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In cities with high density, heat is often trapped between buildings which increases the frequency and intensity of heat events. Researchers have focused on developing strategies to mitigate the negative impacts of heat in cities. Adopting green infrastructure and cooling pavements are some of the many ways to promote thermal comfort against heat. The purpose of this study is to improve microclimate conditions and thermal comfort levels in high-density living conditions in Seoul, South Korea.

This study compares six design alternatives of an apartment complex with different paving and planting systems. It also examines the thermal outcome of the alternatives under normal and extreme heat conditions to suggest strategies to secure acceptable thermal comfort levels for the inhabitants. Each alternative is analyzed using ENVI-met, a software program that simulates microclimate conditions and thermal comfort features based on relationships among buildings, vegetation and pavements.

The results indicate that grass paving was more effective than stone paving in lowering air temperature and improving thermal comfort at the near-surface level. Coniferous trees were found to be more effective than broadleaf trees in reducing temperature. Thermal comfort levels were most improved when coniferous trees were planted in paired settings.

Landscape elements show promise for the improvement of thermal conditions because it is much easier to redesign landscape elements, such as paving or planting, than to change fixed urban elements like buildings and roads. The results identified the potential of landscape design for improving microclimate and thermal comfort in urban residential complexes.

The results contribute to the literature by examining the effect of tree species and layout on thermal comfort levels, which has been rarely investigated in previous studies.

The purpose of this paper was to investigate whether small holes in an impermeable patch at the wrist improve perceived comfort during exercise.

Nine male participants participated in this study. During the experiment, participants cycled 60 W in a hot room (35°C, 30 percent relative humidity) while an impermeable 20 cm² patch was located on the ventral side of one wrist and at the same time a patch of identical shape with 5 mm diameter holes (17.7 percent uncovered) on the other wrist. The participants could not see the patches. Participants were forced to choose which patch they perceived as more comfortable. Chest and arm skin temperature, thermal comfort, thermal sensation and wetness perception were assessed.

Participants preferred 5 mm holes over no holes (p=0.017). Chest skin temperature (p=0.018) but not arm skin temperature correlates with this preference. Thermal comfort, thermal sensation and wetness perception did not differ significantly between patches. It is concluded that patches with 5 mm holes are preferred over impermeable patches during work in the heat in particular when the torso skin is warm.

The wrist is a preferred location for smart wearables. Generally, wrist bands are made of air-impermeable materials leading to sensation of wetness and discomfort. This study has shown that manufacturers should consider to make small holes in their wrist bands to optimize wearing comfort.

The present shift and change in the human lifestyle across the world are undeniable. Currently, individuals spend a substantial amount of time indoors due to the global COVID-19 pandemic that strikes the entire world. This change in human lifestyle has devastating effects on human health and productivity. As a result, the influence of indoor environmental quality (IEQ) on the health and productivity of building users becomes a critical field of research that requires immediate attention. As a result, the purpose of this study is to review the state-of-the-art literature by establishing a connection between the factors that influence health and productivity in any given indoor environment.

The methodology involves a thorough review of selected published journals from 1983 to 2021, and the result was analysed through content analysis. The search included journal articles, books and conference proceedings on the critical factors influencing IEQ and their impact on building occupants, which was sourced from different databases such as ScienceDirect, Taylor, GoogleScholar and Web of Science.

The findings from the 90 selected articles revealed four critical factors influencing the quality of the indoor environment and are categorised into; indoor air quality, indoor thermal comfort, visual comfort and acoustic comfort. The findings suggested that when developing a system for controlling the quality of the indoor environment, the indoor air quality, indoor thermal comfort, visual comfort and acoustic comfort should be taken into account.

The indoor environment deeply impacts the health of individuals in their living and work environments. Industry must have a moral responsibility to provide health facilities in which people and workers feel satisfies and give conditions for prosperity. Addressing these essential aspects will not only help the decision-making process of construction professionals but also encourages innovative construction techniques that will enhance the satisfaction, wellness and performance of building occupants.

The purpose of this study is to analyze the question “In what order of magnitude does the comfort and performance improvement lie with the use of a cooling vest for construction workers?”.

The use of personal cooling systems, in the form of cooling vests, is not only intended to reduce the heat load, in order to prevent disruption of the thermoregulation system of the body, but also to improve work performance. A calculation study was carried out on the basis of four validated mathematical models, namely a cooling vest model, a thermophysiological human model, a dynamic thermal sensation model and a performance loss model for construction workers.

The use of a cooling vest has a significant beneficial effect on the thermal sensation and the loss of performance, depending on the thermal load on the body.

Each cooling vest can be characterized on the basis of the maximum cooling power (Pmax; in W/m²), the cooling capacity (Auc; in Wh/m2) and the time (tc; in minutes) after which the cooling power is negligible. In order to objectively compare cooling vests, a (preferably International and/or European) standard/guideline must be compiled to determine the cooling power and the cooling capacity of cooling vests.

It is recommended to implement the use of cooling vests in the construction process so that employees can use them if necessary or desired.

Climate change, resulting in global warming, is one of the biggest problems of present times. Rising outdoor temperatures will continue in the 21st century, with a greater frequency and duration of heat waves. Some regions of the world are more affected than others. Europe is one of the regions of the world where rising global temperatures will adversely affect public health, especially that of the labor force, resulting in a decline in labor productivity. It will be clear that in many situations air conditioning is not an option because it does not provide sufficient cooling or it is a very expensive investment; for example, in the situation of construction work. In such a situation, personal cooling systems, such as cooling vests, can be an efficient and financially attractive solution to the problem of discomfort and heat stress.

