ABSTRACT
This chapter reports results of cooperative research between the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers Inc., and Macquarie University. A field investigation of indoor climates and occupant comfort was conducted in 12 air-conditioned office buildings in Townsville, located in Australia's tropical north. The main purpose was to field-validate the Ashrae comfort chart (Standard 55) in a tropical setting using a standardized questionnaire and laboratory-grade instrumentation. Thermal neutrality was found to be approximately 1°C warmer than the most acceptable temperature (ca 23.5°C). Most expressions of thermal dissatisfaction within Ashrae Standard 55's comfort zone were accompanied by requests for more air movement. The project's findings are discussed in relation to both adaptive and heat-balance thermal comfort theories.
