Optimization of External Environment Design for Libraries in Hot and Dry Regions during Summer

Abstract

To address the poor thermal comfort of library exteriors in hot and dry regions during the summer, this study takes the libraries of universities in Xinjiang as its research object. It corrects the range of the perceived environmental temperature (PET) index for evaluating comfort in Xinjiang by combining subjective and objective methods. It explores the impact and adjustment mechanism of physical parameters on PET through field measurements and simulations. Finally, it determines the optimal external environmental design based on PET. The research results show that the neutral temperature of PET in Xinjiang during the summer is 27.44 °C, and the optimal comfort temperature range is 25.52–29.36 °C. The correlation between meteorological and physical parameters and PET is as follows: Tg > G > Ta > RH > SVF > reflectance > Va. The optimal PET design includes a combination of a water body in the upwind direction on the south side, an asphalt underlay, grass, and large-leaved wax vegetation. In the optimal scheme, PET decreased by 6.73 °C, or 12.59%, compared with Case 0 at 18:00. This study provides a reference for the design of external environmental conditions in hot and dry regions during the summer.