Effects of Natural Window Views on Thermal Perception, Health and Emotion During Moderate and High Intensity Exercise

Abstract

The natural landscape views have been demonstrated to enhance productivity, as well as physical and emotional health. This study evaluated the effects of natural window views on indoor personnel’s physiological parameters, thermal perception, health, and emotion. Field experiments were conducted with 20 participants walking on the treadmill in two gyms with and without natural window views. Participants’ physiological and psychological parameters were measured during moderate and high intensity exercise. The results indicated that when engaging in moderate and high intensity exercises with natural window views, there was an improvement of 0.3 and 0.4 respectively in thermal comfort ratings, along with a decrease of 0.29 and 0.3 in thermal sensation ratings. Furthermore, a reduction in heart rate in the window condition reflected relief from fatigue and discomfort during exercise. Participants with natural window views exhibited a reduction of 10.43 bpm in heart rate when they were doing high-intensity exercise, accompanied by a decrease of 0.34 in their perceived fatigue levels. While positive emotions were influenced more by dynamic vision than natural views in exercise. In conclusion, this study suggests that natural window views positively affect indoor sports personnel's physiological and psychological parameters. This research also provides recommendations for the design of indoor gyms while demonstrating the energy-saving potential associated with incorporating natural views through windows into gym spaces.

Keywords: Thermal perception, exercise, Window, Visual field, Health