Dataset for, "Freezing from the heat: Building overcooling in Qatar"

Data collection method:

2,472 responses from eight morphologically diverse office buildings (marked as A1 -- A3, B1 -- B5) in Doha Qatar are available. Four environmental parameters were collected for each building occupant using calibrated thermal environment measurement sensors that conform to ISO 7730. The air temperature (Ta) and the relative humidity (RH) were taken using the Swema HC2A-S air humidity probe, the mean radiant temperature (Tmrt) was taken using the Swema 05 767370 globe temperature sensor, and the air velocity (Av) was taken using the Swema 03 767360 anemometer. Spot readings of the environmental parameters were taken at the desk of each building occupants’ workplace. This was conducted for every participating building occupant in the entire study to connect occupant responses to their immediate thermal conditions. Using the standardized questions for thermal comfort found in ISO 7730, an anonymous questionnaire in both English and Arabic was used for the data collection. An explanation for the data collection procedures was given to all participating building occupants. The questionnaires were used for the collection of occupant-specific subjective thermal comfort metrics. The TSV and TPV on a continuous seven-point thermal scale were recorded directly from the building occupants. The TSV scale includes -3 cold, -2 cool, -1 slightly cool, 0 neutral, +1 slightly warm, +2 warm, and +3 hot which would indicate the thermal sensation the occupant experience in the spaces they occupy. The TPV scale includes -3 much warmer, -2 warmer, -1 slightly warmer cool, 0 no change, +1 slightly cooler, +2 cooler, and +3 much cooler which indicate the users’ preference of the thermal environment they occupy. Questions indicating if the occupants are “thermally comfortable” and if they feel “too cold” under the current indoor thermal condition were employed. Additionally, a question comparing the current office temperature to the typical home temperature for the occupants on a continuous seven-point thermal scale (warmer to cooler) was collected. The clothing insulation values (CLO) were evaluated from selections made by the occupant using a visual clothing aid depicting the ASHRAE index for non-western clothing ensembles. The cold discomfort percentage (CD) and hot discomfort percentage (HD) is calculated by combining aligned votes (e.g., TSV cold discomfort and TPV cold discomfort) for the range of indoor temperatures observed during the field visit. Hot discomfort is considered with a TSV of (+1, +3] and a “cooler” TPV and cold discomfort being considered with a TSV of [-3, -1) and “warmer” TPV. Both CD and HD are normalized against all temperatures and compared to illustrate the discomfort type and intensity observed throughout varying thermal conditions during the study as demonstrated in earlier research [37,38,43]. The results to all questions are examined alongside the recorded indoor temperatures to examine the buildings occupants’ attitudes and voting patterns towards thermal comfort in office buildings in Qatar.