MODELS AND THEORIES OF THE ENVIRONMENT CONTROL-SYSTEM

Concepts and modes of the environmental control system in buildings ha ve been reviewed, and their strengths and weaknesses have been identif ied. The paper reports on the criticism levelled against conventional models of environmental control for considering only the passive mode of control and ignoring active control, which results from the interac tion of users with the building. The paper argues that further develop ment in theory and practice can be made by studying the 'thermal syste m' alongside other building systems such as the 'behaviour-activity'. The paper argues the need for a new model of environmental control tha t takes into account recent innovative developments in the technologie s of lightning, heating and acoustics.