EXPERIMENTAL STUDY OF THERMAL COMFORT IN HUMAN HOSPITAL WARDS UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL OF THE FEDERAL UNIVERSITY OF ALAGOAS, NORTHEAST BRAZIL

Thermal comfort studies aim to establish methods of assessment of the conditions needed for a suitable thermal environment and human occupation activities, based mainly in the of thermal satisfaction of man with the environment activities and occupation thermal environment conditions. Considering this necessity, it is important to obtain a more accurate knowledge of the physical factors associated with the occurrence of an episode of discomfort (Fanger, 1970). This study aimed to evaluate the degree of comfort in two wards of the to assess the degree of comfort in two wards of the University Hospital of the Federal University of Alagoas, locate in the Maceió city (AL), Brazil, with its coordinates (09 ° 40'S, 035 ° 42'W and 110m altitude ). The study period was 2006, for 30 days in the rainy season (19/07/06 to 19/08/06), and the dry season (19/11/06 to 19/12/06) with measurements in both periods, totaling 1440 hours of data collected. Two floors for analysis of environments, the second and fifth floor were selected. The wards consist of a non-air-conditioned room, with windows and accommodation capacity for eight patients.Data of Air Temperature and Relative Humidity recorded at Thermohygrograph instrument, were used equation Anderson (1965) cited by Rosenberg (1983), allowing to calcute the Human Comfort Index (HCI) for each ward. The results signaled that there are differences in the microclimate inside the wards, both in temporal variation (rainy and dry season), between floors (2nd and 5th floor) and between day and night, and that the position of the building construction influence on variations in comfort due to the daily cycle of the apparent motion of the Sun.The thermal comfort index ranked "discomfort bearable" was observed exclusively on 5th floor; Temperatures on the 2nd floor, in most times, higher than the 5th floor in both seasons. During the dry period, after noon until end of the afternoon, with the sunset, hourly situations occurred in air temperatures in the wards of the 5° floor were higher. It is concluded that the study may point to the second floor, and the environment in general more uncomfortable for patients. It is hoped that this study can contribute to the formulation of public policies in the health area that incorporates sociocultural aspects operating in the health disease process favoring the development of new research.