Individual difference in thermal comfort: A literature review

• Published in: Building and environment Vol. 138; pp. 181 - 193
• Main Authors: Wang, Zhe, de Dear, Richard, Luo, Maohui, Lin, Borong, He, Yingdong, Ghahramani, Ali, Zhu, Yingxin
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 15.06.2018; Elsevier BV
• Subjects: Algorithms; Body temperature; Built environment; Comfort temperature; Individual comfort model; Individual difference; Learning algorithms; Literature reviews; Machine learning; Personal comfort systems; Thermal comfort; Urban environments; Comfort temperature; Individual comfort model; Individual difference; Personal comfort systems
• ISSN: 0360-1323; 1873-684X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.buildenv.2018.04.040

Human individual differences widely and markedly affect thermal comfort and should be carefully considered in the design and operation of the built environment. This paper aims to list and examine the magnitude and significance of individual difference in the preferred/neutral/comfort temperature through reviewing previous climate chamber and field studies. Causal factors for individual differences are investigated, including sex, age and etc. There is no clear and consistent conclusions as to the significance and size of inter-group differences in thermal comfort (between females and males, or the young and the old). To address the issue of individual difference, a paradigm shift from centralized to personalized air condition is on the way with the following three steps: first, collecting individual physiological and psychological response; second, predict individual comfort with machine learning algorithms; and third, accommodating individual difference with Personalized Comfort Systems.