The TISSUE-AC Study

This just in from our correspondent in Kuala Lumpar

"According to the BBC, the average temperatures in Kuala Lumpur for November are 22-32 degrees and the relative humidity averages about 82%. There are also 20 "wet days" which are known as days when there is +0.25mm of rain – For all the Australians yes, you read correctly - more than 20 days in a month of significant rain!!!!

From a practical perspective, what this creates is the KL resident (me) being perpetually wet either from a) sweat or b) rain. Being wet in itself is not an issue because, as the temperatures remain in the high 20s, the dampness is actually quite nice (cooling). Rather, this problem occurs when innocent KL residents (me) are forced to enter air-conditioned buildings.

As early as 1957, Ward [1] identified that perhaps air-conditioning in sub-tropic climates (where people wear skirts and singlets), should be set slightly higher than those in snow-covered arctic landscapes (where people wear several layers of thermals and warm jumpers). Likewise, while the optimum temperature for an air-conditioned room is recognised to be 20.5 degrees, Sham [2] argues that in sub-tropical climates this should be raised to 27.2 (these values are actually given in Fahrenheit but "I hate people who use imperial measurements" so I've converted for you). When air-conditioning in sub-tropical climates is set at standard levels, Ward further argued that humans experience 'enter/exit shocks'.



Expanding on this theory, I have identified what I call the "TIS Subartic Under this Establishment's Air-Conditioning" syndrome, otherwise known as the TISSUE-AC syndrome. The TISSUE-AC syndrome is particularly prevalent in KL. The TISSUE-AC syndrome relates to not only entry and exit shocks, but also to a longstanding feeling of "why the hell is it so cold in here?" The TISSUE-AC syndrome is often heightened by the above mentioned continued dampness. Therefore, not only do innocent KL residents (me) come from 27 degrees into a room "cooled" at 20.5 degrees, they (me) are also wet, and therefore they get colder. The TISSUE-AC syndrome usually culminates in the need for a tissue, aka catching a cold.


Many Malaysians have informed me that this is the season for masuk kedinginan (the cold getting in / catching a cold). In light of the new findings in my TISSUE-AC syndrome study, I have only one response… Turn the freekin' air-con down!!!!!!!!!"



[1] Ward, G.T. (1957), 'The modification of the tropical environment for comfort and efficiency – engineering aspects', Medical Journal of Malaysia, Vol. 11, pp 185-89

[2] Sham, S (1977), 'An index of comfort for Kuala Lumpur – Petailing Jaya and its environs', Sains Malaysiana, Vol. 6, pp 65-83

Many thanks to Siaan Matthews for compiling the report.