Title: Thermal comfort - Wikipedia
Headings: Thermal comfort
Thermal comfort
Contents
Significance
Influencing factors
Metabolic rate
Clothing insulation
Air temperature
Mean radiant temperature
Air speed
Relative humidity
Skin wetness
Interplay of temperature and humidity
Natural ventilation
Models
PMV/PPD method
Elevated air speed method
Virtual Energy for Thermal Comfort
Standard effective temperature
Cooling Effect
Radiant temperature asymmetry
Draft
Vertical air temperature gradient
Floor surface temperature
Adaptive comfort model
Psychological Adaptation
Physiological Adaptation
Behavioral Adaptation
Specificity and sensitivity
Individual differences
Biological gender differences
Regional differences
Thermal stress
Research
Medical environments
Personal comfort systems
See also
References
Further reading

Content: coolness and warmth have also become in different cultures a symbol of protection, community and even the sacred. In building science studies, thermal comfort has been related to productivity and health. Office workers who are satisfied with their thermal environment are more productive. The combination of high temperature and high relative humidity reduces thermal comfort and indoor air quality. Although a single static temperature can be comfortable, people are attracted by thermal changes, such as campfires and cool pools. Thermal pleasure is caused by varying thermal sensations from a state of unpleasantness to a state of pleasantness, and the scientific term for it is positive thermal alliesthesia. From a state of thermal neutrality or comfort any change will be perceived as unpleasant. This challenges the assumption that mechanically controlled buildings should deliver uniform temperatures and comfort, if it is at the cost of excluding thermal pleasure. Influencing factors
Since there are large variations from person to person in terms of physiological and psychological satisfaction, it is hard to find an optimal temperature for everyone in a given space. Laboratory and field data have been collected to define conditions that will be found comfortable for a specified percentage of occupants.