Overview

This standard is part of a series of standards dealing with the ergonomics of the physical environment. It describes a method for conducting an environmental survey. It complements other standards in the series concerned with specific components of the environment such as thermal, acoustic, lighting and air quality environments. It builds upon those standards to allow the assessment of human response to the total environment. This standard describes methods for the evaluation of comfort using physical measures of the environment and subjective measures from people. The standard specifies methods for the assessment of thermal, acoustic, and visual environments as well as lighting environments, air quality environments, and other relevant environmental components. For each environmental component, methods are described for measuring the physical environment and subjective responses to the environment. An assessment form for use as an environmental assessment tool by the person conducting the survey is also included. Measurement of the physical environment is conducted using relevant instrumentation such as a thermometer, sound level meter or illuminance meter. Where appropriate, reference to relevant International Standards is provided for the specification of the instruments. Subjective methods quantify the responses of people to an environment using subjective scales. For each environmental component, examples of subjective scales are provided. The third part of the assessment is concerned with observation. For each environmental component, advice on what may be included in an observation assessment form is provided. An example of an assessment form is provided in Annex A. Each of these methods has been developed according to basic principles. The most appropriate form of the method or combination of methods used for the determination of environmental comfort will depend upon the context and environment of interest. This standard describes both principles and application of methods for the assessment of environments using an environmental survey. The standard complements standards concerned with the ergonomics of the physical environment and can be particularly used together with environmental indices that are valid for use in those environments. The committee responsible for this standard is NA 023-00-05 GA "Gemeinschaftsarbeitsausschuss NAErg/NAM: Ergonomie der physikalischen Umgebung, ErgPhysU" ("Joint Working Committee NAErg/NAM: Ergonomics of the Physical Environment, ErgPhysU") at DIN.

Document: references other documents

Responsible national committee

NA 023-00-05 GA - Joint working committee of Ergonomics Standards Committee/ Mechanical Engineering Committee: Ergonomics of the physical environment  

Responsible european committee

CEN/TC 122/WG 11 - Ergonomics of the Physical Environment  

Responsible international committee

ISO/TC 159/SC 5/WG 4 - Integrated environments