Human thermal adaptation in severe cold area (4): Field study on thermal envivonment and thermal adaptation in different buildings

Conducts a long-term field study on indoor thermal environments of four buildings including residences, office buildings, university dormitories and classrooms during the winter heating period in Harbin. Simultaneously carries out the consecutive tracking test on indoor thermal environment and subjective investigation. Obtains the environmental parameters, human thermal responses and thermal neutral temperature. The results show that the indoor air temperatures in four different building environments are close to the upper limit temperature of comfort zone in winter proposed by ASHRAE standard 55. However, the responders’ neutral temperatures are close to the minimum limit of ASHRAE comfort zone. The neutral temperatures are higher in residences and dormitories than offices and classrooms. The occupants prefer to cool environment in offices and classrooms than residences and dormitories. The occupants could feel more comfortable in residences and dormitories through flexible behavioral adjustment. The 80% and 90% of minimum acceptable temperature limits are lower than 20 ℃ which is the minimum limit of ASHRAE winter comfort zone. From the perspective of adaptive thermal comfort, human acclimatization to the cold environment should be paid more attention and the indoor temperature should be appropriately decreased. If so, a more comfortable and energy saving indoor thermal environment would be built in this area in winter.