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Whatismeantbythermalcomfort?
Whattemperatureshouldanofficebe?
Whathumiditylevelandairvelocityshouldanofficebe?
Arethereanystandardsonofficetemperatures?

Whatismeantbythermalcomfort?
Tohave"thermalcomfort"meansthatapersonwearinganormalamountofclothingfeels
neithertoocoldnortoowarm.Thermalcomfortisimportantbothforone'swellbeingandfor
productivity.Itcanbeachievedonlywhentheairtemperature,humidityandairmovementare
withinthespecifiedrangeoftenreferredtoasthe"comfortzone".
Whereairmovementisvirtuallyabsentandwhenrelativehumiditycanbekeptatabout50%,
theambienttemperaturebecomesthemostcriticalfactorformaintainingthermalcomfort
indoors.However,temperaturepreferencesvarygreatlyamongindividualsandthereisnoone
temperaturethatcansatisfyeveryone.Nevertheless,anofficewhichistoowarmmakesits
occupantsfeeltiredontheotherhand,onethatistoocoldcausestheoccupants'attentionto
drift,makingthemrestlessandeasilydistracted.
Maintainingconstantthermalconditionsintheofficesisimportant.Evenminordeviationfrom
comfortmaybestressfulandaffectperformanceandsafety.Workersalreadyunderstressare
lesstolerantofuncomfortableconditions.

Whattemperatureshouldanofficebe?
Ageneralrecommendationisthatthetemperaturebeheldconstantintherangeof2123C
(6973F).Insummertimewhenoutdoortemperaturesarehigheritisadvisabletokeepair
conditionedofficesslightlywarmertominimizethetemperaturediscrepancybetweenindoors
andoutdoors.

Whathumiditylevelandairvelocityshouldanofficebe?
Relativehumiditylevelsbelow20%cancausediscomfortthroughdryingofthemucous
membranesandskin.Lowrelativehumiditylevelsmayalsocausestaticelectricitybuildupand
negativelyeffecttheoperationsofsomeofficeequipmentsuchasprintersandcomputers.
Relativehumiditylevelsabove70%mayleadtothedevelopmentofcondensationonsurfaces
andwithintheinteriorofequipmentandbuildingstructures.Leftalone,theseareasmay
developmouldandfungi.
Airvelocitiesbelow0.25metres/second(orabout50feet/minute)doesnotcreateany
significantdistractionevenintasksrequiringsustainedattention.

Arethereanystandardsonofficetemperatures?

TheCSAStandardCAN/CSAZ41200(R2011)"OfficeErgonomics"givesacceptablerangesof
temperatureandrelativehumidityforofficesinCanada.Thesevaluesarethesameas
recommendedbytheAmericanSocietyofHeating,Refrigerating,andAirConditioningEngineers
(ASHRAE)Standard552010"ThermalEnvironmentalConditionsforHumanOccupancy".The
recommendedtemperaturerangeshavebeenfoundtomeettheneedsofatleast80%of
individuals.Somepeoplemayfeeluncomfortableevenifthesevaluesaremet.Additional
measuresmayberequired.
Temperature/HumidityRangesforComfort
Conditions

RelativeHumidity

Summer(lightclothing)
Winter(warmclothing)

AcceptableOperatingTemperatures
C

If30%,then
If60%,then

24.528
2325.5

7682
7478

If30%,then
If60%,then

20.525.5
2024

6978
6875

Source:AdaptedfromASHRAE552010.

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DocumentlastupdatedonApril5,2013
Copyright19972015CanadianCentreforOccupationalHealth&Safety

DateModified:20130405

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