3712 -- Skin Temperature and Evaporative Heat Loss Variations for Men and Women in Thermal Comfort PDF

Examines average skin temperature and evaporative heat loss data from men and women in thermal comfort over a range of surface-area-normalised metabolic rates. Previously published data taken in a laboratory environmental chamber are segregated by sex to test for differences between men and women. States these tests indicate a statistically significant difference between the skin temperature responses of men and women to physical activity under thermally neutral conditions, as well as a statistically significant difference in their surface-area-normalised evaporative heat loss. Proposes a simplified explanation based on the standard core-periphery heat transfer model and a few morphological differences between men and women for understanding the observed differences between the sexes. Finds this explanation is consistent with thermoregulatory differences observed in studies of men and women over a large range of thermal conditions. States that from an HVAC engineer's or building operator's point of view the observed differences between men and women should be insignificant in an office environment. However these differences could have an impact on design/operation in industrial or recreational facilities.

KEYWORDS: Thermal comfort, people, research, temperature, offices, factories, leisure centres, laboratory testing.