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

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.