Effect of Thermal-Acoustic Composite Environments on Comfort Perceptions Considering Different Office Activities

Thermal environment, acoustic environment, and occupants' activities significantly impact comfort perceptions. However, previous research and design guidelines often focus on the influence of environmental factors. This study aims to investigate the differences in comfort perceptions and effects of thermal-acoustic environments under different office activities through climate chamber experimental methods. Thirty-one subjects participated in the experiments, which contained three variables: temperature level (20 degrees C, 23 degrees C, 26 degrees C), sound pressure level (55 dBA, 65 dBA, 75 dBA), and office activity (resting, reading, writing, typing). The results indicated that the comfort perceptions and the effects of thermal-acoustic environments differed under different office activities. Reading led to feeling colder, less comfortable, and more annoyed, whereas writing led to the perception of quiet, more comfortable, and more pleasant. The thermal environment had a minor effect on comfort perceptions during resting, but it had a substantial impact during reading. Moreover, the impact of an acoustic environment was smaller for writing and typing compared with reading and resting.