Adaptive comfort theory applied to office buildings

There has been much debate over the use of steady-state and adaptive thermal comfortmodels. Many researchers have suggested that the former model is better suited to buildingswith full HVAC systems whilst the latter is better suited to naturally ventilated buildings. Thispaper suggests that the most appropriate form of thermal comfort model is dependent on theadaptive opportunity available to building occupants, regardless of climate control strategy.Some results from a series of field studies carried out in the UK as part of a doctoral thesis arepresented. Adaptive Opportunity is discussed and a method of quantifying it introduced.