Thermal Comfort Perception: A Questionnaire Approach Focusing on Children, Second Edition

This book offers a comprehensive exploration of children’s understanding and experiences of thermal comfort. The book provides a methodology for evaluating comfort that takes into account the unique perspectives of children.

The first part of the book provides an overview of the history of thermal comfort, the human body and environmental parameters, and common thermal comfort indexes. It also offers guidelines for creating questionnaires that accurately assess children’s perceptions of indoor thermal comfort.

The book then delves into children’s understanding of the concepts of comfort and energy, as well as the factors that influence their perception of these concepts. It addresses the psychological and pedagogical aspects of thermal comfort judgment, as well as the architectural and environmental characteristics that contribute to children’s perceptions of comfort.

First published as Indoor Thermal Comfort Perception, this updated edition also includes new sections on architecture and sensitivity, exploring the impact of classroom spaces on learning, and outdoor education and thermal comfort outdoors, based on qualitative research. These additions provide valuable insights for future studies on these topics.

While physical parameter measurements and comfort indexes are useful in thermal comfort, the book emphasizes the importance of ergonomic assessments in the form of questionnaires, which offer unique insights into children’s experiences. The book fills a critical gap in understanding children’s perceptions of thermal comfort and is essential reading for HVAC engineers, architects, environmental psychologists, and researchers in the medical and cognitive fields.

Arch. Kristian Fabbri is an expert in building energy performance, sustainability, energy poverty, building physics, urban comfort microclimate, and monitoring of museums and heritage buildings. He is an adjunct professor at the University of Bologna’s Department of Architecture and a researcher with publications in international scientific journals, technical handbooks, and conferences. He is also an editor and a member of editorial boards. He was qualified as an associate professor in Environmental Physics, Heritage, and Design and Architecture Technology. He writes poetry and dramas.