IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/appene/v236y2019icp760-777.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Effects of moderate thermal environments on cognitive performance: A multidisciplinary review

Author

Listed:
  • Zhang, Fan
  • de Dear, Richard
  • Hancock, Peter

Abstract

The effect of the thermal environment on performance and productivity has been a focus of interest among indoor environmental researchers for nearly a century, but most of that work has been conducted in relative isolation from the cognate disciplines of human performance evaluation. The present review examines thermal environmental effects on cognitive performance research conducted across multiple disciplines. After differentiating performance from productivity, we compare the two dominant conceptual models linking thermal stress to performance; (1) the inverted-U concept and (2) the extended-U relationship. The inverted-U specifies a single optimum temperature (or its corresponding subjective thermal sensation) at which performance is maximised. In contrast, the extended-U model posits a broad central plateau across which there is no discernible thermal effect on cognitive performance. This performance plateau is bounded by regions of progressive performance decrements in more extreme thermal conditions. The contradictions between these opposing conceptual models might derive from various confounding factors at play in their underlying research bases. These include, inter alia, environment-related, task-related, and performer-related factors, as well as their associated two-way and three-way interaction effects. Methodological discrepancies that might also contribute to the divergence of these conceptual models are evaluated, along with the proposed causal mechanisms underlying the two models. The weight of research evidence reviewed in this paper suggests that the extended-U hypothesis fits the relationship between moderate thermal environments and cognitive performance. In contrast to the inverted-U relationship, implemention of the extended-U in indoor climate control implies substantial reductions in building energy demand, since it permits the heating and cooling setpoint deadband to expand across the full width of the thermal comfort zone, or even slightly further during emergencies such as peak demand events on the electricity grid. Use of personal comfort systems can further extend the thermostat setpoint range beyond the comfort zone.

