Thermal Sensations of Sedentary Man in Moderate Temperatures

Abstract

To determine the full range of thermal conditions at which sedentary subjects report feeling comfortable, 1600 college age students were exposed in groups of 10 subjects each, five men and five women, to 20 dry-bulb temperatures ranging from 60 to 98°F. in increments of 2° F. at each of eight relative humidities: 15, 25, 35, 45, 55, 65, 75, and 85%; subjects were required to report their thermal sensations on a 7-point scale every half-hour. The results showed that for sedentary subjects exposed for three hours in standard clothing with an insulative value of 0.6 clo., the “comfortable” votes were distributed over the temperature range of 62 to 98°F. In addition, it was found that at a given temperature men feel warmer than women during the first hour and that humidity plays a significantly more important role in how men feel than in how women feel. Regression equations are presented for predicting thermal sensations for various dry-bulb temperatures and relative humidities.