Thermal Comfort Questionnaire Research Articles

From thermal demand characterization to accurate evaluation: Exploring seasonal differences in outdoor thermal comfort of the elderly in China's communities

Influenced by rapid urbanization and an aging population, creating a healthy and comfortable outdoor environment for the elderly in urban residential communities has become increasingly important. This paper aims to investigate the outdoor thermal comfort characteristics of the elderly, using residential communities in Tianjin, China, as a case study. Initially, we clarified the differences in thermal demand between winter and summer of elderly residents through a combination of thermal environment measurements and thermal comfort questionnaires. Secondly, we developed a thermal comfort evaluation model for small-scale spaces in residential communities, identifying the intensity of multiple influences on the thermal environment. Thirdly, we created a new seasonal integrated thermal sensation evaluation model for the elderly using probit analysis. Finally, summarizing the above findings, we devised targeted strategies to enhance the microclimate for the elderly. The results show that: the percentage of the elderly who achieve comfort in winter is 17.2 % higher than in summer; the factors that had the greatest impact on the thermal environment in winter and summer were water bodies and greenery, respectively; and the new probability analysis model showed that the neutral temperature interval was 2.1 °C narrower than the conventional TSV-PET model in summer and 1.8 °C wider in winter.

Energy retrofits: Factors affecting a just transition to better indoor air quality

In comparison with other European countries, Ireland has a disproportionately high number of poorly performing energy-inefficient buildings. Consequently, Ireland has one of the most ambitious energy retrofit programmes in Europe. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of deep energy renovation measures i.e. (replacement of heating system and upgrade to building envelope) on indoor air quality, thermal comfort and ventilation in a sample of primarily social housing in Ireland. A mixed methods approach including measurement of indoor air quality and a thermal comfort questionnaire survey was employed. Indoor concentration measurements of PM2.5, carbon dioxide, formaldehyde, and radon along with measurements of air temperature and relative humidity were made (N=14). Occupants (n=56) completed a thermal comfort questionnaire survey pre- and post-retrofit. Data collection ran from autumn 2020 until autumn 2023.Thermal comfort improved post-retrofit along with occupant satisfaction with the indoor thermal environment and heating-systems. Post-retrofit, higher bedroom CO2, and higher PM2.5 concentrations were recorded in both living areas and bedrooms. Occupant behaviours e.g. blocking wall vents were significant predictors of poorer ventilation while smoking indoors was related to higher concentrations of PM2.5. In general, homes that had mechanical ventilation systems installed were better ventilated. Underventilation, as indicated by visible condensation or mould was observed in half of the social homes surveyed and reported by questionnaire respondents (26 %). Tailored communications to occupants regarding the important role of ventilation and indoor air quality is required as part of retrofit to optimise impacts on IEQ.

An experimental investigation on the effect of lighting colour of localized radiant panel thermal comfort system

This study investigated the effect of different correlated colour temperature (CCT) lighting on perceived thermal comfort in a simulated domestic environment with radiant heating. A prototype with adjustable CCT lighting (4000K neutral, 1800K warm, 6500K cold) alongside electric radiant panels was installed in an environmental chamber set to 18 °C. The investigation involved sixty participants who each underwent 30-min exposure sessions to one of the lighting scenarios in a blinded setup, during which they filled out thermal comfort questionnaires at predetermined intervals. Overall, the findings revealed satisfactory comfort levels, with average global comfort votes of “good” and 82.32 % thermal acceptability, across scenarios. The radiant heating prototype successfully maintained thermal comfort in the less-conditioned space. Looking at the different lighting scenarios, the “warm” lighting initially provided the highest thermal comfort, aligning with the hue-heat hypothesis, with global comfort votes of 1.13, compared to 0.96 for “neutral” and 0.78 for “cold” after the first 10 min. However, differences became less pronounced over time. Contrary to hypotheses, the “cold” lighting scenario did not reduce comfort compared to “neutral”. Moreover, Participants indicated greater thermal satisfaction under “warm” lighting. Although changes in lighting CCT did not drastically alter thermal perceptions, they did have a subtle influence on comfort, particularly during the initial stages of the experiment. This finding suggests the need for further research into how visual and thermal comfort interactions can be optimized.

