COMPARING MEASURED AND EVALUATED THERMAL ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS IN AN ELDERLY DAYTIME CARE FACILITY COOLED BY A COLDWATER CIRCULATION TYPE OF SNOW COOLING SYSTEM AND AN AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM

Abstract

Measurements, questionnaires, and interviews were conducted in a daytime care facility for the elderly that was equipped with a cold-water circulation type of snow cooling systems (SCS) and an air conditioning system (ACS) in Niigata, Japan. Even though small differences were measured in a thermal environment when SCS and ACS were operated, the elderly felt more comfortable in the SCS environment than in the ACS environment. In contrast, the care staff preferred the ACS environment because they felt cool and comfortable in that environment. Moreover, using SCS was difficult to control and maintain a stable temperature owing to a variation in the conditions of the melting snow.