Operational Energy in Historic Religious Buildings: A Qualitative Approach

Typically, operational energy is approached and evaluated from a quantitative point of view and, to a large extent, according to life cycle assessment (LCA). This article seeks to develop a qualitative approach to assess the past operational energy of a historic religious building in the province of Quebec, Canada. We propose a method for determining the past thermal sensation of individuals residing in a monastery by evaluating this sensation using the thermal sensation vote (TSV) related to the predicted mean vote (PMV). Doing so allows us to infer the operational temperatures and setpoints, providing an additional indicator of energy consumption. The proposed method is based on the identification and analysis of individual perceptions contained in archive documents, facilitating the reconstruction of the expressed thermal sensation and of a TSV index. The method is deployed on a prospective basis, enabling the creation of a chronological series designed to exhaustively document the thermal sensation during heating periods. This article contributes to discussions among critics who have observed a mismatch between TSV indices and PMV parameters and prognosis. It also brings us closer to a finer understanding of thermal comfort and the use/consumption of operational energy in historic religious buildings.