Research Data
Description
This paper investigated the effect of individual difference and the type of heating system on the perceived thermal comfort condition, neutral temperature and thermal sensitivity in cold outdoor air condition. Three types of individual factors namely gender, temperament and thermal past experience studied and compared in this study. The study was conducted in two educational buildings in a cold climate. According to the results, temperament and thermal past experience directly influenced occupants’ thermal preference and indirectly influenced the thermal sensation by affecting their clothing level. However, the effect size of such variations is practically negligible. The type of heating system has the most marked impact on the neutral temperature, with a mean difference of 2.8°C. Individual factors did not have direct impact on neutral temperature. However, thermal sensitivity was influenced by individuals’ temperament. Occupants with a cold temperament were more sensitive to the variation of the running mean outdoor temperature than those with a warm temperament. Comparing the results with the prediction of the Adaptive Thermal Heat Balance (ATHB) model and the Predicted Mean Vote (PMV) model indicated that if the control condition over the heating system became limited, there would be no (very low) behavioral, physiological and psychological adaptation. However, by creating an opportunity to control the heating system, it would be possible to reach thermal adaptation at a lower temperature in a cold outdoor air condition.