MN-00-04-3 -- Temperature and Humidity: Important Factors for Perception of Air Quality and for Ventilation Requirements PDF

A series of experiments was carried out to study the effect of temperature and humidity on the perception of indoor air quality. The study included both laboratory and controlled field experiments using an untrained sensory panel to judge the air quality at different levels of temperature and humidity. Facial and whole-body exposure for a short term (up to 20 minutes) was used in the laboratory study, and long-term whole-body exposure (up to 4.6 hours) was used in the field study. The study found a significant impact of temperature and humidity on the perception of indoor air quality. The air was perceived as less acceptable with increasing temperature and humidity, and the acceptability decreased linearly with increasing enthalpy of the air. Ventilation requirements for comfort can be significantly reduced by decreasing indoor air enthalpy.

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