Investigation and Prediction of Outdoor Thermal Comfort under Different Protection and Activity Intensity Conditions in Summer in Wuhan

In the context of normalized epidemic prevention and control, the impact of masks and protective clothing on personal thermal comfort cannot be overlooked. To investigate the thermal comfort of outdoor personnel under various protective conditions, this study took Wuhan as an example and evaluated the outdoor thermal comfort of subjects under different protection and activity conditions through thermal environment monitoring, physiological measurements, and thermal comfort questionnaires. The results show significant differences in the PET thermal comfort baseline under various protective conditions. To address the problem that most areas have not yet established state-specific thermal comfort baselines, a State Outdoor Comfort Index (SOCI) model was developed to correct the insensitivity of PET indicators to clothing thermal resistance and metabolic rate. Finally, the performance of the SOCI model was evaluated through statistical indicators, demonstrating its good predictive capability. This study provides appropriate quantitative indicators to improve the thermal comfort of outdoor personnel.

The Bottle House: Upcycling Plastic Bottles to Improve the Thermal Performance of Low-Cost Homes

Due to the effects of climate change, diminishing natural resources, and continuous urbanization, there is an increasing need for buildings to be more sustainable. This study explores the potential of upcycling plastic waste for the sustainable construction of low-cost homes in developing countries and contributes to filling the gap in existing studies regarding qualitative results of the in situ performance of buildings made from upcycled materials. This study compares the Bottle house with conventional buildings made of mud and cement. This study seeks to encourage the adoption of the bottle house concept for affordable housing by conducting a thermal comfort survey of its occupants. To obtain the thermal sensation vote (TSV) of the occupants, thermal comfort questionnaires were developed based on the seven-point ASHRAE thermal sensation scale. Additionally, a Testo 480 multifunction meter, which comprised an anemometer, radiant globe thermometer, air thermometer, and relative humidity probe, was used to calculate the predicted mean vote (PMV) concurrently. From the results of the TSV, mean votes of the participants of −2.0, 2.0, and 2.4 were observed for the bottle house, mud houses, and cement houses, respectively. In comparison, adjusted PMV mean values of 1.9, 2.1 and 2.1 were recorded for the bottle house, mud houses, and cement houses, respectively. The TSV and PMV results both indicate that the occupants of the bottle house felt more thermally comfortable when compared to occupants in the other dwellings. This can be attributed to the measures incorporated during the construction of the bottle house. Furthermore, the use of a simulation study helped proffer solutions to further improve the indoor temperatures of the buildings used in this study. The results of this paper will provide evidence of the prospects of upcycling plastic waste for construction and its impact on occupant’s thermal comfort when compared to conventional building materials.

Thermal Comfort in Urban Open Green Spaces: A Parametric Optimization Study in China’s Cold Region

In this study, typical open spaces were selected in the urban area of Lanzhou, China, with varying distances from the Yellow River and different plant configuration spaces. Then, the thermal perception of respondents was investigated through meteorological measurements, thermal comfort questionnaires, and parametric modeling. The findings indicate the following: (1) Wind speed decreases significantly as the distance from the Yellow River increases in the three open green spaces. (2) The cold lake effect of the Yellow River dominates the wind environment. (3) The closest site to the Yellow River exhibits the strongest correlation between wind speed and the respondents’ thermal sensation. (4) There is a strong positive correlation between the model output and different spatial measurement values. (5) There is a certain discrepancy between the UTCI values and the actual measurements, but the fit is high and consistent with an R-squared value of 0.936. This study quantitatively evaluated the thermal comfort and perception in typical spaces and validated the reliability of parameterized modeling for such spaces, providing a reference basis for thermal environment planning in these spaces.

Thermal environment evaluation and thermal comfort zone deviation ——a case study of Chinese seaweed house in summer

Renewing the vitality of traditional ecological dwellings in the context of global carbon peaking and carbon neutrality targets has become one of the important topics in today's building sustainability research, and the evaluation of thermal comfort in traditional dwellings is the key to it. In this paper, one of the most representative ecological dwellings in the world, the “Seaweed House”, was selected as the research object. Firstly, the physical environment of a seaweed house in Dazhuang Xujia Village was measured from July 29 to August 3, 2022. Secondly, a thermal comfort questionnaire was conducted to grasp the current information of the thermal comfort in seaweed house. The results show that:1. The humidity of seaweed houses in summer is too high. 2. Residents have a thermally neutral temperature of 26.9 °C, an acceptable temperature region of (24.8–29.1 °C), and a thermally desired temperature of 25.8 °C. 3. The adaptive predicted mean vote (APMV) model suitable for thermal comfort evaluation of seaweed houses was developed. The results of the study provide a precise theoretical guide for the study of thermal comfort evaluation models in this region, and a useful reference for the study of the renewal and renovation of the seaweed houses.

