Programmable thermostat for energy saving

Commercial and institutional buildings have part-day occupancy. However, air-conditioning (A/C) systems in such buildings run on a continuous basis, maintaining comfort conditions day and night throughout the summer season. This paper addresses the importance of time-of-day control of indoor temperature for energy conservation. Furthermore, it evaluates the negative impact of such a control on the peak hour cooling demand of a building. The results of an experimental study carried out in a kindergarten, a polyclinic and a mosque in Kuwait are presented and analysed.