A Relationship between Micro-Meteorological and Personal Variables of Outdoor Thermal Comfort: A Case Study in Kitakyushu, Japan

Dadang Hartabela,Mochamad Donny Koerniawan,Bart Julien Dewancker

doi:10.3390/su132413634

Abstract

Outdoor thermal comfort is an important indicator to create a quality and livable environment. This study examines a relationship between micro-meteorological and personal variables of outdoor thermal comfort conditions in an urban park. The data collection of outdoor thermal comfort is carried out using two methods in combination: micro-meteorological measurement and questionnaire survey. This finding shows that most of the respondents were comfortable with the thermal, wind, and humidity condition. The acceptability and satisfaction level of thermal comfort were positive. The most significant micro-meteorological variable for the physiologically equivalent temperature (PET) value is mean radiant temperature (Tmrt). As the Tmrt value is influenced by how much shading is produced from the presence of vegetation or buildings around the measurement location, this finding shows that the shadow was very important to the thermal comfort conditions in the Green Park Kitakyushu. The most influential micro-meteorological variable for the three different personal variables (TSV, WFSV, and HSV) is air temperature. The strongest relationship among the four variables is between TSV and PET. The findings will be the basis for the city authorities in preparing regional development plans, especially those related to the planning of city parks or tourist attractions.

Highlights

Kolokotroni [3] stated, in the city of London there was an increase in temperature due to the Urban Heat Island (UHI) phenomenon, the cooling load in the city was 25% higher than in rural environments, whereas the heating load diminished by 22%
An outdoor thermal comfort evaluation of an urban area is important to mitigate the increasing of UHI
This study examines a relationship between micro-meteorological variables and personal variables of outdoor thermal comfort in an urban park

Summary

Introduction

Half of the world’s population lives in cities [1], this demands a quality and livable environment inside the city. Some cities experience problems with the thermal quality of their environment. Kolokotroni [3] stated, in the city of London there was an increase in temperature due to the Urban Heat Island (UHI) phenomenon, the cooling load in the city was 25% higher than in rural environments, whereas the heating load diminished by 22%. The UHI phenomenon is generally seen as being caused by an increase in sensible heat in urban areas as vegetated and evaporating soil surfaces are replaced by relatively impervious low albedo paving and building materials and a reduction in latent heat flux [4].

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