The goal of this ontology is to assist occupants to improve indoor environmental quality (IEQ) and minimize energy use in a small room. This process considers components of the room that can change environmental conditions or allow the outdoor environment to affect the indoor environment, as well as sensors to record various environment attributes, and the occupants' comfort ranges.
Copyright (c) 2023 Gabriel Jacoby-Cooper, Jihoon Chung, and Kelsey Rook
Concepts of visual comfort and acoustic comfort were added; Individuals for competency question 6 and 8 were updated
"Air conditioning", ASHRAE Terminology, 2022. [Online] Available: https://terminology.ashrae.org/?term=air+conditioning
equipment, distribution systems, and terminals that controlits temperature, humidity, cleanliness, and distribution in a building in order to meet the requirements of a conditioned space
Air Quality Index (AQI) Basics, AirNow.gov, 2022. [Online]. Available: https://www.airnow.gov/aqi/aqi-basics/
Six categories of air quality index. that corresponds to a different level of health concern
Good, Moderate, Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups, Unhealthy, Very Unhealthy, Hazardous
Air quality is satisfactory, and air pollution poses little or no risk.
Health warning of emergency conditions: everyone is more likely to be affected.
Air quality is acceptable. However, there may be a risk for some people, particularly those who are unusually sensitive to air pollution.
Some members of the general public may experience health effects; members of sensitive groups may experience more serious health effects.
air quality level unhealthy for sensitive groups
Members of sensitive groups may experience health effects. The general public is less likely to be affected.
Health alert: The risk of health effects is increased for everyone.
"Closed," Merriam-Webster.com, 2022. [Online]. Available: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/closed
the state of an object in a room that can be used to alter relevant indoor environment quality parameters
a collection of indoor environmental parameters before environmental attributes affect the indoor environment
"Dehumidifier", ASHRAE Terminology, 2022. [Online] Available: https://terminology.ashrae.org/?term=dehumidifier
an air cooler or an absorption or adsorption device used for lowering moisture content
any environment that happens to be defined in terms of effectiveness with respect to some other environment
Ideal Indoor Environment, Outdoor Environment, Resultant Indoor Environment
"Environment", ASHRAE Terminology, 2022. [Online] Available: https://terminology.ashrae.org/?term=environment
all of the elements over which a designer has no control and that affect a system and its input or output
Delta Defined Environment, Indoor Environment, Outdoor Environment
J. Xie, H. Li, C. Li, J. Zhang, and M. Luo, 'Review on occupant-centric thermal comfort sensing, predicting, and controlling,' Energy and Buildings, vol. 226, p. 110392, 2020.
"Fan," Merriam-Webster.com, 2022. [Online]. Available: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fan
piece of equipment that can increase air speed
"female," Merriam-Webster.com, 2022. [Online]. Available: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/female
having a gender identity that is the opposite of male
heating, ventilation, and air conditioning equipment
"HVAC system", ASHRAE Terminology, 2022. [Online] Available: https://xp20.ashrae.org/terminology/index.php?term=hvac&submit=Search
the equipment, distribution systems, and terminals that provide, either collectively or individually, the processes of heating, ventilating, or air conditioning to a building or portion of a building
a collection of indoor environmental parameters that represent the target towards which actions should make progress
all of the indoor elements over which a designer has no control and that affect a system and its input or output
Current Indoor Environment, Ideal Indoor Environment, Resultant Indoor Environment
D. Heinzerling, S. Schiavon, T. Webster, and E. Arens, 'Indoor Environmental Quality Assessment models: A literature review and a proposed weighting and classification scheme,' Building and Environment, vol. 70, pp. 210 to 222, 2013.
