Evaluation of Overheating Risk in a Danish Primary School Classroom During Normal Summer and Heatwave Conditions Using Adult and Children-Adjusted Adaptive Comfort Models
Author
Sever, Sven
Term
4. Term
Education
Publication year
2026
Submitted on
2026-01-06
Abstract
Denne afhandling undersøger risikoen for overophedning i et repræsentativt dansk folkeskoleklasselokale under både en normal sommer og et fremtidigt hedebølgescenarie. Baggrunden er, at hyppigere og mere intense hedebølger udfordrer bygningers robusthed og indeklima, samtidig med at gældende komfortstandarder primært er udviklet for raske voksne. Formålet er at sammenligne en adaptiv termisk komfortmodel for voksne med en børne-tilpasset adaptiv komfortmodel og at vurdere, hvor effektive typiske renoveringstiltag er mod overophedning. Metoden bygger på bygningssimuleringer i BSim, hvor overophedning er vurderet med TM52-kriterierne for både normal sommer og hedebølge. Følgende tiltag og kombinationer er analyseret: forbedret klimaskærm, solafskærmning og natkøling. Resultaterne viser, at komfortmodellen for voksne konsekvent undervurderer det termiske ubehag, som børn oplever. Desuden øger en forbedret klimaskærm alene overophedningen, mens kombinationen af solafskærmning og natkøling er mest effektiv til at reducere overophedning. Studiet peger på, at børns termiske behov bør indgå i vurderinger og at passive strategier, særligt skygning kombineret med natkøling, er centrale for at styrke skolers modstandsdygtighed i varmere somre og under hedebølger.
This thesis evaluates overheating risk in a representative Danish primary school classroom during both a normal summer and a future heatwave scenario. The motivation is that increasingly frequent and intense heatwaves threaten indoor environmental quality, while current comfort standards are primarily based on healthy adults. The study compares an adaptive thermal comfort model for adults with a children-adjusted adaptive model and assesses the effectiveness of common renovation strategies against overheating. The methodology relies on building performance simulations in BSim, with overheating assessed using the TM52 criteria for both weather conditions. The following measures and their combinations are examined: improved building envelope, solar shading, and night cooling. Findings indicate that the adult comfort model consistently underestimates the level of thermal discomfort experienced by children. Moreover, upgrading the envelope alone increases overheating, while combining shading and night cooling is the most effective strategy for reducing overheating. The results underscore the need to account for children’s thermal needs and to prioritize passive measures—especially shading coupled with night cooling—to improve school resilience in warmer summers and during heatwaves.
[This abstract was generated with the help of AI]
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