INDOOR CLIMATE AND PASSENGER THERMAL COMFORT IN SINGAPORE'S MASS RAPID TRANSIT SYSTEM

Abstract

This study focuses on the indoor climate in the Singapore Mass Transit System, in particular the airconditioned areas. A survey of the 2849 passengers and the thermal environment of the system was carried out in the months of August and September at the stations and in the trains. Optimum temperatures for the passengers were obtained for different levels within the system. Acceptable temperatures were also found so that both passenger thermal comfort and energy savings could be attained. Different temperatures were obtained for different levels and for different groups of people in terms of whether they were entering or leaving the system. Different factors also appeared to account for the thermal sensation at different levels. An anomaly was encountered for the train where probit analysis and analysis of generalised linear models failed to obtain a rational optimum and acceptable temperatures for passengers in the train. Acceptable temperatures for the concourse and platform levels had a wider fiducial range than optimum temperatures. This could allow some flexibility in terms of temperature regulation in these levels. Acceptable temperatures were also higher than the mean temperatures obtained for the concourse and platform levels. This holds some promise for energy conservation in the SMRT system.