"Lighting," Designing Buildings: The Construction Wiki, 2022. [Online]. Available: https://www.designingbuildings.co.uk/wiki/Lighting
Equipment with the primary purpose of providing light
"male," Merriam-Webster.com, 2022. [Online]. Available: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/male
having a gender identity that is the opposite of female
"negative," Merriam-Webster.com, 2022. [Online]. Available: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/negative
less than zero and opposite in sign to a positive
room component that does not consume energy
occupant
D. Heinzerling, S. Schiavon, T. Webster, and E. Arens, 'Indoor Environmental Quality Assessment models: A literature review and a proposed weighting and classification scheme,' Building and Environment, vol. 70, pp. 210 to 222, 2013. P. Antoniadou and A. M. Papadopoulos, 'Occupants' thermal comfort: State of the art and the prospects of personalized assessment in office buildings,' Energy and Buildings, vol. 153, pp. 136 to 149, 2017. J. Xie, H. Li, C. Li, J. Zhang, and M. Luo, 'Review on occupant-centric thermal comfort sensing, predicting, and controlling,' Energy and Buildings, vol. 226, p. 110392, 2020.
'Occupant,' Legal Information Institute. [Online]. Available: https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/occupant. [Accessed: 22 Sep 2022].
someone that resides or is present in or using a building, vehicle, seat, place, etc., at a given time
"sex," Merriam-Webster.com, 2022. [Online]. Available: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sex
the occupant's state of being male or female
"off," Merriam-Webster.com, 2022. [Online]. Available: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/off
condition of not currently being powered
"on," Merriam-Webster.com, 2022. [Online]. Available: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/on
condition of being currently in operation
"Open," Merriam-Webster.com, 2022. [Online]. Available: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/open
being in a position or adjustment to permit passage
An action to change the state of the room component connected to outdoor environment, in order to alter relevant indoor environment quality parameters
all of the outdoor elements over which a designer has no control and that affect a system and its input or output
"positive," Merriam-Webster.com, 2022. [Online]. Available: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/positive
"Radiator," Merriam-Webster.com, 2022. [Online]. Available: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/radiator
equipment that can raise the indoor temperature by transferring heat from an internal system into a room
a collection of indoor environmental parameters after environmental attributes affect the indoor environment
"Room," Merriam-Webster.com, 2022. [Online]. Available: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/room
region in a building in which occupant comfort and measurements apply
a constituent part of a room that can be used to alter relevant IEQ parameters
Window, WindowBlinds, Dehumidifier, Fan, HVAC Equipment, Space Heater, Air Conditioning, Radiator, Thermostat
"Component," Merriam-Webster.com, 2022. [Online]. Available: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/component
An action to change the state of the room component to alter relevant indoor environment quality parameters
"Sign," Merriam-Webster.com, 2022. [Online]. Available: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sign
a fundamental linguistic unit that designates an object or relation or has a purely syntactic function
"Space heater," Merriam-Webster.com, 2022. [Online]. Available: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/radiator
portable appliance that can raise the indoor temperature by heating the air around it
"Thermostat," Merriam-Webster.com, 2022. [Online]. Available: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/thermostat
heating, ventilation, and air conditioning equipment that can control air conditioning
numeric value at which the thermostat is set
"Window," Merriam-Webster.com, 2022. [Online]. Available: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/window
room component that can optionally let air flow between inside and outside regions
"blind," Merriam-Webster.com, 2022. [Online]. Available: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/blind
An action to open or close the window to alter relevant indoor environment quality parameters
determines the state of the room component
"Control," Merriam-Webster.com, 2022. [Online]. Available: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/control
to exercise restraining or directing influence over
specifies an actual literal (explicit) values of an occupant's activity level
specifies an actual literal (explicit) values of an occupant's age
indicates the category of air quality index to represents the level of danger to human health
specifies an actual literal (explicit) values of air quality index
indicates a lower bound of a range where an occupant feel comfortable for air speed in an indoor circumstance
indicates an upper bound of a range where an occupant feel comfortable for air speed in an indoor circumstance
indicates how attributes affects the air speed in a positive or negative way
specifies an actual literal (explicit) values of air speed
has air temperature comfort range lower bound
indicates a lower bound of a range where an occupant feel comfortable for air temperature in an indoor circumstance
has air temperature comfort range upper bound
indicates an upper bound of a range where an occupant feel comfortable for air temperature in an indoor circumstance
