International Publications in Peer reviewed Elsevier Journals

M. Indraganti, “Using the adaptive model of thermal comfort for obtaining the indoor neutral temperature: Findings form a field study in Hyderabad”, Building and Environment 45 (2010) 519–536

M. Indraganti, “Thermal comfort in naturally ventilated apartments: Findings form a field study in Hyderabad”, Applied Energy 87 (2010) 866–883

M. Indraganti and K. D. Rao, “Effect of age, gender, economic group and tenure on thermal comfort: A field study in Hyderabad”, Energy and Buildings 42 (2010) 273–281

M. Indraganti, “Adaptive Use Of Natural Ventilation For Thermal Comfort In Indian Apartments Madhavi Indraganti”, Building and Environment doi no: 10.1016/j.buildenv.2009.12.013

M. Indraganti, “Behavioural adaptation and the use of environmental controls for thermal comfort in apartments in India”, Energy and Buildings 10.1016/j.enbuild.2010.01.014

M. Indraganti, “Thermal comfort in apartments in India: Adaptive use of environmental controls and hindrances”, Renewable Energy, Paper under Review since Oct 09.

Ph D Thesis Abstract

Thermal comfort and Adaptive Use of Controls in summer: An investigation of Apartments in Hyderabad
Ph D Thesis by Madhavi Indraganti, 2009.
Abstract:
There is little thermal comfort research in residential environments reported from India. Energy consumption in Indian residential buildings is one of the highest, increasing at a phenomenal rate. Indian standards advocate two narrow ranges of temperatures for all building and climate types.
A field study in summer and monsoon was conducted following Class –II protocols, for three months in 2008, in naturally ventilated apartment buildings in Hyderabad. Over a hundred subjects involved, giving 3962 datasets.
In May, most of the subjects were uncomfortable, preferring a temperature on the cooler side of the neutrality, despite accepting their thermal environments. Thermal sensation, preference and acceptance improved in monsoon. The regression analysis yielded the comfort band to be 26 -32.45 °C with the neutral temperature at 29.23 °C. This is way above the Indian standard limits (23- 26°C). The PMV always overestimated the sensation vote. These findings have far reaching energy implications on building and HVAC systems design and practice in a developing country like India.
Humidity did not affect comfort sensation much in summer, as it was hot and dry. Conversely, increase in humidity adversely affected the thermal comfort in June. When the available adaptive opportunities were sufficient, the subjects living in top floor flats showed a higher neutral temperature.
Age, gender and tenure of the occupants correlated weakly with thermal sensation. Economic level of the subjects showed significant effect on the thermal sensation, preference, acceptance and neutrality.
Occupants’ responses for other environmental parameters often depended on their thermal sensation, often resulting in a near normal distribution. The subjects displayed acoustic and olfactory obliviousness due to habituation, resulting in higher acceptance.
The occupants adapted through clothing, metabolism and the use of environmental controls. At comfort temperature, maximum use of openings was found. Use of controls was critically impeded by lack of privacy and safety. The building’s ‘restrained adaptive opportunity’ seriously hampered the occupant’s thermal satisfaction and adversely affected the sensation vote. Use of electrical controls increased with temperature, and was impeded by their poor efficacy and noise, occupant’s attitudes and economic affordability. A/c and air coolers were used mostly in top-floors.
Behavioural adaptation was better in summer and was restricted in higher economic groups always. Clothing adaptation was impeded by many socio- cultural and economic aspects. Thermal tolerance was limited in subjects using A/c s, resulting in “thermal indulgence”. This study calls for comfort standards and special adaptation methods for top-floor flats.

How to write for a scientific Journal?

Its very simple. As simple as imitating a baby and doing the baby talk!!

Remember, two things, write and think like a baby. No complex strutures, or pompous use of language. Small sentences.

Simple and easy English. 

Subject - verb - object. 

Say things directly.

Conceive the idea that you want to convey clearly in the mind first. If the idea is clear, it can be conveyed in the most lucid manner in shortest possible sentences. Remeber, only clumpsy ideas need long sentences. It requires a conscious effort, but its not impossible. Have your grammer right. If in doubt (necessary) have it checked by an expert. You gain a week or a fortnight..

An expert across the street may complete the job in a day or two. If the same is done by the administrative manager  of the journal, it may take more than two weeks. Worse still, your article may even get summarily rejected for poor English.

Follow the 'specific' instructions of the journal very very carefully, word by word. This is the least, expected from a scientist aspiring to publish in a peer reviewed scientific journal.  

Maintain the sequence. IMRD -Meaning, Introduction, methods, results and discussion, followed by conclusions. 

Never repeat any statement/ idea/ fact in the body of the article. 

Be the change you want to see

With the mercury levels soaring, and the sun risisng earlier each day, the days are getting longer. Everybody says its hot and wants to beat the heat just by setting their A/c a little lower than the previous day, all lectures they have given or heard on global warming by day, notwithstanding.
Comfort, more so thermal comfort is both psychological and physiological sensation. It has sometimes more to do with the mind than with the room temperature settings. Next time you feel hot, just try one or a few of these.... before you press the remote of the A/c..
remove or change the dress if other settings permit...
Go near a fan... open a window... drink cold water...
don't let your hair down... instead try another hair do with your crowning glory tied up...
take a relaxing cold shower....
or leave the muscle melting work and just sit down...
choose a lighter dress in the morning itself... (one nicest thing about nature is its more or less predictable...I mean a hot day suddenly doesn't pop up in a cold season..., but in an A/c room, any day can be the hottest day, if the A/c fails...)
lastly, be prepared (with your wardrobe !!!) for summers... this actually adds to half of psychological comfort....
Unlike the morose A/c halls meticulously maintained at constant temperature... naturally ventilated spaces have so much of variety to offer....
enjoy every shade of nature...

as John Ruskin says....

“Sunshine is delicious, rain is refreshing,
Wind braces up, snow is exhilarating;
There is no such thing as bad weather,
Just different kinds of good weather”.

Be the change you want to see around the world....
Keep off from A/c...

Climate Responsive Architecture

My interest in Climate responsive architecture had started sometime during my Masters thesis at IIT Delhi. Its taken several dimensions, finally manifesting into a full blown PhD research in the field of Thermal comfort in Naturally ventilated apartments in Hyderabad.

I am new to blogging...
Keep reading...
I've a lot to share, especially on my PhD...
Will post more on my research... in the subsequent posts..
The triumphs,
The trials,
The tribulations..
The travails...