A review of outdoor and indoor air temperature dynamics and their influence on clothing insulation in dwellings

Outdoor air temperature fluctuates throughout the year and significantly affects indoor temperature, which in turn influences thermal comfort in dwellings. As indoor conditions change, occupants tend to adjust their clothing to maintain comfort. While many studies have examined air temperature variation and its effect on clothing insulation, limited research has explored the connection between indoor and outdoor temperatures across various building operation modes and climates. This review investigates how outdoor air temperature impacts indoor environments in different regions and how this influences clothing insulation, providing insights into thermal comfort behaviour. The Scopus database was used for this review and only relevant articles were selected for this study. The findings show that indoor temperature correlates with outdoor temperature. In free-running buildings, the slope of the indoor and outdoor air temperature regression is 0.64, compared to 0.45 in cooling, heating, or mixed modes, indicating greater sensitivity in non-conditioned spaces. Clothing insulation also decreases with rising indoor and outdoor temperatures, suggesting adaptive clothing behaviour. These results underscore the importance of HVAC systems and appropriate clothing in achieving thermal comfort across varying climatic and operational contexts.