Water surfaces and shaded canopies are important landscaping elements that significantly influence urban thermal environments and subjective perceptions. This study investigated the regulatory effects of microenvironment factors on microclimate and subjective thermal perceptions in riverside areas by field surveys combined with ENVI-met simulations. Field measurements and questionnaires revealed that the neutral temperature in the study was 24.6°C as indicated by the physiologically equivalent temperature (PET), whilst the preferred temperature was slightly lower at 24.2°C. Additionally, satisfaction levels decreased as PET was increased and/or with an increase in distance from the river. A distance of 50 m from the river was most preferred by pedestrians both in open and tree-canopied areas. Furthermore, thermal sensation votes were positively correlated with site openness and distance from the waterbody. Simulation results demonstrated that thermal environments can be moderated by various physical environmental factors, particularly natural elements, which aligns with subjective satisfaction levels. More significant correlations were observed in the afternoon. ENVI-met simulations identified tree canopies as the most effective cooling element amongst the options studied, consistent with people's preferences under extreme conditions. The findings of this study can inform future environmental design and landscaping strategies to enhance thermal comfort in riverside areas.

Oxygen enrichment is essential for worker safety for high-altitude tunnel construction. To improve the design of oxygen-enrichment system, this study conducted a validated simulation to investigate the effect of diffuse terminal parameters on oxygen concentration at the tunnelling face. Relationships amongst terminal parameters, ventilation duct height and oxygen concentration were analysed. Results show that with variations in the terminal parameters, the fraction of the breathing zone meeting the oxygen-enrich criteria fluctuated between 11.76% and 76.47%. Analysis of variance was taken to quantify the relative influence of each terminal parameter on oxygen concentration. A correlation was proposed to predict local oxygen concentration within the workers’ breathing zone in the high-altitude tunnel. The findings can provide guidance for improving practical oxygen-enrichment system design during high-altitude tunnel construction.

The impact of air pollution in crowded indoor environments, such as schools, has received considerable interest over the past decades. Classrooms are environment where children, one of the most vulnerable population groups, spend a lot of their time and poor indoor air quality (IAQ) can negatively affect their respiratory health. Several reviews in literature address the topic of IAQ, but there is scarce evidence focusing specifically on the challenges posed by school environment on childhood respiratory health. Following the PRISMA-ScR (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews) checklist, systematic research was conducted in Pubmed, Scopus and Web of Science databases. 15 narrative reviews and systematic reviews were included, selected according to specific inclusion/exclusion criteria. The collected information about the consequences of indoor air pollutants on breathing health of children always reported a worsening of respiratory symptoms (cough, wheeze, irritation of the respiratory tract, viral respiratory infections) related to respiratory allergies and diseases, such as asthma. The evidence highlights the need for targeted mitigation strategies and policies to reduce pollutant levels in schools. These strategies should consider building design, ventilation systems and maintenance practices, thereby minimizing the short- and long-term adverse effects and protecting children's respiratory health.

In the high-density building complex, the non-uniform distribution of surface temperature caused by building shading could directly affect the wind–thermal environment. Additionally, the periodicity of meteorological parameters and stochastic nature of the heterogeneous characteristics of the building complex further exacerbate the non-uniform distribution. However, previous studies have often simplified this process by assuming uniform conditions, resulting in inaccurate wind–thermal predictions. Therefore, this study aimed to quantify the ventilation performance characteristics of complex building layouts under different meteorological conditions using a transient numerical simulation method coupling radiation and convection. The results of the flow ratio analysis demonstrated that the ventilation flow ratios fluctuate with the intensity of direct solar radiation, and the amplitude of these fluctuations was shown to decrease with increasing wind velocity. The recirculation flow ratio in the enclosed layout was notably higher, ranging from 1.12 to 2.21 times that of the dotted layout. In addition, the proportion of static wind areas in the dotted layout was reduced by up to 14% in summer and up to 15% in winter for incoming wind velocities between 1 m/s and 3 m/s compared to the enclosed layout.

Police officers in Korea undergo regular indoor firearms training, yet exposure to hazardous substances and ventilation effectiveness remain unassessed. This study evaluated air quality and metal concentrations in an underground indoor shooting range equipped with a mechanical ventilation system. Amongst 21 measured elements, lead (Pb) concentrations were from 218.1 to 983.5 µg/m 3 , with all samples exceeding the occupational exposure limit of 50 µg/m 3 . The 8-h time-weighted average for Pb exposure, based on a 20-min training session, was 59.3 µg/m 3 . Real-time measurements confirmed increases in fine particulate matter and carbon monoxide during shooting. Despite adequate ventilation rates, high Pb levels were attributed to ineffective airflow caused by the misplacement of supply and exhaust vents, both located behind the shooters. These findings highlight the urgent need for ventilation system redesign and exposure control in shooting ranges.

With the increasing prevalence of homeworking, residential thermal environments require further study. The positioning and specifications of the supply air have significant influences on indoor air distribution. Consequently, based on Computational Fluid Dynamics simulation and the entropy weight-TOPSIS (Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to an Ideal Solution) optimization theory, this study explored the coupling influences of ventilation parameters on the indoor thermal comfort and energy consumption of Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC). The spatial functional attributes could significantly influence the applicability of the air supply modes. For nocturnal sleeping environments, upper-supply and bottom-supply modes are advisable, whereas in diurnal activity environments, the side-supply mode can enhance the occupants’ cooling sensation. Considering the equilibrium between thermal comfort and energy efficiency, the recommended parameters were determined under the sleeping environment are: supply air at 22°C and 1.25 m/s, corresponding to a Predicted Mean Vote (PMV) and a cooling capacity of HVAC ( Q c ) of 0.28 and 0.66 kW, respectively. For the activity environment, the preferred conditions were 24°C and 1.50 m/s airflow velocity, and the corresponding PMV was 0.17 and a cooling capacity ( Q c ) was 2.65 kW. Consequently, by employing the TOPSIS method, a harmonious balance between thermal comfort and air-conditioning energy consumption can be attained.

Occupants’ behaviour is a critical factor influencing building energy consumption, characterized by its complexity, variability and stochastic nature. Residential buildings pose unique challenges due to more diverse and privacy-sensitive patterns of occupants’ behaviours compared to offices. Traditional building performance simulations often rely on fixed schedules or simplified assumptions, leading to significant deviations from actual energy usage. Notably, behavioural differences can cause energy consumption in households to vary by as much as 50–80%. The use of calibrated occupants’ behaviours models has been shown to reduce simulation errors by 10–20%. This study presents a systematic review from three key perspectives: data collection methods, occupants’ behaviours modelling approaches and energy simulation tools. Data acquisition techniques are evaluated in terms of their advantages, limitations and application scenarios. Behaviour models are classified into fixed schedule, data-driven and stochastic process types, addressing both occupants’ movement and energy-use behaviours. Additionally, a comparative analysis of mainstream energy simulation software has been conducted, focusing on their suitability for occupant-integrated modelling. This review aims to provide a theoretical foundation and practical reference for improving the accuracy of occupants’ behaviour representation in building energy simulations.