Field studies conducted in tropical climates have found that the International standard for indoor climate, ISO7730 based on Fanger's predicted mean vote (PMV/PPD) equations, does not adequately describe comfortable conditions. This paper presents some of the evidence and suggests ways in which International standards are failing and how they might be complemented using adaptive comfort standards derived from the results of local comfort surveys. In particular the implications of air movement and humidity for adaptive comfort standards are considered. (C) 2004 Published by Elsevier B.V.