Thermal Comfort While Sitting on Office Chairs – Subjective Evaluations

Thermal comfort is related to human physiological reactions. In order to maintain a constant internal temperature, the human body must dissipate heat in a warm climate, and prevent heat losses in a cold climate. The overall sensation of comfort accompanies the warmest part of the body in a warm envi...

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Main Authors: Zoran Vlaović, Danijela Domljan, Ivica Župčić, Ivica Grbac
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: University of Zagreb, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology 2012-12-01
Series:Drvna Industrija
Subjects:
Online Access:http://hrcak.srce.hr/file/137814
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author Zoran Vlaović
Danijela Domljan
Ivica Župčić
Ivica Grbac
author_facet Zoran Vlaović
Danijela Domljan
Ivica Župčić
Ivica Grbac
author_sort Zoran Vlaović
collection DOAJ
description Thermal comfort is related to human physiological reactions. In order to maintain a constant internal temperature, the human body must dissipate heat in a warm climate, and prevent heat losses in a cold climate. The overall sensation of comfort accompanies the warmest part of the body in a warm environment and the coldest one in a cold environment. Chair design and clothing may affect the difference in sensitivity between certain parts of the body, that is, they may affect thermal comfort. This research focused on subjective sensation of warmth and moisture while sitting on offi ce chairs. The subjective method of evaluating thermal discomfort is based on ISO 7730:2005 standard, according to which a questionnaire was made for this research. Six subjects took part in the research. They were sitting on five different office chairs as they performed their usual jobs in controlled conditions. From the point of view of the evaluation of the sensation of warmth, all chairs were evaluated neutrally. The sensation under the buttocks and thighs was reported to be somewhat warmer, while the sensation on the back was reported to be somewhat colder, which was affected by the design of the back of the chair. No correlation has been proven between the actual temperature and moisture measurements and subjective evaluations of thermal comfort, in spite of a number of direct links. The use of the present method offers the possibility of further research into this subject, which would prove more thoroughly a correlation between design and construction solutions of office chairs and the comfort perceived by sitting persons.
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spelling doaj.art-0a1b4f8af8324e0aa18f15114c8e3f832022-12-21T18:00:31ZengUniversity of Zagreb, Faculty of Forestry and Wood TechnologyDrvna Industrija0012-67721847-11532012-12-01634263270Thermal Comfort While Sitting on Office Chairs – Subjective EvaluationsZoran VlaovićDanijela DomljanIvica ŽupčićIvica GrbacThermal comfort is related to human physiological reactions. In order to maintain a constant internal temperature, the human body must dissipate heat in a warm climate, and prevent heat losses in a cold climate. The overall sensation of comfort accompanies the warmest part of the body in a warm environment and the coldest one in a cold environment. Chair design and clothing may affect the difference in sensitivity between certain parts of the body, that is, they may affect thermal comfort. This research focused on subjective sensation of warmth and moisture while sitting on offi ce chairs. The subjective method of evaluating thermal discomfort is based on ISO 7730:2005 standard, according to which a questionnaire was made for this research. Six subjects took part in the research. They were sitting on five different office chairs as they performed their usual jobs in controlled conditions. From the point of view of the evaluation of the sensation of warmth, all chairs were evaluated neutrally. The sensation under the buttocks and thighs was reported to be somewhat warmer, while the sensation on the back was reported to be somewhat colder, which was affected by the design of the back of the chair. No correlation has been proven between the actual temperature and moisture measurements and subjective evaluations of thermal comfort, in spite of a number of direct links. The use of the present method offers the possibility of further research into this subject, which would prove more thoroughly a correlation between design and construction solutions of office chairs and the comfort perceived by sitting persons.http://hrcak.srce.hr/file/137814office chairseatingsittingthermal comfortPU-foamdesignconstructionsubjective method
spellingShingle Zoran Vlaović
Danijela Domljan
Ivica Župčić
Ivica Grbac
Thermal Comfort While Sitting on Office Chairs – Subjective Evaluations
Drvna Industrija
office chair
seating
sitting
thermal comfort
PU-foam
design
construction
subjective method
title Thermal Comfort While Sitting on Office Chairs – Subjective Evaluations
title_full Thermal Comfort While Sitting on Office Chairs – Subjective Evaluations
title_fullStr Thermal Comfort While Sitting on Office Chairs – Subjective Evaluations
title_full_unstemmed Thermal Comfort While Sitting on Office Chairs – Subjective Evaluations
title_short Thermal Comfort While Sitting on Office Chairs – Subjective Evaluations
title_sort thermal comfort while sitting on office chairs subjective evaluations
topic office chair
seating
sitting
thermal comfort
PU-foam
design
construction
subjective method
url http://hrcak.srce.hr/file/137814
work_keys_str_mv AT zoranvlaovic thermalcomfortwhilesittingonofficechairssubjectiveevaluations
AT danijeladomljan thermalcomfortwhilesittingonofficechairssubjectiveevaluations
AT ivicazupcic thermalcomfortwhilesittingonofficechairssubjectiveevaluations
AT ivicagrbac thermalcomfortwhilesittingonofficechairssubjectiveevaluations