I always suspected that office temperatures were not calculated with me in mind, and I couldn’t help but notice that male office mates mentioned overheating whenever the temperature rose high enough that I set aside my lap blanket/cardigan/shawl. Apparently the formula used to calculate ideal office temperatures was really not created with me in mind, or for women in general. While the researchers mentioned differences in wardrobe (including one hilarious quote about cleavage that appears to have been removed from the article), the main effect is that women tend to have lower metabolic rates—up to 35% lower than is assumed in the equation. Changing the formula could translate into substantial energy savings, plus less time wasted discussing my super-cute lap blanket.
Obtained north of Tokyo, where central heating is not standard.
I’ve also noticed that my office is substantially colder now that I don’t share it with anyone. I have yet to find the thermostat setting that compensates for the loss of my metabolically-active office mates (most recently, Tom and Philip). And a space-heater just isn’t going to offer the same high-quality scientific ideas. Until we move into our newly-renovated lab space, I think I’m going to need a bigger blanket.