Effect of personal and microclimatic variables on observed thermal sensation from a field study in southern Brazil

• Published in: Building and environment Vol. 46; no. 3; pp. 690 - 697
• Main Authors: Krüger, Eduardo L., Rossi, Francine A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 01.03.2011; Elsevier
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Assessments; Brazil; Buildings. Public works; Climatology and bioclimatics for buildings; Comfort; Comfort in outdoor spaces; Exact sciences and technology; Microclimatic measurements; Monitoring; Outdoor; Perception; Surface layer; Texture; Thermal comfort; Thermal sensation; Urban climate; Urban development; Urban planning; South America; Brazil; America; Brazil, Parana, Curitiba; Microclimatic measurements; Comfort in outdoor spaces; Thermal comfort; Urban planning; Thermal sensation; Urban climate; Sensation; Data analysis; Correlation; Microclimate; Characterization; Research program; Exterior circulation space; Field study
• DOI: 10.1016/j.buildenv.2010.09.013
• ISSN: 0360-1323

Urban climate, which is influenced by land use patterns, heat-generating activities, and the physical texture of urban fabric, has a great impact on outdoor comfort as well as on a building’s energy consumption. A climate-responsive urban planning can provide optimal, comfortable thermal conditions not only for the permanence of humans in outdoor spaces but also reducing the need of air conditioning systems in buildings. The purpose of this article is to present results of an outdoor comfort research with passers-by in downtown Curitiba, Brazil (25°31′S, 917m elevation). Urban locations have been monitored regarding standard comfort variables: air temperature and humidity, wind speed and globe temperature. Alongside the quantitative assessment of comfort conditions, a survey of pedestrian’s thermal comfort perception according to ISO 10551 was carried out on each monitoring campaign by means of questionnaires with the local population. As a whole, from fourteen monitoring campaigns using a couple of weather stations, beginning on January 9 through August 12, 1654 valid comfort votes were obtained. In this paper, we perform a data consistency check, evaluating the relationship between personal (gender and age of respondents) and objective, microclimatic (comfort variables) factors on observed thermal sensation.