Thermal comfort for older adults. An experimental study on the thermal comfort requirements for older adults

Abstract

In this paper is presented an experimental study about thermal comfort requirements for older adults, trying to establish a specific range of parameters for optimal thermal conditions in residential indoor environments. One of the most important reasons for this study is the constant growth in the number of older people all the world, that wish to live in health and to continue their life style. Today, in most industrialized countries, people are living longer, thanks to technological and economic progress, with an average life expectancy of about 80 years, and it is estimated that in the future the population constituted by older adults, over 65 years, will continue to grow. In this context, is important to understand how older adults feel thermal comfort as the home environment plays an important role to provide healthy and comfortable life styles. To evaluate the thermal environmental conditions for human occupancy, in moderate indoor environments with mechanical heating or cooling systems, the PMV/PPD method is still used, also to evaluate thermal comfort of older adults. There is a wide literature and research activity about indoor thermal comfort, but most of the studies and references, like also the current standards, offer only general and overall approaches, with no differences with regard to age. In order to relate the conditions of thermal comfort to older people, more specific considerations and evaluations are necessary. The purpose of this study is to define some specific thermal comfort requirements for older adults, with specific profiles and a range of related parameters, using software and virtual test rooms according to current evaluation methods. To perform this study, analyses and simulations are performed, using tools such as CBE Thermal Comfort Tools, Ashrae Thermal Comfort Tool and Perla Pmv. With these tools are simulated some situations in real conditions, such as rooms with different floor areas, different activities and clothings, and different internal gains. All the simulations and analyses are based on investigations on older adults behaviors. The results yeld specific values and indices, related to thermal comfort, able to represent the ranges of older adults thermal parameters and to define some daily profiles.