Influencing factors of long-term thermal comfort in office buildings

While previous research has explored factors influencing point-in-time thermal comfort, the mechanisms behind long-term thermal comfort remain elusive. This study utilized cognitive psychology theory to identify factors influencing long-term thermal comfort through statistical analyses of surveys across China and physical measurements in three Shanghai offices. Six of the 17 investigated factors exhibited strong linear relationships with long-term thermal comfort. The findings confirmed the existence of the Primacy Effect, Perceptual Bias, Recency Bias, and Peak-End Rule in long-term thermal evaluation, highlighting the impact of initial perceptions, past adverse experiences, and current comfort levels on one’s long-term thermal comfort. The study also indicated that these cognitive biases are primarily psychological and independent of the physical environment. Factors such as age, gender, climate, and controllability, which affect short-term thermal comfort, did not significantly impact long-term comfort. This research is one of the earliest attempts to understand long-term thermal comfort, underscoring its complexity and providing valuable insights for building managers and researchers aiming to enhance thermal comfort in office settings.