CLOTHING - THERMAL PROTECTION AND NECESSARY CLIMATIC TOOL FOR THERMAL COMFORT

The aim of this paper is to make a brief review of the heat exchanges between the human being and his environment to point out the importance of the clothing thermal insulation for maintaining the heat balance equation. The various clothing factors are presented and the sources of variation in the thermal insulation are discussed. The paper gives illustrations of the thermal comfort as a function of the major parameters. Although there are data bases for clothing insulation determination, more work has to be carried out for a better prediction of the thermal quantitative effects of clothing worn by humans.