A Field Study of Outdoor Human Thermal Perception in Three Seasons in Shanghai, China

Abstract

The locality of landscape design needs to obtain human thermal perception in different cities or regions. Previous studies in Shanghai have focused on a single season and ignored the seasonal characteristics of hot summers and cold winters. The objective of this research was to examine the outdoor human thermal perception in three seasons—summer, autumn, and winter. For this purpose, a field survey was conducted in two urban squares in Shanghai, and during three seasons, an outdoor human thermal perception questionnaire survey was completed combined with micrometeorological measurements. In the questionnaire, the thermal sensation and thermal comfort of interviewees were evaluated through the 9-point scale and the 4-point break scale, respectively. Regression lines gave the possibility to calculate the neutral ranges and the comfort ranges. A neutral PET (physiological equivalent temperature) range of 13.0~28.6 °C and a comfort PET range of 14.2~32.6 °C were obtained for three seasons. In addition, the relationships between personal (gender and age of respondents) and microclimatic (air temperature, relative humidity, wind velocity, and solar radiation) factors on thermal sensation votes (TSV) and thermal comfort votes (TCV) were evaluated. The results of multiple regression analysis showed that the variables affecting TSV and TCV changed with the season. The findings of this research enhance our understanding of outdoor human thermal perception and can contribute to more friendly outdoor open space design in Shanghai.