Environmental Research Laboratory●Outline
In The Environmental Research Laboratory, research on resource
conservation, energy conservation and improvement of health and safety inbuildings has been carried out.
Specialized experimental facilities and equipment needed for theexperiments related to the architectural environment engineering shown in
the following are featured.
Physical phenomena related to heat, moisture and light.
Test and evaluation of building materials, parts and construction.
Study of physiological and psychological influence of indoor environment
on occupants and required condition of indoor environment.
Research results are adopted to energy conservation standard of Japan,
JIS and ISO as technical proofs. Also, those results are published and spread
as a design guideline relating to energy saving house.
Main facilities and devices:
1. Artificial Sky Laboratory: for the research on the effects of daylighting
by the windows.
2. Indoor Environment Simulator: for the research on the complexed
effects of thermal, aerial, acoustic, and luminary condition.
3. Solar Radiation Simulator: for the measurement of solar heat gain
coefficient of windows.
4. Test Chamber for Measurement of Heat Transfer Coefficient: for theperformance test of building thermal insulation.
5. Performance Test Facility for Ventilation System: for the study ofbuilding ventilation characteristics.
6. Test Chambers for Air Conditioning System; for the study ofmechanical and physical characteristics of air conditioning system.

7. Experimental Facility to Verify Indoor Environment: for thecomprehensive analysis of the building indoor environment.
1. Artificial Sky Laboratory
Daylighting by the windows in indoor environment is the importantfactor for occupants' visual comfort and lighting energy saving.
Daylight under the actual sky always changes by the weather and thetime. Therefore, the experimental laboratory which can reproduce the stablebrightness of the sky almost close to the brightness level of the actual sky, isnecessary to clarify the relation among visual comfort, energy-saving effectand daylighting technique in the indoor environment.
This Artificial Sky Laboratory is made of semitransparent acrylic
hemisphere (7m diameter) dome and many artificial luminaires installed in
the back of the dome, and can simulate the various sky conditions artificiallyon behalf of the actual sky. The brightness level of the sky is optionallychangeable by the controller. The subjective experiments using scale models
in the properties of various windows and interiors are carried out under thestable artificial sky dome.

Subjective experiment using scale model under the artificial sky

2. Indoor Environment Simulator
Indoor environmental factors which influence the occupants’ comfort are
mainly categorized into “Thermal environment”, “Air environment”,“Acoustic environment” and “Light and Visual environment”.
To study each category in general, the specialized laboratories are

designed for each of them respectively. But this Indoor Environment
Simulator is able to control these environmental factors simultaneously forthe study on the occupants’ comfort by synthetic indoor environment.
This simulator has two rooms, which can control temperature andhumidity, artificial light, and sound independently. Moreover, these rooms
are able to project the landscape images to the outside screen of the window,
and to change the height of the ceiling from the range of 2m to 4m,

3. Solar Radiation Simulator
This simulator is a device to measuresolar heat gain coefficient of windows
including effects of window frames andsolar shading devices used by simulated
solar radiation by xenon lamps.
The measurement method for solar
heat gain coefficient of windows which
was developed by using this simulator
was enacted by JIS in April of 2014.
Besides, the method is currently being
modified for ISO.

4. Test Chamber for Measurement of Heat Transfer CoefficientThis test chamber consists of two chambers that can be adjusted todifferent temperatures and humidity. Effects of material combination andconstruction technique are measured and studied by wall or opening madefrom actual materials installed between the chambers.
As thermal insulation and airtightness level has been increasing recently,
additional devices for experiments of solar radiation and moisture transfer
was installed to the chamber in order to study mechanism and preventive
measures of concealed condensation.

5. Performance Test Facility forVentilation System
Experimentsofnaturalventilationandmechanicalventilation in order to develop
practical design method areconducted in this facility.
Two-story experimental housewith some types of ventilation
system is installed in artificial
climate chamber. The ventilation
characteristics inside the housecan be observed with highaccuracy.
High-performance residential ventilation system considering easy
construction and cost performance has been developed based on the researchresults.
6. Test Chambers for Air Conditioning System
Multi air-conditioner for buildings is mostly installed in office buildings.
However, there is a lack of sufficient information about practical running
performance of the air-conditioner.
This Test Chambers are composed of a chamber for outdoor unit whereair temperature and humidity can be controlled arbitrarily, and 3 chambers
for indoor unit where heat and moisture emission rate can be controlled
respectively. Thus, the system performance can be measured under theactual usage condition.

7. Experimental Facility to Verify Indoor Environment
Thermal environment and light environment, which is formed by theimpact of items shown below will be analyzed comprehensively in thisfacility assumed as a business building office.
outer shell: thermal insulation, solar radiation control, etc.
equipments: air conditioning system, lighting system, etc.
occupant behavior: air conditioning system, lighting system, etc.
Energy consumption and spatial distribution of air temperature andhumidity, illuminance, etc. can be measured under condition of simulated
heat and moisture emission from office appliances and human bodyaccording to the preset time schedule.

Floor area: About 72 m2 (12 m from east to west, 6 m from north to south)
Outer shell: East façade, south façade, and roof
(The west wall and floor is adjacent to the other room. The north wall is adjacent to the corridor.)