Evaluation and improvement of human heat tolerance in built environments: A review

Abstract

Hyperthermal environments in public or industrial buildings impose substantial heat stress on the human body. To ensure human health in built environments, research has focused on the interactions between the heat tolerance and environments. This paper summarizes the progress in the literature concerning the evaluation and improvement of heat tolerance in three areas: environmental and physiological parameters, heat tolerance evaluation indexes, and heat acclimation (HA). This review leads to four conclusions: (1) Future indexes should give top priority to subjective perceptions to diminish individual differences; (2) machine learning techniques based on big data should be adopted to deal with complex correlations between hot environments and heat tolerance; (3) an optimal HA training regimen should be determined for workers to improve their heat tolerance and HA should be considered in the design and control strategies of indoor thermal environments for energy conservation; and (4) more field investigations should be conducted to modify laboratory-based findings. This review provides a comprehensive understanding of built environments and health and guidelines for future research.