On the Effects of Clothing Area Factor and Vapour Resistance on the Evaluation of Cold Environments via IREQ Model

Francesca Romana d’Ambrosio Alfano, Kalev Kuklane, Boris Igor Palella () and Giuseppe Riccio
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Francesca Romana d’Ambrosio Alfano: DIIN—Dipartimento di Ingegneria Industriale, Università di Salerno, Via Giovanni Paolo II 132, 84084 Fisciano, Italy
Kalev Kuklane: Dutch Academy for Crisis Management and Fire Service (NACB), Netherlands Institute for Public Safety (NIPV), P.O. Box 7112, NL-2701 AC Zoetermeer, The Netherlands
Boris Igor Palella: DII—Dipartimento di Ingegneria Industriale, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Piazzale Vincenzo Tecchio 80, 80125 Naples, Italy
Giuseppe Riccio: DII—Dipartimento di Ingegneria Industriale, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Piazzale Vincenzo Tecchio 80, 80125 Naples, Italy

IJERPH, 2025, vol. 22, issue 8, 1-30

Abstract: The IREQ (Insulation REQuired) index is the only reliable and effective model for predicting and evaluating the protection given by a clothing ensemble in cold environments. Even with the growth of studies aimed at assessing the thermophysical characteristics of clothing, IREQ remained unaltered from Holmér’s original formulation four decades prior. This paper focuses on the effect of the evaluation of the clothing area factor and the resultant vapour resistance on the assessment of cold environments via IREQ. Obtained results reveal meaningful variations in the duration limit exposure (up to 5 h), whereas IREQ values remain unchanged. Observed phenomena could be interesting when discussing the revision of the ISO 11079 standard, which prescribes using IREQ for the determination and interpretation of cold stress.

Keywords: cold stress; IREQ; duration limit exposure; clothing area factor; vapour resistance; ISO 11079 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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