Thermal Neutrality

Do People Like to Feel ‘Neutral’? Systematic Variation of the Desired Sensation on the ASHRAE Scale of Subjective Warmth.

Submitted by on Sat, 07/06/2013 - 16:42

This analysis explores the pattern of variation of the desired thermal sensation on theASHRAE scale, applying for the first time the method of direct enquiry. Data are fromstudies of thermal comfort at university lectures and in dwellings. Respondents reportedboth their thermal sensation and the sensation they would have desired at that time. Thedata contain 868 comparisons of the actual and the desired sensation. On 48% ofoccasions the desired sensation was other than neutral.