In the heart of Singapore’s tropical climate, a groundbreaking study led by Toby Cheung from the Kajima Technical Research Institute Singapore is challenging conventional wisdom about workplace design and energy consumption. The research, published in the journal *Indoor Environments* (translated as “室内环境”), explores the potential of semi-outdoor workspaces as a sustainable alternative to traditional air-conditioned offices, offering significant energy savings and high occupant satisfaction.
The study, conducted over two months during Singapore’s hottest season, measured physical environmental factors and gathered voluntary occupant surveys to assess thermal comfort in a semi-outdoor workspace designed to promote natural ventilation. Despite indoor temperatures averaging 30.4°C and relative humidity around 70%, the workspace maintained occupant comfort through elevated air speeds generated by ceiling fans. “At high fan speed settings, we observed a 68% thermal satisfaction rate among occupants, with only an 11% dissatisfaction rate,” Cheung noted. This finding is particularly noteworthy as it demonstrates that natural ventilation can achieve comparable thermal satisfaction to air-conditioned settings while reducing cooling energy consumption by approximately seven times.
The research also identified an optimal comfort zone between 25.0°C and 28.0°C, supporting at least 80% thermal acceptability across a range of environmental conditions. This finding has significant implications for the energy sector, as it suggests that well-designed semi-outdoor workspaces can substantially reduce energy consumption without compromising occupant comfort. “This longitudinal field study in a living testbed provides strong evidence that semi-outdoor workspaces can be a viable and sustainable alternative to traditional air-conditioned offices,” Cheung said.
The study’s findings could shape future developments in workplace design, particularly in tropical climates. By promoting natural ventilation and reducing reliance on air-conditioning, semi-outdoor workspaces can help mitigate the environmental impact of energy-intensive cooling systems. Moreover, the research highlights the importance of occupant feedback in designing comfortable and sustainable work environments.
As the world grapples with climate change and the need for sustainable solutions, this study offers a promising direction for the energy sector and workplace design. By embracing semi-outdoor workspaces, businesses can reduce their energy consumption, lower their carbon footprint, and create more comfortable and productive work environments for their employees. The research led by Cheung and his team at the Kajima Technical Research Institute Singapore is a significant step forward in this direction, providing valuable insights and practical recommendations for designing sustainable and resilient workplaces in the tropics.