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Field study of seasonal thermal comfort and adaptive behavior for occupants in residential buildings of Xi’an, China

中国西安住宅建筑的季节性热舒适及适应行为的现场研究

  • Building Thermal Environment and Energy Conservation
  • Published:
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Abstract

The study aims to investigate the thermal comfort requirements in residential buildings and to establish an adaptive thermal comfort model in the cold zone of China. A year-long field study was conducted in residential buildings in Xi’an, China. A total of 2069 valid questionnaires, along with indoor environmental parameters were obtained. The results indicated occupants’ thermal comfort requirements varied with seasons. The neutral temperatures were 17.9, 26.1 (highest), 25.2, and 17.4 °C (lowest), and preferred temperatures were 23.2, 25.6 (highest), 24.8, and 22.4 °C (lowest), respectively for spring, summer, autumn, and winter. The neutral temperature and preferred temperature in autumn are close to the neutral temperature in summer, while the neutral temperature and preferred temperature in spring are close to that in winter. Besides, the 80% and 90% acceptable temperature ranges, adaptive thermal comfort models, and thermal comfort zones for each season were established. Human’s adaptability is related to his/her thermal experience of the current season and the previous season. Therefore, compared with the traditional year-round adaptive thermal comfort model, seasonal models can better reflect seasonal variations of human adaptation. This study provides fundamental knowledge of the thermal comfort demand for people in this region.

摘要

本研究旨在调查中国寒冷地区居住建筑的热舒适需求,并建立适应性热舒适模型。由此进行了长期的现场研究,共获得有效问卷2069 份。春夏秋冬的中性温度分别为17.9 °C、26.1 °C(最高)、25.2 °C 和17.4 °C(最低),偏好温度分别为23.2 °C、25.6 °C(最高)、24.8 °C 和22.4 °C(最低)。秋季中性温度和期望温度与夏季中性温度相近,春季中性温度和首选温度与冬季中性温度相近。人们适应性的季节变化既与当前季节气候特征有关,也与前一季的热经历有关。本文建立了各季节80% 和90% 的可接受温度范围、适应性热舒适模型和热舒适区。与传统的全年适应热舒适模型相比,季节模型能更好地反映人类适应的季节变化。

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of Green Building in Western China, Xi’an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi’an, 710055, China

    Na Wei  (位娜), Nan Zhang  (张楠), Sheng-kai Zhao  (赵胜凯), Yong-chao Zhai  (翟永超) & Liu Yang  (杨柳)

  2. College of Architecture, Xi’an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi’an, 710055, China

    Na Wei  (位娜), Nan Zhang  (张楠), Sheng-kai Zhao  (赵胜凯), Yong-chao Zhai  (翟永超) & Liu Yang  (杨柳)

  3. School of Mechanics, Civil Engineering and Architecture, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi’an, 710072, China

    Wu-xing Zheng  (郑武幸)

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  1. Na Wei  (位娜)
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Contributions

YANG Liu provided the concept, sources, and supervision. WEI Na wrote and edited the manuscript according to the reviewers’ comments, ZHENG Wu-xing did the survey and data analysis. WEI Na and ZHANG Nan wrote the original draft. ZHAO Sheng-kai and ZHAI Yong-chao reviewed and modified the paper and provided suggestions on reply to reviews’ comments. ZHAI Yong-chao also provided supervision.

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Correspondence to Liu Yang  (杨柳).

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The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.

Foundation item: Project(51325803) supported by the National Science Foundation for Distinguished Young Scholars of China; Project (2020M673489) supported by China Postdoctoral Science Foundation; Project(2020-K-196) supported by the Science and Technology Project of Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development, China

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Wei, N., Zheng, Wx., Zhang, N. et al. Field study of seasonal thermal comfort and adaptive behavior for occupants in residential buildings of Xi’an, China. J. Cent. South Univ. 29, 2403–2414 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11771-022-5075-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11771-022-5075-9

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