DETERMINATION OF METABOLIC RATE FOR MALAYSIAN POPULATION

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to determine Malaysian metabolic heat production and relate it with Fanger’s model. Besides, this study also wants to investigate whether ISO 8996 is reliable in predicting thermal comfort for Malaysian by comparing the metabolic heat estimated for both Malaysian people using ISO 8996 with the actual measured metabolic rate through experimental. The metabolic rate was measured and calculated from direct calorimetry chamber. This method measured metabolic heat production based on the rate of net heat loss to environment and direct calorimetry is the most accurate method for quantifying the rate of heat loss. Besides, a combination of experimental and stimulation approaches was used in the data analysis using CFD tool. Based on this project, it has found that whole body surface area is the main function in estimation of metabolic heat production. ISO 8996 has underestimated the metabolic heat production for Malaysian people as actual experimental values is higher than estimated value. Based on comparison of whole body surface area, Malaysian people has smaller surface area when compare with European people. However, there was a similar value between estimated and actual measured metabolic heat production due to similar whole body surface area with the Fanger’s model, 1.8 m2. Thus, it shows that ISO is less reliable in predicting thermal comfort for Malaysian population unless it has similar whole body surface area.