Climatic responsive design and occupant comfort : the case of the atrium building in a Mediterranean climate

Atria, particularly those enclosed by glass, have become popular features of many
buildings in recent years. Due to the large amount of glazing, they are characterised by
complex thermal processes and by levels of interaction with the ambient climate more
intense than other types of buildings. Both the thermal processes and the local climate,
place additional complexity for the designer of an atrium building.
So far, research concerning atrium buildings and glazed spaces has focused on
their energy performance and their potential contribution in minimizing cooling and heating
loads of the adjacent buildings. The current research additionally concentrates on the need
to achieve acceptable indoor thermal conditions, basic condition for environmental control
of a space. However, the knowledge concerning occupant expectations and preferences in
atrium buildings is limited, especially regarding warm to hot climates i. e. the Mediterranean
climate.
The research comprises the study of factors influencing temperature in glazed
atrium spaces in Mediterranean climate and the conditions that result in relation to
occupant comfort. The investigation involved:
- literature review on atrium architectural forms and thermal processes;
- observations of atrium buildings in the specific climatic context;
- thorough analysis of the climate and climatic responsive design strategies;
- occupant comfort surveys;
- in situ physical measurements of a case study building in Greece during the peak
seasons (winter and summer);
empirical validation of the software.
The results from the occupant comfort survey established the adaptability of the
users to a wider range of thermal conditions in atrium buildings. The in situ physical
measurements provided useful information on the building's performance. These results
and the background research constituted a valuable input for the parametric study from
which recommendations of design criteria for optimal atrium design in the Mediterranean
climate were derived.
The main conclusion of the research is that understanding the climatic attributes of
a specific location, and the occupants' expectations, together with the selection of
appropriate design parameters, leads to the design of a comfortable and efficient
environment. The results of the study are applicable to designers at the conceptual stage
as well as to cases of retrofitting.