Personalized Environmental Control Systems (PECS): Systematic review of benefits for thermal comfort, air quality, health, and human performance
Dolaana Khovalyg, Mariya Petrova Bivolarova, Jun Shinoda, Douaa Al Assaad, Marika Vellei, Karol Bandurski, Giorgia Chinazzo, Ongun Berk Kazanci, Joyce Kim, Tobias Kramer, Aleksandra Lipczyńska, Shichao Liu, Wilmer Pasut, Rajan Rawal, Chandra Sekhar, Ruiji Sun, Zhibin Wu, Alireza Afshari, Pablo Martinez-Alcaraz, Maíra André, Touraj Ashrafian, Pedro de la Barra, Mateus Bavaresco, Katharina Boudier, Chungyoon Chun, Joon-Ho Choi, Adrian Chong, Sarah Crosby, Renata De Vecchi, Ricardo Forgiarini Rupp, Matteo Favero, Natalia Giraldo Vásquez, Matheus Soares Geraldi, Verônica Martins Gnecco, Akshit Gupta, Sabine Hoffmann, Wooyoung Jung, Meng Kong, Minyoung Kwon, Giulia Lamberti, Yoonhee Lee, Alessandra Luna-Navarro, Fatemeh Nabilou, Larissa Pereira de Souza, Ilaria Pigliautile, Anna Laura Pisello, Kai Rewitz, Roberto Rugani, Sasan Sadrizadeh, Peter Simmonds, Andrew Sonta, Marc Syndicus, Fatih Topak, Giulia Torriani, Luca Zaniboni
Abstract
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.