Field Survey on Human Thermal Comfort Reports in Air-Conditioned Offices in Taiwan

Abstract

Field experiments, conducted in 29 air-conditioned offices, used survey questionnaires and physical measurements to investigate workers’ subjective thermal responses and comfort perception. A total of 650 individuals participated in the field study. The thermal neutrality and thermal preference of subjects occurred at 25.6°C and 24.1°C respectively. Responses from those subjects suggest a comfort temperature range is 23.8–27.5ºC, that shifts to slightly warmer temperatures by about 0.5ºC as comparing to comfort zone recommended in ASHRAE standard 55. Responses from subjects also indicate that people in Taiwan have a leniency toward the humidity guideline in ASHRAE standard 55, due to acclimate to the humid climate. The findings were compared with the similar studies in hot-humid climate.