Development of control systems for VRF indoor units responds to individual thermal preferences

Thermal distributions within indoor environments are heterogeneous, and thermal preferences are subjective. Therefore, creating an environment that is comfortable for each occupant remains a challenge. This study examined and verified a feedback method for the control system of a variable refrigerant flow (VRF) indoor unit, which responds to individual thermal preferences, by using a developed data-utilization platform. We also revealed that real-time thermal distribution visualization significantly improved subjects' thermal comfort/satisfaction and work productivity.