Physiological and Psychological Response Using a Buffer Space in Winter When Occupants Enter a Room from Outdoors

Abstract

This paper reports the influence of passing through a buffer space on psychological and physiological responses of moving from outdoors to interior rooms. We conducted experiments with and without passage through the buffer space and compared the results. We controlled the indoor air temperature in experiments without the buffer space, and controlled both the atrium and indoor air temperature in experiments with the buffer space. Results show that without the buffer space, some subjects felt 'uncomfortable' immediately after entering the room when the outdoor temperature was moderate. Furthermore, after some time had passed, female subjects felt 'uncomfortable'. In contrast, with the buffer space, the intermediate temperature of the buffer space reduced the physiological load. Results show that when occupants enter a room from outdoors, passage through a buffer space mitigates heat shock.