Studies of outdoor thermal comfort in northern China

• We investigated outdoor thermal comfort in cold climate region in northern China.
• Thermal sensation and overall comfort varied with the season.
• The UTCI satisfactorily predicted thermal comfort, while the PMV overestimated it.
• Neutral PET range in Tianjin is 11–24 °C.

Outdoor spaces play important roles in daily lives, and the use of these spaces is determined largely by outdoor thermal comfort. Few studies have been conducted on outdoor thermal comfort in northern China. Using microclimatic monitoring and subject interviews at a park in Tianjin, China, this investigation studied outdoor thermal comfort under different climate conditions. Although outdoor thermal environment varied greatly with air temperature from −5.0 to 34.5 °C, 83.3% of respondents consider it “acceptable”. Preferences in solar radiation, wind speed, and relative humidity were related to air temperature. The higher the air temperature was, the higher the wind speed and the lower the solar radiation and relative humidity desired by the occupants, and vice versa. The data were also used to evaluate three indices. The Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI) satisfactorily predicted outdoor thermal comfort, while the Predicted Mean Vote (PMV) overestimated it. The neutral physiological equivalent temperature (PET) range found in this study was 11–24 °C, which was lower than the ranges in Europe and Taiwan. Our study indicated that residents of Tianjin were more adapted to cold environment.