The thermal comfort zone for government officers is between 24C and 25C.

Dr Choong said this was the result of his research with Kedah Public Works Department engineer Mohd Suharizal Muhamad Subri entitledThermal Comfort Study in Government Office Buildings.

“The results of the research are concurrent with the government’s suggestion that the temperature level is set at 24C,” said Dr Choong.

Energy, Green Technology and WaterMinister Datuk Seri Peter Chin had announced on Thursday that government offices have been directed to set their air-conditioner temperature at no lower than 24C in a bid to decrease electricity usage.

Chin added that 24C was a comfortable temperature for Malaysian climate as it was neither too cold nor too hot.

Dr Choong said he and Mohd Suharizal had carried out experiments in government offices in Kuala Lumpur whereby temperature levels of between 23C and 27C were used to determine the thermal comfort level over a five-day period.

“We then distributed questionnaires and the answers indicated the best temperature level was between 24C and 25C,” he said.

Dr Choong said the measurements were taken at 9am, noon and 3pm from March 7 to 11 during working days.

Source: The Star