TY - JOUR
T1 - Effect of humidity on human comfort and productivity after step changes from warm and humid environment
AU - Tsutsumi, Hitomi
AU - Tanabe, Shin ichi
AU - Harigaya, Junkichi
AU - Iguchi, Yasuo
AU - Nakamura, Gen
N1 - Funding Information:
This study was partially funded by the NEDO (The New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization). Authors appreciate Ms. Y Chen, Mr. Y Tanaka and Mr. M Kato of Waseda University, and Mr. D Katahira of Kanto-Gakuin University for their assisting us plan and conduct this research.
PY - 2007/12
Y1 - 2007/12
N2 - Subjective experiments were conducted to evaluate the effects of humidity on human comfort and productivity under transient conditions from hot and humid environment to thermally neutral condition. Two climate chambers, "Chamber 1" and "Chamber 2", adjoined each other were used for this study. Subjects were exposed to 30 °C/70%RH air in Chamber 1 for 15 min with 2.0 met of metabolic rate. Then they moved into Chamber 2, where 4 humidity conditions, 30, 40, 50 and 70%RH were examined. Air temperature was adjusted to keep SET* constant at 25.2 °C for all conditions. Subjects were exposed in Chamber 2 for 180 min performing 2 kinds of simulated office work. Positive effects of low humidity on subjective pleasantness were found under transient condition at low humidity due to more evaporation from human body, while no significant difference in thermal sensation and humidity sensation among 4 relative humidity levels was obtained. Subjective performance was found to be at the same level under all conditions. However, subjects reported to be more tired at 70%RH after humidity step change.
AB - Subjective experiments were conducted to evaluate the effects of humidity on human comfort and productivity under transient conditions from hot and humid environment to thermally neutral condition. Two climate chambers, "Chamber 1" and "Chamber 2", adjoined each other were used for this study. Subjects were exposed to 30 °C/70%RH air in Chamber 1 for 15 min with 2.0 met of metabolic rate. Then they moved into Chamber 2, where 4 humidity conditions, 30, 40, 50 and 70%RH were examined. Air temperature was adjusted to keep SET* constant at 25.2 °C for all conditions. Subjects were exposed in Chamber 2 for 180 min performing 2 kinds of simulated office work. Positive effects of low humidity on subjective pleasantness were found under transient condition at low humidity due to more evaporation from human body, while no significant difference in thermal sensation and humidity sensation among 4 relative humidity levels was obtained. Subjective performance was found to be at the same level under all conditions. However, subjects reported to be more tired at 70%RH after humidity step change.
KW - Comfort
KW - Humidity
KW - Productivity
KW - Step change
KW - Subjective experiment
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U2 - 10.1016/j.buildenv.2006.06.037
DO - 10.1016/j.buildenv.2006.06.037
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:34547937543
SN - 0360-1323
VL - 42
SP - 4034
EP - 4042
JO - Building and Environment
JF - Building and Environment
IS - 12
ER -