Human response to local heating for use in connection with low enthalpy ventilation

This paper presents results on the human response to individually controlled radiant local heating of the body which can be used together with low enthalpy ventilation based on low room air temperature and humidity. Experiments were performed with 18 human subjects to identify the optimum combination and location of local radiant heating panels designed to compensate for cooling of the body at room air temperatures in the range 14-23 °C. The subjects were instructed to change the heating power of the panels and to select the optimum condition that would provide them with thermal comfort. Questionnaires were used to register subjects' satisfaction with the thermal environment. Most of the subjects were able to control the local heating panels and were able to achieve thermal comfort for the body at a room air temperature of 20 °C. Half of the subjects, however, complained of cold discomfort on one or more body parts at room air temperatures of 17 and 14 °C. The thermal comfort reported by the subjects for the whole body and for the different body parts was influenced significantly by the number and location of the heating panels. Recommendations for the design of local radiant heating are suggested in this paper.