Overview
ISO 13731:2001 - Ergonomics of the thermal environment - Vocabulary and symbols is an ISO International Standard (first edition, 2001) that compiles the terms, definitions, symbols and units used in standards addressing human responses to thermal environments. Prepared by ISO/TC 159 (Ergonomics), SC 5 (Ergonomics of the physical environment), this document provides a consistent vocabulary and symbol set intended as a reference for authors of future standards and technical publications in thermal ergonomics.
Key topics
- Standardized vocabulary and definitions (Clause 2): core terms such as air temperature, air velocity, basal metabolic rate, body heat gain/loss, body heat storage rate, auditory canal temperature, clothing area factor, boundary layer thermal insulation, and others.
- Symbols and units (Clause 3): the associated symbols and SI units for the physical quantities used in thermal-environment assessments.
- Structure and supporting material: foreword, introduction, bibliography and an alphabetical index linking terms and symbols to their clause references.
- Publication and use details: bilingual presentation (English/French), reproduction permissions for educational/implementation use, and bibliographic references for source documents.
Practical applications
- Provides a single, authoritative source for terminology and symbols used in:
- Thermal comfort and indoor environment assessments
- HVAC design documentation and performance reporting
- Occupational health and safety guidance relating to heat stress and cold exposure
- Human factors and ergonomics research where quantitative thermal metrics are reported
- Standards development and technical publications, ensuring consistency across documents
- Helps avoid ambiguity in measurement reports, models and regulations by standardizing how quantities are named, symbolized and expressed.
Who should use ISO 13731:2001
- Ergonomists and human factors specialists
- HVAC engineers and building services designers
- Occupational hygienists and health & safety professionals
- Standards writers and regulatory bodies developing thermal-environment guidance
- Researchers and academics reporting thermal-environment data
Related standards
ISO 13731:2001 is part of a broader set of ISO documents on the ergonomics of thermal environments. It is intended to be used in conjunction with other ISO standards that define measurement methods, limits and assessment procedures for thermal comfort, heat stress and cold exposure.
Keywords: ISO 13731:2001, ergonomics of the thermal environment, thermal ergonomics vocabulary, thermal environment symbols, thermal comfort, HVAC, occupational health, ISO thermal standards.