Outdoor thermal comfort of urban river landscape belt in China's cold region: A case study of Xi'an

The outdoor thermal sensation and comfort questionnaires was conducted on the River Ba landscape belt of Xi'an city located in the cold region of China. The survey included objective micrometeorological measurements and subjective questionnaire surveys in winter, summer and spring. The study contrasted the outdoor thermal comfort of the river landscape belt in different seasons in cold region. Physiological equivalent temperature (PET) was used as a thermal comfort index to quantitatively analyze the thermal comfort range of urban river in Xi'an. The 80% thermal acceptable PET range in Xi'an was 14.3 °C–19.9 °C in winter, 17.3 °C–24.6 °C in spring, and 17.6 °C–31.8 °C in summer. During winter, spring, and summer, the neutral PET was 21.7 °C, 20.5 °C, and 18.9 °C, respectively. Due to seasonal adaptation, “slightly warm” in spring and winter was considered the most comfortable thermal sensation, while “neutral to cool” was regarded as the most comfortable in summer. The importance of thermal experience and psychological adaptation was found, thermal sensation voting was lower in early spring than in winter for the same PET, and the locals were acceptable even if not within the comfort PET range.

Analysis of Thermal Comfort under Different Exercise Modes in Winter in Universities in Severe Cold Regions

In this study, we collected 927 cases of samples from students at the Harbin Institute of Technology, China and conducted a thermal comfort questionnaire survey on four outdoor exercise modes in winter. Additionally, we analyzed the thermal perception conditions of the campus population in winter, the association between exercise volume and TCV (Thermal Comfort Vote) and the correlation between PET (physiological equivalent temperature) and MTSV (Mean Thermal Sensation Vote). Furthermore, we identified different PET neutral temperatures under different exercise modes (skating 3 °C, running 6 °C, hiking 9 °C, standing 14 °C), the variability of different thermal comforts in the original residence and the trend of thermal comfort with outdoor activity time. Finally, we obtained the prediction model of thermal perception under different exercise modes, and it can used as a basis for assessing the cold outdoor thermal environment to provide some references for environmental designers.

Landscape pattern optimization strategy of coastal mountainside greenway from a microclimatic comfort view in hot and humid areas

The coastal mountainside greenway, with its characteristics of facing the sea and backing to mountains, attracts a large number of residents to conduct various exercises. This study aims to make reasonable landscape pattern optimization strategy from a pedestrian microclimatic comfort view. Firstly, a field survey on two typical test sites on a coastal mountainside greenway in Shenzhen, China is conducted through microclimate monitoring and human thermal comfort questionnaire survey. Landscape patterns varied with slope/flat greenway terrain, tree planting density and greenway size greatly influence the greenway microclimate. Interviewees' subjective responses illustrate the crucial role of wind speed in affecting the overall thermal comfort through accelerating the sweat evaporation of pedestrians in exercise. ENVI-met based simulations are conducted by designing multi-variable landscape pattern cases. Comparison results illustrate that planting more trees on both sides of slope greenway provides more tree shading but blocks cross-section sea breeze, and increasing the spacing distance between trees for flat greenway helps enhance the transverse convection of sea breeze. Additionally, widening the greenway size benefits both slope and flat greenway terrain due to providing effective pathway ventilation corridor. This study contributes to guiding coastal mountainside greenway design from view of microclimate suitability and pedestrians' thermal comfort.

The impact of street geometry on outdoor thermal comfort within three different urban forms in severe cold region of China

This paper focuses on the influence of urban morphology on pedestrian outdoor thermal comfort in Harbin, located in the severe cold region of northeast China. Three typical districts with different urban densities and street layouts were investigated. Field measurement and thermal comfort questionnaire survey were carried out from July 2020 to January 2021. Regression analysis was performed and the neutral physiological equivalent temperature (PET) range was 14.5–22.8 °C. In addition, the PET range was 7.9–27.3 °C when 80% of thermal votes were “acceptable”. ENVI-met was verified and utilized to assess the mesoscale and street-scale impact of urban morphology on thermal comfort in hot and cold seasons. Measurement results shows that the PET variation caused by urban morphology was more significant in the transition season, with the maximum PET difference of 7.6 °C observed at the mid-rise district and the minimum value of 4.4 °C in the low-rise area. Simulation results indicate that the average building height significantly affects the background Ta and PET distribution within the block. Mean radiant temperature (MRT) and PET are highly correlated to sky view factor (SVF) in summer, while in winter, PET is related to SVF only in the low-rise district. Based on the thermal comfort calendar in both hot and cold seasons, shallow and medium canyons (0.5 < H/W < 1.5) are more favorable in severe cold climate, and the optimum streets are near the N–S orientation, followed by intermediate orientations, while deeper canyons (H/W > 1.5) are not recommended due to the lack of solar absorption.

