Personalized Environmental Control Systems (PECS) can improve both comfort and energy efficiency by shifting indoor climate control toward localized, occupant-tailored comfort, unlike conventional systems that condition entire, partly unoccupied spaces uniformly. . Despite their potential, the absence of standardized assessment and reporting methods, and the diversified PECS technical specifics hinder consistent performance evaluation practices. Conducted in the framework of IEA EBC’s Annex 87, this review, based on the PRISMA statement, provides a comprehensive overview of existing methods and indicators used to evaluate the performance of PECS, specifically targeting thermal and air quality domains. A novel three-layered classification approach was applied to categorize PECS types, and reviewed studies were grouped into four methodological categories: building simulation, CFD, chamber, and field studies. The review identifies methods’ usage trends, benefits, and limitations. Among 302 reviewed papers, more than half (61 %) adopt controlled laboratory tests, while CFD is the most used simulation method (68.6 % of simulation studies). Field studies are a minority, highlighting the limited implementation of PECS in real-world scenarios. Simulations are cost effective in rapidly prototyping and developing PECS. However, the insights they provide into PECS performance are limited by either model resolution constraints or high complexity. Comfort evaluations do not consider individual occupant differences nor behavior inherent to PECS. It is through experiments that knowledge can be gained on realistic occupant responses. However, they can be resource intensive and require careful planning. This review provides best practice guidelines to assist researchers in improving quality reporting of their methods.

Advances in environmental technologies have improved indoor environmental quality (IEQ) by creating steady, uniform conditions. However, these often fail to meet individual thermal comfort and air quality needs, prompting a shift toward adaptive, personalized solutions. Personalized Environmental Control Systems (PECS) aim to enhance comfort, air quality, health, and productivity through user-centered designs. This paper systematically reviews 324 journal articles on PECS from 1988-2023, focusing on thermal and indoor air quality (IAQ) domains. PECS are classified by mobility: building-attached, semi-attached, detached, and wearable. The review assesses their impact on thermal comfort, IAQ, health outcomes (e.g., Sick Building Syndrome, heat stress), and human performance (e.g., cognitive function, productivity). Results show that building-detached PECS often improve thermal sensation, comfort, and acceptability, with combined systems yielding better ratings. Personalized ventilation enhances IAQ by delivering clean air directly to the breathing zone, reducing contaminant exposure. Research on PECS effects on health is limited, mainly focusing on short-term, controlled studies. Evidence for benefits on human performance is sparse but promising. Key challenges include inconsistent performance metrics, limited real-world evaluations, and potential publication bias toward positive results. This review highlights the need for standardized evaluation methods, deeper understanding of combined PECS effects, real-world and long-term testing, and clearer quantification of human performance benefits to advance the field.