A principal purpose of HVAC is to provide conditions forhuman thermal comfort, “that condition of mind that expresses satisfaction withthe thermal environment” (ASHRAE Standard 55).This definition leaves open whatis meant by “condition of mind” or “satisfaction,” but it correctly emphasizesthat judgment of comfort is a cognitive process involving many inputsinfluenced by physical, physiological, psychological, and other processes. Thischapter summarizes the fundamentals of human thermoregulation and com-fort interms useful to the engineer for operating systems and designing for thecomfort and health of building occupants.

Human Thermoregulation
Energy Balance
Thermal Exchanges with theEnvironment
Engineering Data andMeasurements
Conditions for ThermalComfort
Thermal Comfort and TaskPerformance
Thermal NonuniformConditions and Local Discomfort
Secondary Factors AffectingComfort
Prediction of Thermal Comfort
Environmental Indices
Special Environments
Symbols

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