analyze thermal comfort in Erbil, field measurements were conducted on selected buildings representing the BSh climate based on the Köppen classification. Data collection covered ten locations, measuring temperature (average, maximum, and minimum), relative humidity, and wind speed outside buildings, while inside, temperature and relative humidity were recorded. Using BTMETER devices, observations were conducted in winter (January 4–10, 2023) and summer (July 4–10, 2023) at 6:00 AM and 1:00 PM. Buildings were selected based on geographical orientation and architectural diversity. Thermal comfort was simulated using PMV and UTCI indicators in Rhino/Grasshopper software. Results indicated seasonal variations in thermal comfort. The PMV index showed warm conditions in summer and slightly cool conditions in winter, while the UTCI index suggested strong heat stress in summer and mild cold stress in winter. These findings highlight the impact of urban climate on thermal comfort, emphasizing the importance of considering climatic factors in building design.