Practical applications and predictive values of a thermal comfort index (Fanger's PRV) were verified on a sample school population (1236 subjects) by studying the relationships between thermal sensations (subjective analysis), determined by means of an individual questionnaire, and the values of thermal comfort index (objective analysis) obtained by calculating the PMV index individually in the subjects under study. In homogeneous conditions of metabolic expenditure rate and thermal impedence from clothing, significant differences were found between the two kinds of analyses. At 22 degrees C mean radiant and operative temperature, the PMV values averaged 0 and the percentage of subjects who experienced thermal comfort did not exceed 60%. The high level of subjects who were dissatisfied with their environmental thermal conditions confirms the doubts regarding the use of the PMV index as a predictive indicator of thermal comfort, especially considering that the negative answers were not homogeneous nor attributable to the small thermal fluctuations (less than 0.5 degree C) measured in the classrooms.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
---|
Front Vet Sci
January 2025
Research Group in Bioclimatology, Ethology and Animal Welfare (BioEt), Department of Animal Science, Federal University of Paraiba, Areia, Paraiba, Brazil.
Japanese quails () are sensitive to zinc (Zn) deficiency, a mineral essential for growth, development, and bone health. This study evaluated the effects of different levels of Zn in the diet on zootechnical performance, organ and carcass weight, and tibial breakage resistance in quails from 1 to 42 days of age. A 5 × 2 factorial design was used, consisting of five Zn levels (30, 60, 90, 120, and 150 mg/kg) and two thermal environments (thermal comfort and heat stress), with five replicates of 10 birds per treatment.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFRev Environ Health
January 2025
School of Architecture and Design, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, China.
The school built environment is closely related to children's health, and research on this topic is increasing. However, bibliometric analyses seeking to provide a comprehensive understanding of the research landscape and key themes in the field are lacking. This study comprehensively explored the global trends and research hotspots on the associations between school built environment and children's health.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Therm Biol
January 2025
School of Geography, Archaeology and Environmental Studies, University of the Witwatersrand, Private Bag X3, Wits, 2050, South Africa. Electronic address:
Questionnaires exploring tourists' perceptions of ideal climatic conditions are argued to be a more suitable data source for the development of tourism climate indices than the utilization and integration of expert opinion and pre-established thresholds. This assumes that those tourist respondents can accurately quantify meteorological conditions at a given point in time, and effectively discriminate between meteorological thresholds of suitable and unsuitable conditions. For variables such as rainfall and sunshine hours, this assumption is fairly reasonable.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPLoS One
January 2025
Crop Research Institute, Prague, Ruzyně, Czech Republic.
The assessment of human perception of the thermal environment is becoming highly relevant in the context of global climate change and its impact on public health. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the suitability of the use of four frequently used thermal comfort indices (thermal indices)-Wet Bulb Global Temperature (WGBT), Heat Index (HI), Physiologically Equivalent Temperature (PET), and Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI)-to assess human thermal comfort perception in three large urban parks in Central Europe, using Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic, as a case study. We investigated the relationship between the four indices and the thermal perception of park visitors, while taking into account the effect of the sex, age, and activity of the respondents and the week-time and daytime of their visit (assessed parameters).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSci Rep
January 2025
Sustainability Solutions Research Lab, Faculty of Engineering, University of Pannonia, Egyetem Str. 10, Veszprém H, 8200, Veszprém, Hungary.
This study endeavors to tackle the energy requirements of the building sector by employing passive design strategies. However, there exists a dearth of comprehension regarding the energy efficiency performance of foamed alkali-activated materials. To bridge this research gap, the study proposes a solution in the form of a thermally proficient wall material crafted from ceramic tile dust (CTD), class C fly ash (FA), and Ground Granulated Blast-Furnace Slag (GGBS), all of which are industrial by-products.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEnter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!