Additional considerations concerning the effects of ‘warm’ and ‘cool’ wall colours on energy conservation

Abstract

The possibility of wall colours mediating thermal comfort was examined. Potential colour constancy problems in previous research were eliminated by painting laboratory walls either red, blue, or white. A total of 72 male and 72 female undergraduate college students were used in the study; each subject was exposed in a carrel to one of the possible combinations of the three colours and four room temperatures, 18, 22, 29 and 35°C. Data from forms completed by subjects under these conditions indicated that temperature influenced personal comfort, arousal, and perceived ambient temperature, and that colour influenced personal comfort and perceived environmental quality. However, colour did not influence perceived temperature, suggesting that energy conservation may not be facilitated by selected wall colours.