Thermal Sensations of Sedentary Man in Moderate Temperatures

The assumption in thermal comfort prescriptions is primarily based on thermal comfort studies conducted in the 1970s and 1980s.

“This assumption is primarily based on thermal comfort studies conducted in the 1970s and 1980s [12–17].”

Among the 15 reviewed experimental studies investigating diurnal variations in thermal perception, six found no significant differences in thermal perception.

“Among the 15 reviewed experimental studies investigating diurnal variations in thermal perception, six found no significant differences in thermal perception [12–17,78]”

Results from at least four other studies seem to contradict the tendency to prefer higher temperatures in the early evening.

“However, the results from at least four other studies [12–17] seem to contradict these results.”

Nevins and Rohles found no difference in thermal sensation between the afternoon and the evening tests.

“No difference in thermal sensation was found between the afternoon and the evening tests.”

In Nevins and Rohles' experiments, subjects' thermal sensation decreased over the three-hour test period across all temperature levels.

“Over the three-hour test period and across all the different temperature levels, subjects’ thermal sensation was found to decrease”

Past thermal comfort studies, including some reviewed here, have highlighted that variance in the thermal sensory response is greater in female versus male subjects.

“Past thermal comfort studies, including some of those reviewed here [12–17], already highlighted that variance in the thermal sensory response is greater in female versus male subjects.”

The only exceptions to thermoneutral initial conditions were the experiments of Nevins and Rohles [12,13], Shoemaker & Refinetti [75], Kakitsuba & White [77] and Kakitsuba [18,19,78].

“The only exceptions were the experiments of Nevins and Rohles [12,13], Shoemaker & Refinetti [75], Kakitsuba & White [77] and Kakitsuba [18,19,78].”

The chamber experiments of Nevins and Rohles [12,13] were conducted during three hours at a controlled fixed high value of illuminance measured at desk height where the subjects were seated at approximately 135 foot-candles (1450 lux).

“This is in contrast to the chamber experiments of Nevins and Rohles [12,13], which were conducted during three hours at a controlled fixed high value of illuminance measured at desk height where the subjects were seated at approximately 135 foot-candles (1450 lux).”