Effect of behavioral strategies and activity on thermal comfort of the elderly

Technical Report · Fri Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1988

OSTI ID:7141104

Cena, K M; Spotila, J R; Ryan, E B

A field survey indicated that 101 elderly subjects (mean age 73.4 years) of good health living independently in Hamilton, Ontario, maintained comfort in winter 1985-1986 with a constant mean clothing insulation of 0.8 clo and mean indoor air and operative temperatures at 21,2/degree/C (70.2 F) and 21.5/degree/C (70.7 F), respectively. The subjects scored 83.5 on the Self-Evaluation of Life Function (SELF) scale. Mean activity level at rest was 1.5 met and during periods of light exercise (walking at 1.3 mph, 2 km hr -1) and light domestic household work was 1.9 met. The subjects mean thermal comfort vote at rest was -0.1, very close to a thermal sensation of neutrality (0.0 on a scale from -3 tp +3). This agrees with corresponding measurement (mean of -0.2) of Predicted Mean Vote (PMV) performed with a thermal comfort meter based on the Fanger Comfort Equation. Their thermal comfort vote and PMV during the two periods of increased activity were the same, 0.03. 20 refs., 6 figs., 4 tabs.

• Research Organization: Drexel Univ., Philadelphia, PA (USA). Dept. of Bioscience and Biotechnology
• DOE Contract Number: FG02-87ER60529; AC09-76SR00819
• OSTI ID: 7141104
• Report Number(s): DOE/ER/60529-18; ON: DE88014308
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY
530100* -- Environmental-Social Aspects of Energy Technologies-- Social & Economic Studies-- (-1989)
552000 -- Public Health
99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS
ACTIVITY LEVELS
AGE GROUPS
AGED ADULTS
BEHAVIOR
CLOTHING
ELDERLY PEOPLE
HUMAN POPULATIONS
LEISURE TIME ACTIVITIES
MINORITY GROUPS
POPULATIONS
PUBLIC HEALTH
THERMAL COMFORT