An integrated comfort control with cooling, ventilation, and humidification systems for thermal comfort and low energy consumption

Over the past few decades, interest in issues related to the global environment and energy resources have increased in many industries, including the building sector which accounts for nearly 40% of the global energy consumption. Simultaneously, the demand for precise comfort control in buildings has increased because people have acquired a better quality of life and expect more from modern technology. In most cases, air-conditioning and ventilation systems have been installed in residential and commercial buildings. However, these systems can increase energy consumption requirements because of their lack of appropriate control. Such increases can be reduced by integrating the control of available sources of cooling, humidification, ventilation, lighting, and so on. An integrated comfort control strategy that integrates an air-conditioning, a humidifier, and a ventilation system by considering the outdoor environment is proposed for ensuring indoor thermal comfort and energy savings in buildings. The cont...