Center for the Built Environment

ASHRAE has funded a research project entitled, “Selecting and Preparing a Thermal Sensation Model for Use by the Profession.”  This report describes how the model was developed and introduces a Windows™ software package that was developed during the course of this project.  The software is straightforward and simple for professionals and researchers to use.  A point-and-click interface allows easy adjustment of individual environmental paramenters with real-time updating of predicted sensation values.

Prediction of thermal sensation indoors has been an objective of ASHRAE since the early 1920’s.

Knowing how thermal environments affect human beings in  buildings is important for HVAC engineers .

Thermal sensation models are tools that can accomplish the objective of predicting how people feel (thermally) indoors.  

Several thermal sensation models have been developed and one of the primary objectives of this project was to select the models for inclusion in ASHRAE Standard 55, the thermal comfort standard.  PMV developed by P.O. Fanger in Denmark has been incorporated as well as ET* created by Pharo Gagge at the John B. Pierce Foundation in the U.S.