This guidance is intended to enable and assist the non-expert client, facilities manager and building user to:
- understand comfort requirements
- communicate their needs and requirements to their engineers/advisors.
It can also be used by building services engineers involved in design, installation and commissioning to facilitate discussion with their clients, and provides students with an accessible introduction to the subject of comfort. Detailed guidance on the environmental criteria for design can be found in CIBSE Guide A, chapter 1(1).
This publication provides an introduction to the subject of comfort:
- Sections 2–4 explain the basic principles governing thermal, visual and acoustic comfort, covering key factors and the main design criteria.
- Section 5 provides guidance on the information that may be needed when deciding on comfort requirements.
The publication answers the following questions:
- What is thermal comfort?
- What determines thermal comfort?
- How does the environment affect thermal comfort?
- How do ventilation and air quality affect thermal comfort?
- What is the adaptive approach?
- How hot is too hot?
- What are the design criteria for thermal comfort?
- What can systems deliver?
- What determines visual comfort?
- What are the design criteria for thermal comfort?
- What determines acoustic comfort?
- What are the design criteria for acoustic comfort?
- What questions do I need to ask?
- What information do I need to provide?
Finally, a selected bibliography is provided for those who want further reading on the subject.
Contents:
1. Introduction
Use of this guidance
2. Thermal comfort
What is thermal comfort?
What determines thermal comfort?
Key environmental factors
Ventilation and air quality
The adaptive approach to thermal comfort
How hot is hot?
Design criteria
Practical issues
3. Visual comfort
Key environmental factors
Design criteria
4. Acoustic comfort (aural comfort)
Key environmental factors
Design criteria
5. Key questions
Appendix A: Measuring operative temperature
Appendix B: Thermal comfort studies
References
Further reading
Acknowledgements
Principal author: Gay Lawrence Race