Study on thermal and physiological responses during summer while moving between academic buildings under different walking conditions

Abstract

During the hot summer season, students walking through corridors connecting academic buildings may experience brief periods of dynamic sunlight exposure, which could have some impact on their thermal sensation and physiological responses. However, there is limited research focusing on short outdoor walking between different buildings for individuals. Therefore, we conducted a field survey on a university campus in Guangzhou, China, collecting 1199 questionnaires along with corresponding thermal environment parameters and physiological indicators. Physiological Equivalent Temperature (PET) was employed to assess thermal comfort, and a comprehensive improvement model was developed by integrating both actual thermal comfort models and simulation-based prediction models. The findings are as follows: (1) Subjects exposed to short-term sunlight showed an average HR (heart rate) increase of 3.4 beats/min (0.8 m/s), 3.9 beats/min (1.2 m/s), and 4.2 beats/min (1.6 m/s) compared to non-exposed individuals; the maximum Tac (auditory canal temperature) difference was 0.15 °C, and the maximum differences in metabolic rate and heat storage were 14.8 W/m2 and 12.2 W/m2, respectively; (2) Walking speeds should be kept below 2.09 m/s (non-exposed) and 1.53 m/s (expose) to avoid heat risks; (3) There is a discrepancy between the simulated and actual thermal indices. These findings provide valuable insights for helping pedestrians mitigate heat risks and optimize outdoor spaces of buildings.

Keywords

• Outdoor thermal comfort
• Physiological indicators
• Thermal index
• Sunlight exposure
• Walking speed