Correlational study between daylighting configurations and light and thermal perception in a climate chamber

Abstract Human interactions in the built environment are mediated by physiological and psychological stimuli, which may interfere in the perception of environmental comfort variables. In this context, the degree of correlation between different ambient lighting configurations in terms of subjective thermal and light perception was evaluated. Tests were carried out in a rotating climatic chamber, located in Karlsruhe, Germany (49ºN, 8,5ºE). 16 subjects remained under controlled thermal conditions (PMV ± 0.5) over 5 h (8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. local time) during three seasons in 2015, totalizing nine days of collection per individual, with 36 experimental sessions in total. Objective variables were assessed with spectroradiometers and comfort meters. Subjective perception of lighting characteristics and thermal comfort was obtained from questionnaires. Illuminance (E-lux), apparent color temperature (TCC-K), dominant wavelength (DWl-nm), and circadian action factor (acv) were correlated statistically (Spearman, rs) with objective environmental data: for the whole sample and for the group of individuals with indifferent chronotype (n = 11). Significant correlations were observed only between temperature perception and environmental variables in situations with less available natural light (winter, non equatorial façade) for the two groups evaluated, and the correlations were higher for the indifferent chronotype group.