Full Library

In the hot climate of Saudi Arabia, people living year-round in air-conditioned spaces are likely to develop high expectations for homogeneity and cool temperatures, becoming potentially more sensitive if thermal conditions deviate from the comfort zone they expect. This paper presents the results from a field intervention investigating the association between participants’ thermal sensations with cognitive performance in a female university in Saudi Arabia. The climatic context plays a key role in choosing Saudi Arabia, whereas the total reliance on air-conditioners (AC) for cooling is believed to have significant effects on occupants’ perceptions of the comfort temperature. Results reveal discrepancies in the actual thermal sensations between the Saudi and non-Saudi participants which affected their performances. “Cool” and “Slightly Cool” sensations versus neutral were associated with significant lower percentage of errors and significant higher speed for all participants independently of any association with ethnicity and acclimatization. The estimates remained significant even after adjusting for ethnicity and the number of years spent in the country and the set temperature of AC at home. Implications of the study suggest a preference for staying cool when working independently of acclimatization status. Practical Implications. This study confirms that there is a strong association between indoor temperature, thermal sensations, and cognitive performance in young adult female students. The practical implications of this research highlight that findings from previous studies may not be applicable to climates such as Saudi Arabia, where the pervasive presence of air-conditioning is not only affecting occupants’ preferences for cooler temperatures, but may also impact on their cognitive performance at lower temperatures, compared with other climatic regions.

Publisher: Wiley Online Library openalex: W4212818674