A field study to validate the positive effects of individual control on thermal comfort in residential buildings

Although the adaptive comfort model has gained unprecedented popularization during the past few decades, the mechanism behind the model, especially with regard to certain key hypotheses, still requires further clarification. To validate whether people with greater individual control tend to attain comfort state in wider ranges of indoor thermal environments, we designed an investigational study in Beijing apartments with different degrees of individual control over space heating systems. The statistical results show that occupants with individual control had lower neutral temperature during the winter time and expressed more positive comfort-related perceptions than those without capability of personal control. Furthermore, the mechanism of the positive impact of individual control was discussed in terms of adaptive processes and economic factors. The results show that individual control over space heating systems was helpful to ensure residents make their own trade-off between thermal comfort and heating fees. These findings can provide support for the adaptive model and can also serve as a reference for decision makers and designers when they choose appropriate residential space heating systems with concerns about residents’ demand and conserving energy.