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.