Modeling the comfort effects of short-wave solar radiation indoors

Exposure to sunlight indoors produces a substantial effect on an occupant's comfort and on the air conditioning energy needed to correct for it, yet has in the past not been considered in design or in thermal comfort standards. A public online model of the effects of solar radiation on human heat gain and comfort has been developed to make this possible. SolarCal is a whole-body model for ease of use in early design. Its predictions compare closely (<0.1 PMV mean absolute error) to results of a human subject test. It can be used to determine the allowable transmittance of fenestration in a perimeter office.