Personal Thermal Comfort in People with Intellectual Disabilities Living in Energy Poverty
| Título | Personal Thermal Comfort in People with Intellectual Disabilities Living in Energy Poverty |
|---|---|
| Año | 2024 |
| Autor | Katherine Exss |
| Coautores | Maximiliano Trigos |
| Filiación | Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso |
| Tipo de Publicación | Proceeding |
| Ciudad | Sevilla |
| Palabras Clave | thermal comfort, intellectual disability, energy poverty, personal comfort systems, inclusive research |
| Área de Investigación | Forma, Cultura y Tecnología |
| Archivo:KExss-CATE2024-fullpaper final.pdf | |
| Carreras Relacionadas | Arquitectura, Diseño, Magíster |
Hypothesis: The use of Personal Comfort Systems (PCS) plays a central role in the thermal adaptation strategies of adults with Intellectual Disabilities (ID) living independently in energy poverty, positively impacting their comfort perception.
Objective: To identify the thermal sensation of adults with ID living independently during winter and summer, focusing on the impact of PCS on their comfort perception.
Scope and Limitations: The study involves a small sample of two identical homes where eight individuals with ID (Moderate and Severe) live independently (four individuals per home). These individuals participate in the Supported Living program, which promotes independent living for people with ID through professional support and continuous training in autonomy and daily life skills. Six of the eight participants have paid employment. The case study is in Santiago, Chile, in a continental Mediterranean climate.
Method: An inclusive research approach is employed, valuing the first-person perspectives of individuals with ID. Accordingly, instruments are adapted and pre-study training is provided to facilitate participation. A mixed-methods approach is used, incorporating both qualitative data for individual interviews and quantitative data for indoor temperature measurement and a thermal comfort questionnaire across 10 weeks for winter and 14 weeks for summer.
Novel Conclusions: Among thermal adaptation strategies, PCS are highly utilized by individuals with ID living independently in energy poverty, where there is no access to air conditioning. Other adaptations include clothing adjustments and consumption of hot and cold liquids. Despite PCS use, extremely low indoor temperatures in winter and extremely high indoor temperatures in summer, characteristic of energy poverty, result in low average thermal acceptance in both seasons. Nevertheless, an increase in thermal acceptance is identified with the use of PCS in both winter and summer. The range of acceptable indoor temperatures varies significantly by season, indicating a wide diversity in personal preferences.
