Environment and Energy

[016] Primary Literature Studies on Outdoor Thermal Comfort Indices and Questionnaire Evaluation for Studies in Taiwan

Ying-Ming Su, Janmichael Antoni

Keywords:Outdoor Thermal Comfort, Thermal Comfort Questionnaire Survey, Outdoor Thermal Comfort Index, Humid Subtropical Region.

Due to the deterioration of the urban climate, especially in a humid subtropical country like Taiwan, outdoor thermal comfort is a very important aspect to consider in order to encourage people to utilize outdoor spaces. Studies have shown that people from different regions also have different thermal comfort levels, thus thermal comfort assessment method has to be adjusted according to the climate context. In this paper, we review 15 outdoor thermal comfort studies conducted in 12 different cities in Asia with humid climates, in journals published between 2009 and 2020 by MDPI and Elsevier, with the purpose to review and determine the most suitable comfort indices and questionnaire methods according to Taiwan’s climate through analyzing collected researches, hoping that this research could provide a guideline and a valuable reference on future thermal comfort studies in Taiwan. SET and PMV are not recommended for outdoor thermal comfort assessment. UTCI and PET are recommended for outdoor thermal comfort studies in Taiwan because both include every parameter affecting thermal comfort; meteorological and personal parameters, and UTCI has the advantage to be utilized under different climates, weathers, and locations. Yet UTCI is uncommon among studies in Taiwan, so it is suggested that further studies are required. To achieve a more accurate result, it is adamant that the quantity of the questionnaire survey subjects is large enough, and the subjects must represent the general population with balanced age and gender. Considering thermal adaptation of the human body, subjects are recommended to remain in the same area for 15 minutes. Instead of random sample collection, designated test subjects can be considered to have a better accuracy regarding the thermal history of the subject. Questions of the survey can be concluded into: basic information such as gender, age, and time of interview; personal parameters such as activity state and clothing insulation; subjective thermal sensations and comfort level; and subjective preferences towards the climate. To ensure the accuracy of the result, participants are recommended to be given an explanation of the questions, to have a full understanding before filling out the questionnaire.