EVALUATING THERMAL COMFORT MODELS IN HIGH-ALTITUDE RURAL AREAS OF THE PERUVIAN ANDES

Abstract

Cold indoor environments in rural Andean housing raise concerns about thermal comfort, yet the applicability of existing comfort models to these contexts remains insufficiently examined. This study has compared predictions from five thermal comfort models, including PMV, aPMV, and regional approaches, against field data. Data were collected from 154 residents of Langui (3,969 m.a.s.l.) through culturally adapted surveys and environmental measurements. The aPMV model showed the highest agreement with thermal sensation votes, achieving 58.4% accuracy (±1 category), and enabled the definition of a comfort range between 14 °C and 25 °C. The results emphasize the need for local design criteria that address cold indoor conditions in Andean housing.