A study of the user behavior and effects of local cooling devices among the elderly

To study the control behavior of people on cooling equipment or systems, numerous scholars have conducted research in office buildings, residential buildings, and classrooms; however, the participants in the study are usually young adults. The accepted conclusion of the current research on thermal comfort is that the elderly are less sensitive to heat and have a narrower thermal acceptance range than the young. Therefore, their needs and behavior patterns regarding cooling devices may differ from those of the young. Considering that most of the existing behavioral studies of the elderly are field studies, which may contain confounding variables, in this study elderly were recruited to participate in a climate chamber experiment. The experiment required older adults to adjust local cooling devices (table fan, evaporative cooling fan, and air-cooled jacket) based on their own thermal comfort in different warm conditions. During the experiment, questionnaires were used to record the elderly's adjustment to the device mode and thermal sensation at various time intervals. By analyzing the collected data, the use pattern of different local cooling devices and the impact of these devices on the thermal comfort of the elderly in warm conditions were investigated.