Suggested Citation

  • Zhang, Fan & de Dear, Richard & Hancock, Peter, 2019. "Effects of moderate thermal environments on cognitive performance: A multidisciplinary review," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 236(C), pages 760-777.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:appene:v:236:y:2019:i:c:p:760-777
    DOI: 10.1016/j.apenergy.2018.12.005
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0306261918318233
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.apenergy.2018.12.005?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Ghahramani, Ali & Zhang, Kenan & Dutta, Kanu & Yang, Zheng & Becerik-Gerber, Burcin, 2016. "Energy savings from temperature setpoints and deadband: Quantifying the influence of building and system properties on savings," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 165(C), pages 930-942.
    2. Harkouss, Fatima & Fardoun, Farouk & Biwole, Pascal Henry, 2018. "Passive design optimization of low energy buildings in different climates," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 165(PA), pages 591-613.
    3. Baniyounes, Ali M. & Ghadi, Yazeed Yasin & Rasul, M.G. & Khan, M.M.K., 2013. "An overview of solar assisted air conditioning in Queensland's subtropical regions, Australia," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 26(C), pages 781-804.
    4. Hugh Byrd & Eziaku Onyeizu Rasheed, 2016. "The Productivity Paradox in Green Buildings," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(4), pages 1-12, April.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Yuga Raju Gunda & Suprakash Gupta & Lalit Kumar Singh, 2023. "Assessing human performance and human reliability: a review," International Journal of System Assurance Engineering and Management, Springer;The Society for Reliability, Engineering Quality and Operations Management (SREQOM),India, and Division of Operation and Maintenance, Lulea University of Technology, Sweden, vol. 14(3), pages 817-828, June.
    2. Balázs András-Tövissi & László Kajtár & Árpád Nyers, 2021. "The Effect of Ceiling Heating and Mechanical Ventilation on Thermal Comfort," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(12), pages 1-15, June.
    3. Zhang, Sheng & Lin, Zhang, 2020. "Standard effective temperature based adaptive-rational thermal comfort model," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 264(C).
    4. Nundy, Srijita & Ghosh, Aritra, 2020. "Thermal and visual comfort analysis of adaptive vacuum integrated switchable suspended particle device window for temperate climate," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 156(C), pages 1361-1372.
    5. Seyedmohammadreza Heibati & Wahid Maref & Hamed H. Saber, 2021. "Assessing the Energy, Indoor Air Quality, and Moisture Performance for a Three-Story Building Using an Integrated Model, Part Two: Integrating the Indoor Air Quality, Moisture, and Thermal Comfort," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(16), pages 1-40, August.
    6. Jarvinen, J. & Goldsworthy, M. & White, S. & Pudney, P. & Belusko, M. & Bruno, F., 2021. "Evaluating the utility of passive thermal storage as an energy storage system on the Australian energy market," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 137(C).
    7. Cleo Valentine, 2023. "Architectural Allostatic Overloading: Exploring a Connection between Architectural Form and Allostatic Overloading," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(9), pages 1-14, April.
    8. Cleo Valentine, 2023. "Health Implications of Virtual Architecture: An Interdisciplinary Exploration of the Transferability of Findings from Neuroarchitecture," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(3), pages 1-16, February.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Nkwetta, Dan Nchelatebe & Sandercock, Jim, 2016. "A state-of-the-art review of solar air-conditioning systems," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 60(C), pages 1351-1366.
    2. Gigih Rahmandhani Setyantho & Hansaem Park & Seongju Chang, 2021. "Multi-Criteria Performance Assessment for Semi-Transparent Photovoltaic Windows in Different Climate Contexts," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-21, February.
    3. Ana Mafalda Matos & João M. P. Q. Delgado & Ana Sofia Guimarães, 2022. "Energy-Efficiency Passive Strategies for Mediterranean Climate: An Overview," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(7), pages 1-20, April.
    4. Fekadu, Geleta & Subudhi, Sudhakar, 2018. "Renewable energy for liquid desiccants air conditioning system: A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 93(C), pages 364-379.
    5. Pajek, Luka & Košir, Mitja, 2021. "Strategy for achieving long-term energy efficiency of European single-family buildings through passive climate adaptation," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 297(C).
    6. Wang, Ran & Lu, Shilei & Feng, Wei, 2020. "A three-stage optimization methodology for envelope design of passive house considering energy demand, thermal comfort and cost," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 192(C).
    7. Shirazi, Ali & Taylor, Robert A. & White, Stephen D. & Morrison, Graham L., 2016. "Transient simulation and parametric study of solar-assisted heating and cooling absorption systems: An energetic, economic and environmental (3E) assessment," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 86(C), pages 955-971.
    8. Ghahramani, Ali & Pantelic, Jovan & Lindberg, Casey & Mehl, Matthias & Srinivasan, Karthik & Gilligan, Brian & Arens, Edward, 2018. "Learning occupants’ workplace interactions from wearable and stationary ambient sensing systems," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 230(C), pages 42-51.
    9. Chen, Ruijun & Tsay, Yaw-Shyan & Zhang, Ting, 2023. "A multi-objective optimization strategy for building carbon emission from the whole life cycle perspective," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 262(PA).
    10. Abir Khechiba & Djamila Djaghrouri & Moussadek Benabbas & Francesco Leccese & Michele Rocca & Giacomo Salvadori, 2023. "Balancing Thermal Comfort and Energy Consumption in Residential Buildings of Desert Areas: Impact of Passive Strategies," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(10), pages 1-21, May.
    11. Elaouzy, Youssef & El Fadar, Abdellah, 2023. "Sustainability of building-integrated bioclimatic design strategies depending on energy affordability," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 179(C).
    12. Jianwu Xiong & Linlin Chen & Yin Zhang, 2023. "Building Energy Saving for Indoor Cooling and Heating: Mechanism and Comparison on Temperature Difference," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(14), pages 1-20, July.
    13. Rabani, Mehrdad & Bayera Madessa, Habtamu & Mohseni, Omid & Nord, Natasa, 2020. "Minimizing delivered energy and life cycle cost using Graphical script: An office building retrofitting case," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 268(C).
    14. Azar, Elie & Nikolopoulou, Christina & Papadopoulos, Sokratis, 2016. "Integrating and optimizing metrics of sustainable building performance using human-focused agent-based modeling," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 183(C), pages 926-937.
    15. Ghadi, Yazeed Yasin & Rasul, M.G. & Khan, M.M.K., 2016. "Design and development of advanced fuzzy logic controllers in smart buildings for institutional buildings in subtropical Queensland," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 54(C), pages 738-744.
    16. Shilei Lu & Minchao Fan & Yiqun Zhao, 2018. "A System to Pre-Evaluate the Suitability of Energy-Saving Technology for Green Buildings," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(10), pages 1-19, October.
    17. Xiaoliang Wang & Bo Lei & Haiquan Bi & Tao Yu, 2019. "Study on the Thermal Performance of a Hybrid Heat Collecting Facade Used for Passive Solar Buildings in Cold Region," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(6), pages 1-22, March.
    18. Afroz, Zakia & Urmee, Tania & Shafiullah, G.M. & Higgins, Gary, 2018. "Real-time prediction model for indoor temperature in a commercial building," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 231(C), pages 29-53.
    19. Staszczuk, Anna & Kuczyński, Tadeusz, 2021. "The impact of wall and roof material on the summer thermal performance of building in a temperate climate," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 228(C).
    20. Ahsan Waqar & Idris Othman & Nasir Shafiq & Hasim Altan & Bertug Ozarisoy, 2023. "Modeling the Effect of Overcoming the Barriers to Passive Design Implementation on Project Sustainability Building Success: A Structural Equation Modeling Perspective," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(11), pages 1-26, June.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:appene:v:236:y:2019:i:c:p:760-777. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journaldescription.cws_home/405891/description#description .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.