Trial / Demo
Putting occupant comfort at the centre of Passive House design
Read Jones Cristoffersen Engineers (RJC) is the building energy consultant for the West Richmond Pavilion in the City of Richmond, British Columbia and is responsible for both NECB 2020 compliance modeling and Passive House design modeling. This design-stage project applies rigorous envelope design, airtightness, and mechanical efficiency approaches to support the City’s broader goals for low-carbon, high-performance civic infrastructure, aligned with OCP High Performance Buildings and CEEP 2050 objectives.
IESVE within the design process
While PHPP is being used as the required tool for Passive House certification, IESVE has provided a complementary dynamic simulation environment enabling detailed analysis of expected building performance under operational conditions. PHPP assesses overheating based on air temperature for passively cooled conditions but has limitations in capturing dynamic comfort behaviour. IESVE has therefore been used to carry out an ASHRAE 55-based dynamic thermal comfort assessment, supporting a more detailed evaluation of expected occupant comfort under varying operational and climatic conditions.
Creating a balance across changing seasons
The building's extensive glazing is a key design challenge, particularly with respect to managing overheating risk and local thermal discomfort from large east- and west-facing façades. The selection of glazing with higher solar heat gain coefficients to reduce winter heating demand introduces additional summer overheating considerations, requiring a balance between winter heat retention and summer comfort requirements.
IESVE enables detailed hourly dynamic simulations incorporating location, solar exposure, and shading. The model supports analysis of surface temperatures, Mean Radiant Temperature, and operative temperatures to better understand occupant comfort. The ASHRAE 55 Comfort Analysis allows evaluation of PMV and PPD to identify potential periods of thermal discomfort and assess mitigation strategies within the design.
Integrated simulation for a complex build
Apache defines inputs such as occupancy schedules, internal heat gains, domestic hot water loads, infiltration rates, and thermostat setpoints, representing expected building operation. ApacheHVAC models mechanical system configurations, control strategies, and performance characteristics. VistaPro provides detailed outputs including heating and cooling loads, energy consumption, and indoor temperatures, supporting evaluation of peak conditions and seasonal performance during design.
Supporting high-performance civic building design
The West Richmond Pavilion project illustrates how Passive House targets and dynamic comfort analysis can be integrated during the design process. Through simulation-based assessment, the project aims to support informed decision-making that considers both energy performance and occupant comfort.
IESVE provides analytical tools to quantify comfort, identify potential design issues early, and support decisions that consider occupant experience alongside energy efficiency.
“At RJC, the team believes that human comfort should be at the centre of building design, alongside energy efficiency, durability, and resilience. Tools such as IESVE support quantifying comfort, identifying potential issues early in the design process, and informing decisions that contribute to healthier, more comfortable, and higher-performing buildings.”
Parvin Asadi, Project Engineer, Read Jones Christoffersen Ltd.
