Energy efficient living – INTEWON Physiology and behaviour: the elastic thermal comfort zone and the need for categorization

This paper is a synthesis of the results from the project INTEWON and related studies. The link between the physiological thermoneutral zone (TNZ) and the thermal comfort zone (TCZ) is discussed. Secondly, we discuss the relation between thermal preference and thermal sensation and how physiological parameters, such as skin temperature can predict thermal sensation. It is shown that the identification of subject categories, based on their thermal preference, increases the predictive value of skin temperatures substantially. Finally, it is deliberated how cold acclimatization can affect the TCZ and thereby may explain differences between subjects with respect to their thermal preference.