The NEXT.ROOM: Design principles and systems trials of a novel test room aimed at deepening our knowledge on human comfort

Occupants' interaction with building systems, and more generally occupants’ behaviour, is strongly related to human perception of the surroundings. Progresses in human comfort theories rely upon data collection during tailored experiments, stressing the influence of single or specific combinations of environmental stimuli on diversified human responses. Laboratory experiments are typically performed in test rooms, i.e., rooms that are equipped to provide continuously monitored and controlled environmental boundaries. The NEXT.ROOM is a novel test room built up for investigating the multidisciplinary complexity of human perception, by controlling and monitoring environmental factors belonging to the four domains of comfort (thermal, visual, air quality, and acoustics) through centralized and human-centred systems. The study presents rationales behind its design and the selection of human-centred dedicated devices. Trials of the installed systems provide operational ranges for designing human comfort experiments to be performed within the NEXT.ROOM. Limits in fast-dynamics and range of internal temperature are also highlighted, since the adopted systems are mainly associated to common residential uses. The internal position of the test room also limits daylight access but the window designed in-line with the external laboratory window still guarantees the outdoor view from inside the NEXT.ROOM. A further innovation is the introduction of Virtual Reality tools for testing different internal layouts or even outdoor scenarios under highly controlled and carefully monitored environmental conditions.