THERMAL COMFORT

BIOLOGICAL MACHINE

Heat is continuously produced by the body. Most of the

biochemical processes involved in tissue-building, energy
conversion and muscular work are exothermal, i.e. heat
producing.

All energy and material requirements of the body are supplied

from the consumption and digestion of food. The processes
involved in converting foodstuff into living matter and useful
form of energy are known as metabolism.

The total metabolic heat production can be divided into:

Basal metabolism amount of energy required to maintain

the body of an individual in a resting state
Automatic processes which are continuous
Muscular metabolism the heat production of muscles when
carrying out consciously controlled work.

Of all the energy produced in the body, only about 20% is

utilised, the remaining 80% is 'surplus' heat and must be
dissipated to the environment.

What are the factors affecting human comfort?

The basic function of a building is to ensure human

survival, health
and comfort, by protecting it from the external
environment.
It can be considered as the third skin, the second being
our clothes.
Humans require thermal, visual and acoustic comfort
conditions.
Thermal comfort depends on six environmental and
physiological factors:
Air Temperature
Relative Humidity
Temperature of surrounding surfaces
Air velocity
Clothing

THERMAL COMFORT FACTORS

BODY HEAT EXCHANGE

BODY HEAT BALANCE

The thermal balance of the body is shown in figure and can be
expressed by an equation. If the heat gain & heat loss factors are:

THERMAL BALANCE
of the body

The variable that affect heat dissipation from the body (and thus also
thermal comfort)
can be grouped into three sets: Environmental

Personal

Contributing
factor

Air temperature

Metabolic rate
(activity)

Food and drink

Air movement

Clothing

Body shape

Humidity

State of health

Subcutaneous fat

Radiation

Acclimatisation

Age and gender

Subjective reactions to air movement are:<0.1 m/s

stuffy

0.1 m/s to 0.2 m/s

unnoticed

0.2 m/s to 0.5 m/s

pleasant

0.5 m/s to 1 m/s

awareness

1 m/s to 1.5 m/s

draughty

>1.5 m/s

annoying

Under overheated conditions air velocities up to 2 m/s may be

welcome

BODY THERMO REGULATION MECHANISM

For survival
Human deep body temperature- 350 C - 400 C
Skin temperature - 310 C - 350 C
The body internal thermo-regulation mechanism maintain the
body temperature for all normal variation in climate.
The second line of protection is provided by clothing .
And the third line of protection is building envelope.
The main mechanism of maintaining the body temperature is
by controlling the flow of blood through the blood vessels.
Sweating is a supplementary mechanism to loose heat.
Shiver, which is heat generating mechanism ,supplements the
normal thermo-regulation mechanism.

These factors are influenced by several other factors

Topography it affects wind movement.
Water body it helps to balance the day and night temperature variations.
Altitude air temperature decreases with increase in altitude.
Vegetation affects all aspect of micro climate.
Level of urbanization the more the built surface the more heat island effect.
Ground surface the reflectivity, permeability, soil type, affect the temperature
variations. It also affect the vegetation which in turn directly affects the
microclimate.
Age and sex metabolic activity of older person, women and children are
generally lesser.
Level of activity it affects the various metabolic rates.

Heat transfer mechanisms: the Bedouin by

day
The loose fitting
robes touch the skin
at the shoulders only.
Depending on the
exact air and body
temperature an
upward draught of air
can help keep the
wearer cool by
increasing the rate at
which sweat
evaporates. This
thermal induced
upward drought is
known as Stack effect
ventilation and is
common in the
building.

Heat transfer mechanisms: the Bedouin by

night

Evaporative heat
losses occur from the
skin and respiration.
At night clothing is
used ,especially for
its insulating effect.
The night sky has an
effective temperature
of 450 C for radiation
from the earth .

PSYCHROMETRIC CHART
Psychrometric chart is a
graphical representation of
the relationship between air
temperature and humidity. It
helps to describe climatic
data and human comfort
conditions.
The psychrometric chart
allows for several deductions
which affect the design of
the built environment.
Because it relates, amongst
other aspects of temperature
and moisture content in the
air, it is possible to draw
areas of different influences
of these variables. Also the
psychrometric chart can
serve as basis for climate
classification and building
design strategies according
to temperature and humidity.

PSYCHROMETRIC CHART

PSYCHROMETRIC CHART

PSYCHROMETRIC CHART

PSYCHROMETRIC CHART

Bio-climatic Chart
Climate and comfort zone

Bio-climatic Design Options

Zone

Type

Solutions

AA

Very hot

Evaporative cooling

hot

Evaporative cooling and wind

velocity

Hot and humid

Wind velocity

High humidity

De-humidifying

Very dry

humidifying

cold

Solar radiation

Bio Climatic Design Vs. Conventional

Design