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Personalized Environmental Control Systems (PECS): Systematic review of benefits for thermal comfort, air quality, health, and human performance
Integrated Comfort Engineering Laboratory (ICE), School of Architecture, Civil and Environmental Engineering (ENAC), École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Switzerland.
KTH, School of Architecture and the Built Environment (ABE), Civil and Architectural Engineering, Building Technology and Design.ORCID iD: 0000-0002-9361-1796
Department of Environmental and Resource Engineering, International Centre for Indoor Environment and Energy, Technical University of Denmark (DTU), Denmark.
Number of Authors: 552025 (English)In: Building and Environment, ISSN 0360-1323, E-ISSN 1873-684X, Vol. 286, article id 113541Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

Advances in environmental technologies have improved indoor environmental quality (IEQ) by creating steady, uniform conditions. However, these often fail to meet individual thermal comfort and air quality needs, prompting a shift toward adaptive, personalized solutions. Personalized Environmental Control Systems (PECS) aim to enhance comfort, air quality, health, and productivity through user-centered designs. This paper systematically reviews 324 journal articles on PECS from 1988-2023, focusing on thermal and indoor air quality (IAQ) domains. PECS are classified by mobility: building-attached, semi-attached, detached, and wearable. The review assesses their impact on thermal comfort, IAQ, health outcomes (e.g., Sick Building Syndrome, heat stress), and human performance (e.g., cognitive function, productivity). Results show that building-detached PECS often improve thermal sensation, comfort, and acceptability, with combined systems yielding better ratings. Personalized ventilation enhances IAQ by delivering clean air directly to the breathing zone, reducing contaminant exposure. Research on PECS effects on health is limited, mainly focusing on short-term, controlled studies. Evidence for benefits on human performance is sparse but promising. Key challenges include inconsistent performance metrics, limited real-world evaluations, and potential publication bias toward positive results. This review highlights the need for standardized evaluation methods, deeper understanding of combined PECS effects, real-world and long-term testing, and clearer quantification of human performance benefits to advance the field.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Elsevier BV , 2025. Vol. 286, article id 113541
Keywords [en]
Air Quality, Health and Productivity, Human, PECS, Personalized Environment, Thermal Comfort
National Category
Occupational Health and Environmental Health Building Technologies
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:kth:diva-371066DOI: 10.1016/j.buildenv.2025.113541Scopus ID: 2-s2.0-105016313428OAI: oai:DiVA.org:kth-371066DiVA, id: diva2:2003328
Note

QC 20251003

Available from: 2025-10-03 Created: 2025-10-03 Last updated: 2025-10-03Bibliographically approved

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Sadrizadeh, Sasan

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