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Thermal Comfort
STRUCTURE & PHYSICSbeginner
Definition
The condition in which a building's occupants feel neither too hot nor too cold — influenced by air temperature, radiant temperature, humidity, air movement, clothing, and activity level. Designing for thermal comfort means going beyond meeting energy regulations to consider how people actually experience a space.
Example
The Eastgate Centre in Harare by Mick Pearce (1996) uses a passive ventilation system modelled on termite mounds to maintain thermal comfort without air conditioning in Zimbabwe's climate.