Research on Outdoor Thermal Comfort and Activities in Residential Areas in Subtropical China

Public spaces in residential areas are the main places for the daily activities of residents, and thermally comfortable activity space is particularly important for promoting the activities and public health of residents. Previous studies have mostly focused on tropical regions, with less research on outdoor thermal comfort in subtropical regions. In this study, we aimed to investigate outdoor thermal benchmarks and outdoor activities in summer subtropical residential areas. Through physical measurements, questionnaires, and field observations, four residential areas in Changsha city were studied. The outdoor thermal comfort and activity of residents were studied with the physiological equivalent temperature (PET) as a model. The results showed that: (1) the neutral PET and neutral PET ranges for residents were 26.2 °C and 24.7–27.8 °C, respectively, and the range of 90% acceptable PET was lower than 28.5 °C; (2) globe temperature and air temperature were the primary factors influencing the thermal sensation of the residents; and (3) residents adapted to the thermal environment by adjusting their activity time and space in summer. These results help us to better understand the outdoor thermal comfort and activities of people living in subtropical regions and can provide guidance for the design of future residential open spaces.