Circadian winter thermal profiles and thermal comfort in historical housing — field study

In winter thermally inefficient building envelopes of pre-retrofit historical housing allow for ca. sevenfold higher heat loss from heated apartments than the new built housing in Poland. As a result space heating in pre-retrofit tenements is regarded to be highly energy demanding and costly if the internal temperatures were to be kept on average at standard 20 °C assumed in building regulations. In this field study, carried out in January-March 2020, we investigated circadian thermal profiles and the associated thermal comfort in historical tenements both pre-and post-retrofit. The 16 apartments participating in our research were equipped with heating systems prevalent in Polish urban historical buildings, i.e. solid fuel stoves, electric heating, district-supplied central heating, or individual gas boilers. The former systems provided intermittent local heating while the latter central heating with thermostats. Our research comprised spot check multi-parameter measurements and continuous monitoring of the thermal environment, together with a longitudinal thermal comfort questionnaire survey (N=.2539), energy consumption analysis and semi-structured interviews with the residents. The differences detected in average (12.6°C) and range (up to 5.0°C) of diurnal temperatures did not explain the thermal comfort survey results on individual thermal sensations and preferences. What proved more important for the residents was the time of day when the maximum or minimum temperatures occurred and their perceived control over temperature and the cost associated with heating. Accordingly, we identified a need for further studies investigating the link between domestic thermal comfort and satisfaction with the usability of the heating system and control over the cost of heating.

Study on the Relationship between Thermal Comfort and Learning Efficiency of Different Classroom-Types in Transitional Seasons in the Hot Summer and Cold Winter Zone of China

The physical environment of classrooms has a strong relationship with student learning performance and health. Since the outbreak of COVID-19 in 2019, almost all universities have begun implementing closed instructional management, which has forced students to spend a much longer amount of time inside the classroom. This has also led to an increasing problem of thermal comfort in classroom indoor environments. In this paper, classrooms evolved from three dominant teaching modes at Zhejiang Sci-Tech University (ZSTU), located in the Hot Summer and Cold Winter (HSCW) zone of China, were selected as experimental spaces. Meanwhile, 12 learning groups with 60 students (30 of each sex) were selected as the tested samples. The relationship between thermal comfort and learning efficiency of the tested students was established through thermal comfort questionnaires and learning efficiency tests under the typical natural conditions in transition seasons. Based on this, improvement strategies were proposed for the current state of the classroom environment, providing a database for optimizing the environmental conditions of university classrooms in HSCW zone on the basis of improving students’ learning efficiency.

A sex/age anomaly in thermal comfort observed in an office worker field study: A menopausal effect?

In a field study conducted in office settings in Sydney, Australia, background survey and right-here-right-now thermal comfort questionnaires were collected from a sample of office workers. Indoor environmental observations, including air temperature, mean radiant temperature, air velocity, and relative humidity, were also recorded and matched with each questionnaire according to the time and location. During exploratory data analyses, we observed that female subjects aged over 40 and 50 or younger registered significantly warmer sensations than other subjects, male and female, from other age ranges. To further explore this phenomenon, the sample of building occupants was classified into two groups-women of perimenopausal age (over 40 and 50 or younger) while the remaining respondents served as a reference group for comparison. Women in the perimenopausal age range demonstrated an increased perception of warmth (p<0.01) and expressed thermal dissatisfaction more frequently (p<0.01) than the reference group respondents who were exposed to the same indoor environmental conditions. Furthermore, women of perimenopausal age also expressed preference for cooler thermal environments, that is, lower air temperature (p<0.01) and greater air movement (p<0.01) than the reference group, and their thermal neutrality (ie, the room temperature corresponding to a neutral thermal sensation) was approximately 2°C cooler than that of the reference group (20.7°C vs 22.4°C). A potential physiological explanation for the distinct thermal perception of women aged over 40 and 50 or younger observed in this study could stem from menopausal symptoms-the presence of hot flushes and dysregulation of the thermoregulatory system.

