Effectiveness of personal comfort systems on whole-body thermal comfort – A systematic review on which body segments to target

Personal comfort systems (PCS) promise individualized thermal comfort, energy-savings and may even contribute to health by locally heating/cooling specific body segments. To date, however, insights into PCSs’ design guidelines or their effectiveness on whole-body are scarce. The fundamental question which segments should be targeted has not yet been answered. This paper attempts answer this systematically reviewing studies effects local the whole restricted office scenarios. results imply that discomfort distribution over determines PCSs eliminate targeting it directly indirectly. In a typical scenario, cooling affect perception in non-targeted segments, however heating not. Therefore, could heat uncomfortable cold environments while indirect also effectively relieve warm environments. Moreover, moderate conditioning does skin temperatures most findings suggest human thermoregulation stimulated, hence, benefit our health, without compromising comfort. Directions for future PCS proposed bridge energy-efficiency offices.