Report on manikin measurements for ASHRAE RP-1760 - Part 2: Update of clothing insulation database for Western clothing ensembles, including effects of posture, body movement and air velocity - Medical Clothing -

ASHRAE standard 55, ISO 7730 and chapter 9 in ASHRAE Handbook-Fundamentals titled ‘Thermal Comfort’ provide guidance for the assessment of thermal comfort in buildings. As inputs, the method uses climate parameters, the users’ activity level and the clothing insulation of the garments worn by the occupants. The standard provides guidance on the determination of these parameters and provides values for activity level and clothing insulation. Data on the thermal performance of clothing is essential for evaluating human thermal comfort via standards and model-based approaches. Extensive detailed data on thermal and vapor resistance values for nonwestern clothing has recently become available (Havenith et al., 2015 (ASHRAE 55 (1504-TRP)). Similarly, an updated database on western clothing was developed as part of this project RP1760 (Smallcombe et al. 2021). During the execution of RP1760, an interest in insulation values for medical clothing was expressed by TC 9.6 Health Care Facilities. Based on this RP1760 was extended to include measurements of several medical clothing configurations for staff as well as patients. Staff clothing ensembles ranging from general ward clothing to critical care ensembles were measured for their heat resistance and some also for their vapor resistance. Measurements were performed for standing, sitting, and walking combined with air movement at 0.17 m.s-1 (sitting), 0.17 and 0.37 m.s-1 (standing), 0.17 and 1.27 m.s-1 (walking equivalent 4.5 km.h-1, 2.8 miles.houre-1). Patient clothing ensembles included various patient gowns, standing (0.17 and 0.37 m.s-1) and walking (0.17 and 1.27 m.s-1) and while on an exam table or in a hospital bed with different coverage with blankets and bedsheets in different positions with air movement at 0.17 and 0.37 m.s-1. The results provide a database of insulation values for hospital clothing in different wear configurations, in different air velocities, postures and movements. As such, this is expected to be a valuable addition to ASHRAE standard 55, ISO7730 and ISO 9920. In addition, data obtained on the insulation of individual body parts can be used by modelers (e.g., CFD) to incorporate realistic insulation data into their models.