Cross-city comparison of indoor air temperatures in air-conditioned spaces

Field measurements were collected through physical measurements and observations in the cities of Seoul, Korea; Eugene and Portland, Oregon; and Yokohama, Japan, during the fall, winter, and summer seasons from 2005 to 2006. A total of 1733 data sets were collected (Seoul - 713; Oregon - 807; Yokohama - 213) in variety of multi-use buildings with the goal of examining operative temperatures and conditions encountered during everyday life. Of the four cities measured, winter and autumn indoor operative temperatures were highest in Seoul and lowest in Yokohama when normalized to outdoor conditions. In contrast, summer indoor operative temperatures were highest in Yokohama and lowest in Oregon. Clothing levels changed seasonally, and differences were observed between 'long-term occupants', 'residents', and 'transients.'