Challenges in modelling local thermal sensation

Recent research on local heating and cooling design show improvements in thermal comfort and energy consumption of office buildings. The impact of these measures on the occupants’ local thermal sensation (LTS) may be investigated using thermophysiological and coupled thermal sensation models. To evaluate their ability to model local skin temperatures and LTS accurately, this paper analyses the most important factors in the thermal modelling concept: 1) the accuracy of the input data for local clothing properties and local muscular metabolic heat distribution, 2) the deviations between computed and measured local skin temperatures, and 3) neurophysiological and dynamic aspects that are missing in LTS models. To fill these gaps, further research might emphasis on 1) performing detailed measurements on local clothing and metabolic input data, 2) a re-evaluation of local heat balances in the thermophysiological models and including blood pressure effects and 3) including more neurophysiology in LTS models.