An experimental case study of natural ventilation effects on the residential thermal environment and predicted thermal comfort in Kunming

Abstract

The use of natural ventilation for cooling in summer in mild climate areas can positively improve the indoor thermal environment and thermal comfort. In this paper, Kunming, China was chosen as a case to study experimentally the natural ventilation effects on the residential thermal environment and thermal comfort in mild climate rural areas. The effects of natural ventilation on the indoor thermal environment and thermal comfort under the typical hottest sunny days in summer in Kunming were investigated with seven different combinations of ventilation methods with the opening/closing of doors/windows. The results show that natural ventilation can considerably improve the indoor thermal environment. Furthermore, the uniformity of indoor thermal environments at different heights was assessed. Additionally, the vertical temperature difference between the head and foot areas around the human body remained below 3 °C. Moreover, the adaptive predicted mean vote (APMV) model was used to evaluate the thermal comfort under natural ventilation, and values of APMV ranged from −0.84 to 0.84 under six scenarios, considering an acceptable temperature range based on occupant satisfaction rates of over 80%. This study's outcomes offer valuable insights for the design of self-built housing in the extensive rural areas within mild climate zones in China.