indicates how attributes affects the air temperature in a positive or negative way
specifies an actual literal (explicit) values of ambient temperature
"attribute," Merriam-Webster.com, 2022. [Online]. Available: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/attribute
has a quality, character, or characteristic ascribed to someone or something
indicates what actions are available for a room component
specifies an actual literal (explicit) values of an occupant's clothing insulation
indicates bounds of a range where an occupant feel comfortable in an indoor circumstance
indicates a lower bound of a range where an occupant feel comfortable in an indoor circumstance
indicates an upper bound of a range where an occupant feel comfortable in an indoor circumstance
indicates the current environmental condition that consists of indoor environmental parameters
specifies an actual literal (explicit) values of daylight intensity
indicates the category of the detected air quality index to represents the level of danger to human health
indicates the environmental condition that consists of indoor and outdoor environmental parameters
specifies an actual literal (explicit) values of environmental attributes
specifies an actual literal (explicit) values of an occupant's height
indicates the category of the inferred air quality index to represents the level of danger to human health
has luminosity comfort range lower bound
indicates a lower bound of a range in which an occupant feels comfortable for luminosity in an indoor environment
has luminosity comfort range upper bound
indicates an upper bound of a range in which an occupant feels comfortable for luminosity in an indoor environment
indicates how attributes affects the luminosity in a positive or negative way
specifies an actual literal (explicit) values of indoor luminosity
specifies an actual literal (explicit) values of an occupant's metabolic rate
'Occupant,' Legal Information Institute. [Online]. Available: https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/occupant. [Accessed: 22-Sep-2022].
has as one who resides in, or has as one's place of business
specifies an actual literal (explicit) values of occupant attributes
"outside," Merriam-Webster.com, 2022. [Online]. Available: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/outside
is physically adjacent to across the bounds of an interior space
has the ability to be in some condition at a point in time
has relative humidity comfort range lower bound
indicates a lower bound of a range where an occupant feel comfortable for relative humidity in an indoor circumstance
has relative humidity comfort range upper bound
indicates how attributes affects the relative humidity in a positive or negative way
specifies an actual literal (explicit) values of relative humidity
indicates how attributes affects the environment in a positive or negative way
has sound pressure comfort range lower bound
indicates a lower bound of a range in which an occupant feels comfortable for sound pressure in an indoor environment
has sound pressure comfort range upper bound
indicates an upper bound of a range in which an occupant feels comfortable for sound pressure in an indoor environment
indicates how attributes affects the sound pressure in a positive or negative way
specifies an actual literal (explicit) values of sound pressure
specifies an actual literal (explicit) values of an occupant's weight
indicates components that directly interface with outdoor environments
This property directly relates components with outdoor environments, chaining through the individual of which the subject of this property is a component.
This property contributes to the inference that for certain room component actions, the resultant indoor environment must have the same value for a particular environment metric as the relevant outdoor environment.
indicates the object that has the category of air quality index
"attribute," Merriam-Webster.com, 2022. [Online]. Available: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/attributec
is a quality, character, or characteristic affecting to
indicates what room components have the available actions
"better," Merriam-Webster.com, 2022. [Online]. Available: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/better
has a greater qualitative or quantitative value than
is exercised of restraining or directing influence by
indicates the object that has the category of the detected air quality index
indicates the object that has the category of the inferred air quality index
is physically adjacent to beyond the bounds of an interior space
can be the condition of a given object at some point in time
"produce," Merriam-Webster.com, 2022. [Online]. Available: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/produce
is caused to change environmental parameters by outdoor environment
"State," Merriam-Webster.com, 2022. [Online]. Available: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/state
"occupy," Merriam-Webster.com, 2022. [Online]. Available: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/occupy
causes to change environmental parameters with outdoor environment
"day," Merriam-Webster.com, 2022. [Online]. Available: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/day
provides a quantitative value for an environmental factor
specifies the quantity value that is the lower value of a pair of values representing a range
"numerical value," Merriam-Webster.com, 2022. [Online]. Available: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/numerical%20value
provides a quantitative value for something, with or without a language tag
specifies the quantity value that is the higher value of a pair of values representing a range