Thermal comfort and transition from solid fuel heating in historical multifamily buildings — Real-world study in Poland

Providing thermal comfort in residential buildings in winter by solid fuel combustion is a significant source of emissions that contribute to air pollution and climate change. In this field study, we investigated thermal comfort in tenements (16 apartments) equipped with heating systems prevalent in Polish urban historical buildings, i.e. solid fuel stoves, electric heating, district-supplied central heating, or individual gas boilers. Our research comprised spot check multi-parameter measurements and continuous monitoring of the thermal environment, together with a longitudinal thermal comfort questionnaire survey (N = 0.2539). Differences were detected in the thermal environments depending on the heating system. In our sample solid fuel heating was associated with a thermal environment on average 3.3 °C colder than those heated by gas central heating. The inferiority of thermal comfort conditions associated with solid fuel was shown by predicted mean vote and adaptive thermal comfort analyses. However, the survey results on individual thermal sensations and preferences did not confirm these findings. Therefore, activating the residents to expedite the transition from solid fuel heating might not be supported effectively by the “lack of thermal comfort” narrative. Accordingly, we identified a need for further studies investigating the link between domestic thermal comfort and satisfaction with control over the cost of heating.

Randomized study of electric hand warmer (EHW) versus observation to avoid discomfort during scalp cooling for chemotherapy-induced alopecia (CIA) prevention.

12108 Background: CIA has been reported as the most disturbing adverse event of cancer treatment by most women receiving chemotherapy. Many strategies have been tested to minimize CIA, among which scalp cooling has proven high effectiveness. However, discontinuation rates of this technology vary from 3% to 13%, mostly due to headache, cold sensation and pain. EHW could be used to mitigate these side effects, produce heat on demand and a warming sensation. The primary objective of this study is to evaluated the impact of EHW device on the general comfort of breast cancer patients while on scalp cooling during chemotherapy treatment. Methods: Patients were randomly assigned to EHW use or observation. Thermal, sensory and general comfort were measured with pragmatic questionnaires after each chemotherapy infusion: neutral or hot as favorable thermal responses; comfortable and very comfortable as favorable sensory responses; finally, favorable outcomes in both thermal and sensory comfort questionnaires defined a positive result on the general comfort. We evaluated the impact of age (≤ or &gt; 50 years), alopecia (grade 0 or 1/2), chemotherapy regimen (with or without taxanes) and EHW use (yes or no) in the different comfort scales using Logistic Regression (LR) models. Results: Forty women with early or locally advanced breast cancer were assigned to EHW (n = 20) or observation (n = 20) during neo(adjuvant) chemotherapy. Median age was 53 years, 67.5% concluded university education, 52.5% had comorbidities. Most patients had stage II disease (55%), largely ER/PR+ HER2- disease (67.5%), followed by triple negative (22.5%), and HER2+ (10%). Most frequent regimen was ACdd-Tdd (42.5%). Thirty-one patients (77.5%) continued scalp cooling during entire chemotherapy regimen (alopecia &lt; grade 3). A favorable thermal response was seen in 79% of EHW applications as compared to 50% in control arm (odds ratio [OR] 3.79, P &lt;.001). Sensory comfort was satisfactory in 82% of EHW applications as compared to 74% with control (OR 1.62, P =.1). General comfort was favorable in 73% of EHW applications as compared to 44% in control arm (OR 3.4, P &lt;.001). Age, alopecia grade and taxane use did not significantly impact on comfort measures. Conclusions: Our study suggests that an EHW has a consistent favorable impact on thermal and general comfort of breast cancer patients under scalp cooling technology to prevent CIA. This simple device can improve patient´s quality of life and eventually avoid scalp cooling discontinuation due to discomfort.

Interaction of emotional regulation and outdoor thermal perception: A pilot study in a cold region of China

Emotions affect cognition, perception, and response to the external world. In this study, six open spaces on a university campus in Xi'an, China were selected to detect emotional responses to thermal perceptions from 516 staff and students. Respondents' emotional changes and subjective thermal sensation vote (TSV) were recorded as they completed a stressful task. Responses were rated using a Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS) and thermal comfort questionnaires. Respondents' subjective thermal sensation changes, emotional responses, and influence factors on thermal sensation under different physiological equivalent temperature (PET) ranges were analyzed. Results showed that: (1) As air temperature (Ta), globe temperature (Tg) and mean radiation temperature (Tmrt) increased, positive affect (PA) varied as an inverted V-shaped trend, but negative affect (NA) showed the opposite trend. Sky view factors were negatively related to PA, and positively related to NA in summer. Visible green index was negatively related to PA in winter. (2) Neutral PET, neutral PET ranges, preferred PET and thermal acceptable ranges were 19.4 °C, 12.2–26.6 °C, 25.2 °C and 12.9–33.9 °C before a stressful task, 16.3 °C, 8.1–24.5 °C, 24.3 °C and 11.2–33.5 °C after the stressful task, and 20.0 °C, 12.7–27.3 °C, 25.3 °C and 14.1–36.3 °C after recovery, respectively. (3) Wind speed (Va) and Tmrt were the primary meteorological parameters that influenced respondents' thermal sensation. TSV approached to neutral as PA increased; increasing NA may increase TSV. Additionally, the influence of emotional regulation on TSV varied as the range of PET changed.

