SKIN TEMPERATURES, THERMOSENSORY AND PLEASANTNESS ESTIMATES IN CASE OF HETEROGENEITY IN THE THERMAL ENVIRONMENT

1. Seven thermal conditions were imposed on male sitting subjects (sli ghtly clothed: 0.6 clo). 2. A thermal mannikin was also used to determ ine the exact operative temperature, T-0. 3. Conditions were:uniform ( UN: all parameters at 24.5 degrees C, air velocity at 0.15 ms(-1)), he ated ceiling (HC at 45 degrees C), heated floor (HF at 34 degrees C), cold floor (CF at 14 degrees C), two conditions of one cold wall at 6 degrees C (CW1 and CW2 respectively with and without air temperature c ompensation) and increased air velocity (AV at 0.4 ms(-1)). 4. Local s kin temperatures and answers to questionnaires were obtained. 5. Skin temperature variations were affected by conditions and slight T-0 chan ges. 6. Comfort judgments were fairly well related to T-0, especially when expressed as differences between actual non-uniform e environment and the uniform one.7. It is concluded that, in case of non-uniform e nvironments close to thermoneutral zone, thermal comfort or discomfort reflects the climate alterations better than the thermal sensation do es.