Adaptive thermal comfort model for air-conditioned hospitals in Malaysia

Abstract

This article presents an adaptive thermal comfort model study in the tropical country of Malaysia. A number of researchers have been interested in applying the adaptive thermal comfort model to different climates throughout the world, but so far no study has been performed in Malaysia. For the use as a thermal comfort model, which better applies to hot and humid climates, the adaptive thermal comfort model was developed as part of this research by using the collected results from a large field study in nine hospitals with 293 workers. The relationship between the operative temperature and behavioral adaptations was determined. In the developed adaptive model, the acceptable indoor neutral temperatures lay within the range of 23.3–26.5℃, with outdoor temperatures ranging between 25.4℃ and 35.0℃. The most comfortable temperature for hospital workers was 26.4℃.

Practical implications: The new conclusions from the adaptive thermal comfort model in hospitals in the tropics could be used as an important guide for building services engineers and researchers. Their intentions are to minimize energy usage in HVAC systems in hospitals operating in the tropics while maintaining an acceptable thermal comfort level and thus improving the performance and well-being of hospital workers.