Updated Database of Clothing Thermal Insulation and Vapor Permeability Values of Western Ensembles for Use in ASHRAE Standard 55, ISO 7730 and ISO 9920; Results of ASHRAE RP-1760

ASHRAE RP-1760 aimed to update the database of western clothing as used in ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 55-2013, Thermal Environmental Conditions for Human Occupancy (ASHRAE 2013a), ISO Standard 7730-2005, Ergonomics of the Thermal Environment—Analytical Determination and Interpretation of Thermal Comfort Using Calculation of the PMV and PPD Indices and Local Thermal Comfort Criteria (ISO 2005), and ISO Standard 9920-2009, Ergonomics of the Thermal Environment— Estimation of Thermal Insulation and Water Vapor Resistance of a Clothing Ensemble (ISO 2009). The previous database, established in the 1970’s and 1980’s, relied mostly on single zone manikins and did not provide detail on air and body movement effects on insulation. Insulation values of up to 70 clothing ensembles (31 male, 39 female) were measured in a static standing posture at 0.2, 0.4 and 1 m.s-1 (0.66, 1.31, 3.28 ft.s-1) air speed, walking in 0.2 and 1.0 m.s-1 air speed , and in a sitting posture in 0.2 m.s-1 air speed. Measurements were conducted in three laboratories on three manikins with up to 34 individually controlled zones. In addition, vapor resistance was determined in 31 ensembles. This new database provides total, intrinsic and air insulation values, vapor resistance and clothing area factors as well as correction factors to estimate the wind and movement effect on clothing insulation. Furthermore, the model to estimate the clothing area factor from insulation values of the ensembles was updated reflecting changes in commonly worn clothing styles.