Thermal Perception in the Mediterranean Area: Comparing the Mediterranean Outdoor Comfort Index (MOCI) to Other Outdoor Thermal Comfort Indices

Iacopo Golasi, Ferdinando Salata, Emanuele De Lieto Vollaro, Massimo Coppi and Andrea De Lieto Vollaro
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Iacopo Golasi: Department of Astronautical, Electrical And Energy Engineering—Area Fisica Tecnica, Università degli Studi di Roma “Sapienza”, Via Eudossiana 18, 00184 Rome, Italy
Ferdinando Salata: Department of Astronautical, Electrical And Energy Engineering—Area Fisica Tecnica, Università degli Studi di Roma “Sapienza”, Via Eudossiana 18, 00184 Rome, Italy
Emanuele De Lieto Vollaro: Department of Architecture—Università degli Studi “Roma TRE”, Via della Madonna dei Monti 40, 00184 Rome, Italy
Massimo Coppi: Department of Astronautical, Electrical And Energy Engineering—Area Fisica Tecnica, Università degli Studi di Roma “Sapienza”, Via Eudossiana 18, 00184 Rome, Italy
Andrea De Lieto Vollaro: Department of Astronautical, Electrical And Energy Engineering—Area Fisica Tecnica, Università degli Studi di Roma “Sapienza”, Via Eudossiana 18, 00184 Rome, Italy

Energies, 2016, vol. 9, issue 7, 1-16

Abstract: Outdoor thermal comfort is an essential factor of people’s everyday life and deeply affects the habitability of outdoor spaces. However the indices used for its evaluation were usually developed for indoor environments assuming still air conditions and absence of solar radiation and were only later adapted to outdoor spaces. For this reason, in a previous study the Mediterranean Outdoor Comfort Index (MOCI) was developed, which is an empirical index able to estimate the thermal perception of people living in the Mediterranean area. In this study it was compared numerically (by using the data obtained through a field survey) with other selected thermal indices. This comparison, performed in terms of Spearman’s rho correlation coefficient, association Gamma, percentage of correct predictions and cross-tabulation analysis, led to identify the MOCI as the most suitable index to examine outdoor thermal comfort in the interested area. As a matter of fact it showed a total percentage of correct predictions of 35.5%. Good performances were reported even in thermophysiological indices as the Physiological Equivalent Temperature (PET) and Predicted Mean Vote (PMV). Moreover it was revealed that adaptation and acclimatization phenomena tend to have a certain influence as well.

Keywords: outdoor thermal comfort; thermal adaptation; MOCI; PMV; PET; statistical analysis; field survey; comfort range (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2016
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

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