Thermal Comfort - Just in time for the thick of winter
We've all experienced being too hot or too cold in a space (Goldie Locks, anyone?), and finding ourselves in places that are either too loud or too quiet. Today, I'll briefly discuss thermal comfort.
Being comfortable in a space is crucial; it aids in both functionality and relaxation. If you're trying to wind down for the night and find yourself too hot or cold, you'll probably be too tense to truly relax.
Now, let's explore some quick ideas for thermal comfort.
As humans, we perceive temperature or climate in four ways:
Radiation: when your body is warmer than objects around you, but you're not touching them.
Conduction: such as when you touch a cool surface like a countertop or the refrigerator handle, touching something cooler than yourself.
Convection: humidity, when heat from your body is absorbed by air molecules around you.
Evaporation: like when you sweat. So in places with high humidity, evaporation is slow, and the rate of perspiration increases as the body tries to compensate (QPRACtice NCIDQ guide 3rd edit. Pg 57).
We can achieve thermal comfort in six ways:
Metabolic rate - your metabolism and how your body digests food etc.
Clothing insulation - are you too warm? Too cold?
Air temperature: Is the air around you hot or cold?
Humidity: usually a word that we associate with grossness, right? But how?
Air movement: Is there a breeze or fan moving around?
Radiant temperature of surrounding surfaces: Like licking a pole in the winter time. How does your body react when touching something?
Thermal comfort is important because it affects your physical and mental well-being by influencing how we perceive spaces, and it can also impact health issues—such as when it gets cold, negatively affecting those who have asthma (this is also based on personal experience).
In terms of thermal equilibrium, that's when you feel the most comfortable or closest to your body temperature, and you don't feel "too hot" or "too cold." This, in turn, has an impact on your physical and mental well-being. I usually run cold, so I generally have a blanket or some sort of sweater (because like a cat, I like to lay in the sun all the time). If there's any way I can help or if you have ideas on how to relieve thermal comforts that I didn't mention or if I need to express it differently, please ask or mention below!
Sources:
https://well.support/top-5-tips-from-the-thermal-comfort-wellography~061b0f4a-8b57-4dfa-9667-05f191c27082
Qpractice 3rd edition book pgs 56-58