Exploring the “black box” of thermal adaptation using information entropy

Jing, S., Li, B. and Yao, R. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4269-7224 (2018) Exploring the “black box” of thermal adaptation using information entropy. Building and Environment, 146. pp. 166-176. ISSN 0360-1323 doi: 10.1016/j.buildenv.2018.09.038

Abstract/Summary

Thermal adaptation has been interpreted well by behavioral, physiological, and psychological factors, but the mechanism and interaction between the three factors remain in the “black box”. This paper aims to apply the theory of general system and information entropy to investigate the quantitative relationships of the three thermal adaptation processes. Based on the database from the field survey and laboratory experiments conducted in the hot summer and cold winter climate zone of China, three typical adaptive indices: clothing insulation (Clo), thermal sensation votes (TSV) and sensory nerve conduction velocity (SCV) were selected to calculate Clo entropy, TSV entropy, SCV entropy and total entropy. The regression models were developed between these entropies and the indoor air temperature to quantify the weights of the three adaptive categories. The models were used to compare the differences between China and Pakistan as well as between adaptive approaches and climate chamber experiments. The thermal comfort and acceptable temperature ranges were obtained using the entropy models. Our findings propose a new perspective using entropy to quantify the behaviorally, physiologically, and psychologically adaptive approaches, which contribute to a better understanding of opening the “black box” of thermal adaptation.

Item Type	Article
URI	https://reading-clone.eprints-hosting.org/id/eprint/79574
Item Type	Article
Refereed	Yes
Divisions	No Reading authors. Back catalogue items Science > School of the Built Environment > Energy and Environmental Engineering group
Publisher	Elsevier
Download/View statistics	View download statistics for this item