Thermal Comfort as Affected by Chair Style and Covering

Abstract

A total of 192 subjects divided into 8 groups of 12 men and 12 women evaluated 8 chairs that represented 4 different models (executive, manager, conference and side chair) each with two types of covering, cloth and vinyl. The exposure period was for 2 hours at 78F/50%rh; the subjects all wore identical clothing under near sedentary conditions. The results showed that neither the covering of the chair nor the chair model affected the thermal sensations (feelings of hot, warm, cool, etc.); however, thermal comfort was greater in cloth covered chairs than in vinyl covered chairs. Three scales were developed which measured chair comfort, chair size and chair style. The Executive, Manager and Conference Chairs were equally comfortable, but significantly more comfortable than the Side chair; the Executive chair was judged larger than the other three chairs and women judged the chairs to be larger than men; and the Executive, Manager and Conference chairs were judged more stylish than the Side chair. The findings are discussed in light of the methodology and the Steelcase/Harris Office survey.