Sangker Tadi

The purposes of this article is to explore knowledge of outdoor thermal comfort in humid tropical environment for urban activities especially for people in walking activity, and those who stationary/seated with moderate action. It will be characterized the pair influence of wind speed and radiant temperature on the outdoor thermal comfort. Many of researchers stated that those two microclimate variables give significant role on outdoor thermal comfort in tropical humid area. Outdoor Tropical Comfort (OTC) model was used for simulation in this study. The model output is comfort scale that refers on ASHRAE definition. The model consists of two regression equations with variables of air temperature, globe temperature, wind speed, humidity and body posture, for two types of activity: walking and seated. From the results it can be stated that there is significant role of wind speed to reduce mean radiant temperature and globe temperature, when the velocity is elevated from 0.5 m/s to 2 m/s. However, the wind has not play significant role when the speed is changed from 2 m/s to 3.5 m/s. The results of the study may inspire us to implement effectiveness of electrical-fan equipment for outdoor space in order to get optimum wind speed, coupled with optimum design of shading devices to minimize radiant temperature for thermal comfort.

ABSTRACT: The built form of the traditional Indonesian house is considered to be a prime example of environmental design response to regional climate conditions. Recently, in general, modern small/medium housing types in Indonesia has not followed the same design principles. In comparison with their traditional counterparts, they are of a relatively heavyweight construction; they often suffer from low levels of natural ventilation. The indoor environmental conditions of the modern houses are, generally considered thermally unsatisfactory. This study is concerning thermal sensation evaluation for both, traditional types and modern style of housing in Indonesia. The ten traditional houses of Minahasa (North Sulawesi Province) and the ten modern style houses have been taken as house samples. 60 adults who were living in these houses have been taken as subject samples. Comparisons of thermal sensation response from the residents of these two types of housing may allow us in giving recommendations of housing construction quality and policy. The methods used in this research are numerical simulation (calculation of building heat transfer and thermal comfort) and field studies (questionnaires for thermal sensation and thermal environment measurement). Some of the results show that the respondents may feel thermally comfortable in an enclosure environment with a low air velocity where air temperature is in maximum of 29°C, with air humidity is about 60 %. By simulation, these climatic environments give a slightly uncomfortable condition, where the DISC scales are about 1 to 1.5. Therefore, there is a different about 1 scale between theoretical approach and field observation. 

Keywords: Traditional Architecture, Tropical Humid, Thermal Comfort