Winter indoor thermal environment and livability analysis of traditional residential houses in northeast Sichuan, China

Abstract

With the rapid development of the national economy, increasing attention has been given to the living environment in rural areas, especially indoor thermal and wind environments. This study conducted on-site measurements and questionnaire surveys during winter in the indoor environment of five villages in northeastern Sichuan. Eighty-nine traditional residences were selected to investigate their fundamental characteristics, indoor thermal environment, humidity conditions, and comfort levels. Questionnaires and comparative experiments were also conducted with natives and locals. This combination of objective data and subjective feedback provides a comprehensive perspective for assessing the indoor thermal environment. The results showed that when expressed as neutral temperature and humidity, the temperature difference was 2.36 °C, with little humidity difference. Residents exhibited higher tolerance towards the local thermal and humidity environment than nonlocal volunteers, who showed greater sensitivity to it. In addition, residents had a Predicted Mean Vote (PMV) value of −0.69 and a heat acceptance value of −1.78, while non-local volunteers had a PMV value of −0.76 and a heat acceptance value of −1.32. A detailed evaluation and analysis of the relationship between the indoor thermal environment and human comfort of local residential houses was carried out, providing technical guidance for energy conservation and thermal insulation of local buildings.