The value of the study lies in the link between four validated mathematical models, namely a cooling vest model, a thermophysiological human model, a dynamic thermal sensation model and a performance loss model for construction workers.

Achieving an appropriate indoor environment quality (IEQ) is crucial to a green office environment. Whilst much research has been carried out across the globe on the ideal IEQ for green offices, little is known about which indoor environment New Zealand office workers prefer and regard as most appropriate. This study investigated New Zealand office workers' preference for a green environment.

Workers were conveniently selected for a questionnaire survey study from two major cities in the country – Wellington and Auckland. The perception of 149 workers was analysed and discussed based on the workers' demographics. The responses to each question were analysed based on the mean, standard deviation, frequency of responses and difference in opinion.

The results showed that workers' preferences for an ideal IEQ in green work environments depend largely on demographics. New Zealand office workers prefer work environments to have more fresh air and rely on mixed-mode ventilation and lighting systems. Also New Zealand office workers like to have better acoustic quality with less distraction and background noise. Regarding temperature, workers prefer workspaces to be neither cooler nor warmer. Unique to New Zealand workers, the workers prefer to have some (not complete) individual control over the IEQ in offices.

This study was conducted in the summer season, which could have impacted the responses received. Also the sample size was limited to two major cities in the country. Further studies should be conducted in other regions and during different seasons.

This study provides the opportunity for more studies in this area of research and highlights significant findings worthy of critical investigations. The results of this study benefit various stakeholders, such as facilities managers and workplace designers, and support proactive response approaches to achieving building occupants' preferences for an ideal work environment.

This study is the first research in New Zealand to explore worker preferences of IEQ that is not limited to a particular building, expanding the body of knowledge on workers' perception of the ideal work environment in the country.

Overheating is considered a modifiable risk factor for sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). The purpose of this paper is to explore differences in infant thermal care beliefs between mothers of South Asian and white British origin in Bradford, UK.

This study employed face-to-face interviews with semi-structured and structured questions with 51 white British and 51 South-Asian mothers in the Bradford District, UK.

White British mothers were more concerned about overheating causing SIDS whereas South-Asian mothers were more concerned about cold causing respiratory infections. However concerns around hypothermia and chills causing colds were expressed in both groups. White British mothers were significantly more likely to be concerned about their infant getting too hot than too cold and South-Asian mothers about both heat and cold (p0.001), but white British mothers on lower incomes and with poorer education expressed concern about cold more so than their better off, better educated peers indicating a possible link to fuel poverty.

It was not possible to observe actual night-time practices and that South Asian as a cultural category is limited because could be regarded as too broad.

Whilst there guidance available to prevent infants overheating to prevent SIDS there is little or none about infants getting cold and how temperature affects other conditions.

Thermal care behaviours and beliefs differ between ethnic groups. SIDS and overheating is only one concern for mothers in providing thermal care for their infants. More policy and research is needed to explore the wider impact of thermal care on infant health and survival.

This topic is rarely addressed despite the wide ranging implications of heat and cold to infant well-being.

The purpose of this paper investigates dynamic ease distributions of clothes at bust and waist lines with different body surface angle by using a Qualisys three-dimensional motion capture system (3DMCS).

The current method first obtain the specific markers of participants and their clothes along the bust and waist lines through 3DMCS, then using the least square method and four piecewise polynomial fitting participants and their clothes' bust and waist curves. The coordinates of the markers were tracked by the 3DMCS, while the participants under different body surface angle walked on a treadmill calculated the distances of markers coordinates to the participants' bust and waist curves. Finally, the data of samples were analyzed. It was found that the dynamic ease distributions showed different patterns at different body surface angle.

The results revealed the bust convex angle is 26.53 degrees (Specification:X3) and back slope angle is 13.96 degrees (Specification: Y1), the fluctuation of participant ease distributions on bust section was most obvious, and the maximum fluctuation value was ±20 mm and ±25 mm. The ease distributions of participant waist section fluctuated most obviously when the bust convex angle is 28.10 degrees (Specification: X5) and the back slope angle is 13.96 degrees (Specification: Y1), and the maximum fluctuation was ±30 mm and ±20 mm. The bust convex angle has the greatest influence on 1# garment, and the back slope angle has the greatest influence on 2# garment.

Currently, there is little information in the literature about dynamic ease distributions of garment on a different body types. This paper takes different body surface angles as the research objects to analyze the ease distributions of different clothes, the conclusion can provide reference data for 3D garment modeling and improve the authenticity of virtual garment fitting.

Most support surfaces in comfort applications and sporting equipment are made from pressure-relieving foam such as viscoelastic polyurethane. However, for some users, foam is not the best material as it acts as a thermal insulator and it may not offer adequate postural support. The additive manufacturing of such surfaces and equipment may alleviate these issues, but material and design investigation is needed to optimize the printing parameters for use in pressure relief applications. This study aims to assess the ability of an additive manufactured flexible polymer to perform similarly to a viscoelastic foam for use in comfort applications.

Three-dimensional (3D) printed samples of thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) are tested in uniaxial compression with four different infill patterns and varying infill percentage. The behaviours of the samples are compared to a viscoelastic polyurethane foam used in various comfort applications.

Results indicate that TPU experiences an increase in strength with an increasing infill percentage. Findings from the study suggest that infill pattern impacts the compressive response of 3D printed material, with two-dimensional patterns inducing an elasto-plastic buckling of the cell walls in TPU depending on infill percentage. Such buckling may not be a beneficial property for comfort applications. Based on the results, the authors suggest printing from TPU with a low-density 3D infill, such as 5% gyroid.

Several common infill patterns are characterised in compression in this work, suggesting the importance of infill choices when 3D printing end-use products and design for manufacturing.