The effects of moderate heat stress and open‐plan office noise distraction on SBS symptoms and on the performance of office work
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UNLABELLED: Three air temperatures (22/26/30 degrees C) and two acoustic conditions-quiet (35 dBA) or open-plan office noise (55 dBA)-were established in an office. Thirty subjects aged 18-29 years (16 male), clothed for thermal neutrality at 22 degrees C, performed simulated office work for 3 h under all six conditions. Many more (68% vs. 4%) were dissatisfied with noise in the noise condition (P < 0.01). Warmth decreased thermal acceptability (P < 0.001) and perceived air quality (P < 0.01) and increased odour intensity (P < 0.05) and stuffiness (P < 0.01). After 2 h, some forehead sweating was observed on 4, 36 and 76% of subjects (P < 0.001) at 22, 26 and 30 degrees C, while 0, 21 and 65% felt "warm" (P < 0.001). Raised temperature increased eye, nose and throat irritation (P < 0.05), headache intensity (P < 0.05), difficulty in thinking clearly (P < 0.01) and concentrating (P < 0.01), and decreased self-estimated performance (P < 0.001). Noise increased fatigue (P < 0.05) and difficulty in concentrating (P < 0.05) but did not interact with thermal effects on subjective perception. In an addition task, noise decreased workrate by 3% (P < 0.05), subjects who felt warm made 56% more errors (P < 0.05) and there was a noise-temperature interaction (P < 0.01): the effect of warmth on errors was less in the noise condition. Typing speed (P < 0.05) and reading speed (P < 0.05) were higher in noise. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: This paper demonstrates that open office noise distraction, even at the realistic level of 55 dBA, increases fatigue and has many negative effects on the performance of office work, as does a moderately warm air temperature. These findings may be used to provide economic justification for the provision of private offices and air temperature control in hot weather. The additional finding that noise distraction and heat stress can sometimes counteract each other in the short term is of academic interest only, as they both increase subjective distress and fatigue. In practice, neither should be deliberately introduced to counteract the other.
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The association between higher decibel levels and improved STROOP performance is consistent with previous findings of antagonistic effects of noise and temperature exposures.
“A significant improvement in reaction time and throughput in STROOP was associated with higher decibel levels, which is consistent with previous findings of antagonistic effects of noise and temperature exposures [47,48].”
From Reduced cognitive function during a heat wave among residents of non-air-conditioned buildings: An observational study of young adults in the summer of 2016 (2018) · cites this paper as [48]
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- Authors
- Witterseh, T., Wyon, D. P., & Clausen, G.
- Affiliations
- Technical University of Denmark (DK)
- Corresponding author
- Witterseh, Thomas
- Venue
- Indoor Air
- Publisher
- Hindawi Limited
- Published
- 2004-12
- Volume
- 14
- Issue
- s8
- Pages
- 30-40
- ISSN
- 0905-6947 (ISSN-L)
- 1600-0668
- OpenAlex
- W1968867612
- Cited by
- 227
- References
- 28
- Citations by year
- 2026: 5 · 2025: 12 · 2024: 9 · 2023: 9 · 2022: 12 · 2021: 14 · 2020: 21 · 2019: 22 · 2018: 15 · 2017: 10 · 2016: 10 · 2015: 12 · 2014: 10 · 2013: 13 · 2012: 12
- FWCI
- 11.37
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Locations
- Indoor Air (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Technical University of Denmark, DTU Orbit (Technical University of Denmark, DTU) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Engineering › Building and Construction › Building Energy and Comfort Optimization
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Facilities and Workplace Management
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › Speech and Hearing › Noise Effects and Management
- Keywords
- heat stress, office noise, open-plan offices, subjective thermal comfort, fatigue, cognitive performance, thermal acceptability, perceived air quality, private offices, air conditioning, thermoneutrality, typing speed, reading speed, work errors
- MeSH terms
- Acoustics, Adult, Humans, Male, Noise, Task Performance and Analysis, Temperature, Occupational Exposure, Sick Building Syndrome, Heat Stress Disorders
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