UBC Undergraduate Research

An investigation into blankets to replace personal heaters in offices Memar, Pouya; Zhang, Charlie; Shen, Kevin

Abstract

This report investigates the possibility of replacing heaters in offices at UBC with blankets for warmth. Often occupants use personal heaters to keep warm during cold months, as it is very challenging for all occupants in a building to reach optimal thermal comfort at all times. The triple bottom line method was used to compare the environmental, economic, and social aspects of heater and blanket usage. To evaluate the economic impact of heaters, the cost of operating a heater was calculated and compared with the cost of purchasing and maintenance of blankets to determine the payback period. The environmental aspect of the project was investigated by considering the carbon emissions of heater usage and washing and drying of blankets. A survey was distributed at one of the buildings at UBC where it is known that occupants use personal heaters for warmth. It was found that there are advantages in switching from heaters to blankets with respect to economics and environment, however occupants are resistant to the idea of using blankets for warmth. Finally, in the conclusion section recommendations are made to purchase more efficient and environmentally friendly heaters to replace the heaters that occupants are currently using, as well as to educate the people who are using heaters about the environmental and economic disadvantages of heaters. Disclaimer: “UBC SEEDS provides students with the opportunity to share the findings of their studies, as well as their opinions, conclusions and recommendations with the UBC community. The reader should bear in mind that this is a student project/report and is not an official document of UBC. Furthermore readers should bear in mind that these reports may not reflect the current status of activities at UBC. We urge you to contact the research persons mentioned in a report or the SEEDS Coordinator about the current status of the subject matter of a project/report.”

Item Media

Item Citations and Data

Rights

Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.5 Canada