Field Study on Nationality Differences in Thermal Comfort of University Students in Dormitories during Winter in Japan

Comfort in university dormitory buildings in Japan is under-investigated as compared to offices and residences. A winter field survey conducted in two university dormitories in Central Japan aimed at investigating the differences in thermal responses of occupants relative to nationality and; to estimate their neutral and comfortable temperature under identical climatic conditions. Acceptability of the indoor environment was invariably high. While evaluation and preference votes depended on nationality; thermal sensation vote did not. Both Japanese and non-Japanese subjects voted neutral at a mean indoor temperature of 22 C. The estimated probability of voting neutral for Japanese subjects was highest (65%) from 19 C to 22 C, while for non-Japanese subjects it was highest (75%) at a wider range: From 19 C to 24 C. Japanese students were more sensitive of and more critical about their indoor environment as opposed to the internationals (adjusted regression coefficients 0.55/K and 0.20/K). Griffiths’ model estimated the comfortable temperature for non-Japanese subjects at a 2 C wider range and at a 2 C higher average than for Japanese subject. Neutral and comfortable temperatures observed and estimated in the study were split above and below the recommended temperature threshold of 20 C for Japan in winter

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