Assessment of thermal comfort indices in an open air-conditioned stadium in hot and arid environment

Thermal comfort indices are vital tools when assessing outdoor thermal comfort in hot and arid environments. Selecting a representative thermal comfort index for outdoor environments is challenging. This paper presents a comparative study of the suitability of seven different thermal comfort indices, namely PMV, discomfort index, cooling power index, Humidex, WBGT, SET, and UTCI in assessing outdoor thermal comfort. The thermal comfort indices were compared to the thermal sensation vote (TSV) obtained from a thermal comfort questionnaire of spectators seated in a semi-open air-conditioned stadium. Seated in six different zones, a total of 532 spectators participated in an online questionnaire. The results of the survey indicated high levels of climate acceptability, with small variations among the stadium zones and between genders. Almost 40% of the spectators reported feeling ‘‘cool’‘, while 28% of the spectators were feeling ‘‘slightly cool’’ and 21% reported a ‘‘neutral’’ thermal perception. Hence, CFD simulations were used to predict the values of the seven thermal comfort indices. The thermal comfort indices' values, obtained from the CFD simulations, were compared to their counterparts obtained from the questionnaire. The WBGT index showed good agreement to the actual questionnaire data with an average difference of 8.8%. The other six indices yielded an average range of difference of (15%–46%). The WBGT index deemed the most suitable to assess outdoor thermal comfort for hot and arid regions, followed by the UTCI and the SET indices, with average differences of 14% and 15%, respectively. The CPI index deemed not suitable for hot and arid regions compared to other indices.

Thermal Sensation in Courtyards: Potentialities as a Passive Strategy in Tropical Climates

Climate change will bring changes to our living conditions, particularly in urban areas. Climate-responsive design strategies through courtyards can help to moderate temperatures and reduce the thermal stress of its occupants. Thermal response inside courtyard is affected not only by its morphological composition but also by subjective factors. Thus, standardized thermal scales may not reflect the stress of the occupants. This study investigated the impact on thermal attenuation provided by a courtyard located in a tropical climate under extreme cold and hot synoptic conditions by means of local thermal sensation scales. Microclimatic variables were monitored, simultaneously with the application of a thermal comfort questionnaire, by using weather stations installed outside and inside the courtyard. The Modified Physiological Equivalent Temperature Index (mPET) was utilized to predict the heat stress. Calibration was conducted using linear regression to attribute particular thermal sensation votes to correspondent mPET values. It was found that thermal sensation can be affected by factors such as psychological, behavioral, and physiological. The courtyard’s form provides a passive cooling effect, stabilizing interior thermal sensation, with attenuation peaks of 6.4 °C on a cold day and 5.0 °C on a hot day. Courtyards are an alternative passive strategy to improve thermal ambience in tropical climate, counterbalancing climate change.

The spatial comfort and thermal delight of outdoor misting installations in hot and humid extreme environments

Within the boundaries of Climate Change, existing hot and humid climates will likely become more extreme, calling for research into solutions that enable the thermal liveability of these environments. There is literature advocating for exploring evaporative cooling in hot and humid climates, having observed that when fine mist is deposited on skin, thermal comfort can be achieved. However, there are only a handful of studies considering the efficacy of misting prototypes in these environments. Thus, an experimental study was conducted to explore the impact of simple mist cooling technologies on outdoor comfort. A full-scale misting prototype was built in the city of Antofagasta, located in the Atacama desert region of Chile, and experiencing high humidity and massive solar radiation. The generated environmental conditions were measured, and thermal comfort questionnaires used to supplement quantitative data interpretation with information on the levels of comfort achieved.The experiment demonstrated the potential of mist cooling in this environment, which led to a significant reduction in air temperature, mean radiant temperature and thus on the universal thermal climate index, without significant increases in ambient humidity. Results showed over a 15 °C cooling effect in all three metrics at peak times, and occupants consistently reported a cooling effect after spending time within the mist.