How does indoor environment affect people’s comfort and exercise performance in sports buildings?

Different from the typical residential or office environments, individuals in indoor sports buildings are often in a state of physical activity. Specific requirements for the sports buildings are necessary to ensure optimal conditions for people’s comfort and exercise performance. To investigate the impact of indoor environment on the comfort and performance of sports personnel in indoor sports buildings during the summer, three indoor environmental factors were selected for study: temperature, relative humidity, and CO2 concentration. An orthogonal experimental design method was employed, in which 16 participants were tested under nine cases. Data on subjective perception and exercise performance were collected and analyzed. The results indicate that temperature fluctuations not only affect thermal sensations, but also lead to variations in evaluations of humidity and perceived air quality within the same environment, which are key factors influencing overall comfort. In incremental exercise tests, participants performed better at 22 °C and 25 °C, while significantly improved performance at 40%RH compared to 70%RH. When CO2 concentration does not exceed 2000 ppm, fluctuations in air quality do not significantly impact the sense of comfort and physical performance during exercise.