Peizheng Ma^1,, Lin-Shu Wang¹, Nianhua Guo²

Thermal Homeostasis in Buildings (THiB) is a new concept consisting of two steps: thermal autonomy (architectural homeostasis) and thermal homeostasis (mechanical homeostasis). The first step is based on the architectural requirement of a building’s envelope and its thermal mass, while the second one is based on the engineering requirement of hydronic equipment. Previous studies of homeostatic building were limited to a TABS-equipped single room in a commercial building. Here we investigate the possibility of thermal homeostasis in a small TABS-equipped building, and focus on the possibility of natural summer cooling in Paso Robles, CA, by using cooling tower alone. By showing the viability of natural cooling in one special case, albeit a case in one of the most favorable locations climatically, a case is made that the use of cooling tower in thermally homeostatic buildings should not be overlooked for general application in wider regions of other climatic zones.

thermally homeostatic building, building design, building energy modeling, TABS, cooling tower, hydronic radiant cooling, small commercial building