An evaluation of thermal comfort conditions and energy consumption of the shopping malls

Nowadays, shopping malls are commonly preferred by individuals for shopping needs as well as social needs. These places where people feel safe in themselves designs to meet spiritual needs. Shopping malls are composed of many units such as cinemas, entertainment places, eating and drinking areas and stores. Many people spend their time in shopping centers to meet their social needs and they stay for a long time in these places. Therefore, it is inevitable that many people feel comfortable in these places. For this reason, in the design of shopping malls, it is necessary to provide comfort conditions such as auditory comfort, visual comfort and thermal comfort. Designing according to comfort conditions, allows people to choosing these places and can lead to positive results to enterprises by providing them to spend more time. If these spaces where energy consumption and population intensity are changing hourly are designed compliant with comfort conditions, these spaces can be often preferred by people. Within comfort conditions, the importance of efficient use of energy should also be emphasized. It is necessary to designs that can solve the problems such as increase in consumption of energy resources, increase in CO2 emission, environmental pollution, global warming, and ecosystem deterioration. Two shopping malls with different heating-cooling and ventilation systems have been selected, where one of the shopping mall has the BREEAM certificate. They are in Istanbul which climate is classified as a temperate humid climate. The aim of this study is to measure and evaluate indoor environment conditions of these selected shopping malls in terms of thermal comfort. In the same concept, the clothing store belonging to the same brand in the specified shopping malls was selected as a study area for the evaluation of thermal comfort conditions. Other work areas were determined as circulation areas in these shopping malls. Measurements and surveys were carried out at selected places. The effects of thermal comfort were assessed by taking into account the field work, population density and energy consumption data from shopping malls. The study consists of five main sections. In the first chapter, introduction section is included with subtitles which is the literature summary, thesis purpose and hypothesis. This section describes the studies related to shopping malls, thermal comfort and energy consumption and the relation with the thesis. In the second chapter, under the heading of shopping and sustainability concepts, the history and classification of shopping malls are included. Under the concepts of energy efficiency and sustainability, standards and systems are included. In the third chapter, thermal comfort and energy efficiency are addressed in shopping malls. Thermal comfort conditions and thermal comfort requirements in shopping malls are mentioned according to the standards. The concepts of energy efficiency are mentioned in providing thermal comfort. In the fourth chapter, evaluation of thermal comfort and energy consumption were carried out by taking measurement and survey studies in sample shopping malls and population density and energy consumption data. In the fifth chapter, the results from field studies and obtained from shopping malls were finally reached and suggestions were presented. Keywords: Shopping Malls, Thermal Comfort, Energy Efficiency, PMV-PPD