Thermal comfort survey in Japan

Abstract

In this chapter, thermal comfort survey data is used to evaluate the thermal environment selected by the occupants, considering the thermal adaptation and limitations. Field surveys were conducted in occupied houses in Hyogo and Osaka, Japan, from August to September 2003. The occupants lived in a summer hot side area of the thermal comfort zone, with around 80% of the occupants accepting the hot environment. But there was a temperature upper limit for the hot environment. Within the scope of the investigation conducted herein, wet-bulb globe temperature (WBGT) 29 °C is thought to be the upper limit. The thermal environment selected by the occupants is not in the thermal comfort zone but is within the safety range and is thermally acceptable.