[Frontiers in Bioscience 15, 765-788, January 1, 2010]

Thermal comfort: research and practice

Joost van Hoof1, Mitja Mazej2, Jan L.M. Hensen3

1Hogeschool Utrecht University of Applied Sciences, Faculty of Health Care, Research Centre for Innovation in Health Care, Bolognalaan 101, 3584 CJ Utrecht, the Netherlands, 2University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Askerceva 6, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia, 3Eindhoven University of Technology, Department of Architecture, Building and Planning, Den Dolech 2, 5612 AZ Eindhoven, the Netherlands

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Abstract
2. Introduction
3. Thermal comfort models
3.1. The PMV-model
3.1.1. The model and its application
3.1.2. Validity of the model
3.1.3. Semantics and thermoneutrality as an ideal
3.1.4. Application in non-air conditioned buildings and extensions
3.2. Adaptive thermal comfort and personal control
3.2.1. Adaptation and thermal comfort
3.2.2. Adaptive opportunities and personal control
4. Thermal comfort standards
4.1. Standards and the PMV-model
4.2. Local discomfort, transient conditions and long-term evaluation in standards
4.3. Adaptive thermal comfort in standards and the relation to the PMV-model
4.4. Interactions with other parameters
4.5. Health and comfort
5. Advances in computerization: modeling and performance
5.1. Computerization and simulation
5.2. Task performance, productivity and the thermal environment
5.3. Multi-segmental models of human physiology
5.4. Thermal manikins
6. Conclusion
7. Acknowledgement
8. References

1. ABSTRACT

Thermal comfort -the state of mind, which expresses satisfaction with the thermal environment- is an important aspect of the building design process as modern man spends most of the day indoors. This paper reviews the developments in indoor thermal comfort research and practice since the second half of the 1990s, and groups these developments around two main themes; (i) thermal comfort models and standards, and (ii) advances in computerization. Within the first theme, the PMV-model (Predicted Mean Vote), created by Fanger in the late 1960s is discussed in the light of the emergence of models of adaptive thermal comfort. The adaptive models are based on adaptive opportunities of occupants and are related to options of personal control of the indoor climate and psychology and performance. Both models have been considered in the latest round of thermal comfort standard revisions. The second theme focuses on the ever increasing role played by computerization in thermal comfort research and practice, including sophisticated multi-segmental modeling and building performance simulation, transient thermal conditions and interactions, thermal manikins.