Comfort zone

From Glossary of Meteorology



comfort zone

(Also called comfort standard.) The ranges of indoor temperature, humidity, and air movement, under which most persons enjoy mental and physical well-being.

As represented on comfort charts of the American Society of Heating and Air Conditioning Engineers, comfort zones are areas bounded by curves of effective temperature and relative humidity. The limiting conditions vary somewhat according to season and to the native climate of the person or group. In the United States the comfort zone with normal ventilation lies between air temperatures of about 17° and 24°C (63° and 75°F) at a relative humidity of 70%, and 19°C (67°F) at a relative humidity of 30%, giving an effective temperature within a few degrees of 19°C (67°F). The limits, however, vary with the season, being higher in summer than in winter. In the United Kingdom, the comfort zone is centered on an effective temperature of about 16°C (60°F). In the Tropics the comfort zone lies between the same limits of relative humidity, but at air temperatures around 26°C (78°F).
Compare comfort curve.


Copyright 2024 American Meteorological Society (AMS). For permission to reuse any portion of this work, please contact permissions@ametsoc.org. Any use of material in this work that is determined to be “fair use” under Section 107 of the U.S. Copyright Act (17 U.S. Code § 107) or that satisfies the conditions specified in Section 108 of the U.S.Copyright Act (17 USC § 108) does not require AMS’s permission. Republication, systematic reproduction, posting in electronic form, such as on a website or in a searchable database, or other uses of this material, except as exempted by the above statement, require written permission or a license from AMS. Additional details are provided in the AMS Copyright Policy statement.