THERMAL ZONING PRINCIPLE FOR ENERGY EFFICIENCY IN THE DESIGN OF INDOOR FITNESS AND SPORT CENTRE, WARRI NIGERIA

📄 Project Abstract

The four major building orientations, North, South, East, and West, receive different heat gains causing different indoor temperature and cooling demand within spaces. In fitness and sport centres, the different spaces have differing thermal requirements for occupants' comfort, where fitness activities require low air temperature, and sauna/spa/pool activities require higher temperatures. Air conditioning and ventilation account for highest amount (42%) of energy usage within fitness and sport centres and this significant energy usage can be reduced by thermally zoning the different spaces within the centres. Thermal zoning involves coordinating and placing spaces based on a buildings natural susceptibility to heat gain and thermal requirements of spaces. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of thermal zoning on cooling energy consumption within fitness and sport centres in warm humid region of Nigeria. Three different fitness and sport complexes namely University of Benin I...