Staying in the comfort zone

January 1, 1

We learn and work better when the temperature is “just right”.

Just the right tempature

If you’ve ever found it hard to concentrate in a chilly room or an overheated office, you’ll understand why it’s so important to have a comfortable indoor environment. Research confirms what you feel: people are more effective and productive when temperatures are in the right range.

At the moment, getting the temperature right is a problem for many Europeans: around 80 million currently live in homes with a poor indoor climate and 54 million cannot afford to heat their home adequately in winter1.

The ideal indoor temperature

The ideal indoor temperature depends on the room and its purpose as well as individual preferences. However, indoor temperature should be in a range of 20 to 26°c with humidity – another measure of interior climate that’s essential to health – at around 50 percent2.

Go much below or above these temperature values and people’s ability to concentrate suffers. A study conducted at the U.S. West Point Military Academy showed that even when temperatures are barely out of the “comfort zone”, (Sullivan Trudjillo 2015)3 34 percent of the classroom felt uncomfortable, reporting that the temperature was affecting their ability to learn. It's the same story in the workplace, where a good interior climate leads to better employee engagement, which in turn leads to better performance.

An important role

Proper insulation has an important role to play in creating comfortable indoor spaces. As well as helping to control the temperature, stone wool insulation in the floors, walls and roof helps ensure an even temperature throughout the building, preventing cold spots that could lead to damp. The high density of stone wool also makes it an effective insulator against heat, keeping rooms cool in summer and warm in winter.

And as well as creating better conditions for learning, working and living, ROCKWOOL fire safe stone wool insulation cuts energy bills – and reduces your impact on the environment.

 

1: Healthy Homes Barometer
2 File:///C:/Users/jl/Downloads/TC-02.01-FAQ-92.pdf, https://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/phys_agents/thermal_comfort.html
3: The Importance of Thermal Comfort in the Classroom

 

Ideal indoor temperature
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is the ideal indoor temperature

Affected learning
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of students felt even a small change in temperature affected learning

Poor indoor climate
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Europeans live in homes with a poor indoor climate

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