ABSTRACT
Results are reported of operating a thermohydrograph to record temperature and relative humidity in two naturally ventilated offices in the Architecture Building at the University of Sydney for eight weeks in the summer of 1991. The software programme PMV is used to model comfort expectations and to estimate the Predicted Mean Vote and Predicted Percent Dissatisfied according to the International Standard Document 7730 (1984) under the conditions as recorded and within a range of metabolic activity, clothing ensembles and air velocities likely to prevail under those circumstances. Daily outdoor climatic data supplied by the Australian Bureau of Meteorology suggest that real discomfort will be experienced on a high proportion of days during December, January, February and March under the conditions prevailing in that year. It is concluded, however, that in warm temperate climates such as that of Sydney, continuous air conditioning is not necessary to provide thermal comfort for sedentary office workers if spaces are well designed to facilitate control of external heat gains in summer and if internal gains are moderate.
