Adjustments of the adaptive thermal comfort model based on the running mean outdoor temperature for Chinese people: A case study in Changsha China

A method to develop an adaptive thermal comfort model based on the running mean outdoor temperature for Chinese people was proposed. The determination of two important parameters (neutral temperature and outdoor temperature) in the adaptive thermal comfort model was the focus of this work. A longitudinal survey was conducted from Jan. 2010 to Feb. 2011 in two naturally ventilated office buildings located in Changsha, China. During the survey, the thermal sensation of the subjects was investigated, and the indoor temperature was measured daily. Based on the field data, the neutral temperature and the running mean outdoor temperature were determined. Further, an adaptive thermal comfort model was established by quantifying the relationship between the neutral temperature and the running mean outdoor temperature. The results show that the adaptive thermal comfort model based on the running mean outdoor temperature can well reflect the change of neutral temperature in the two office buildings with the climate of Changsha China. This study provides a reliable method to adjust the adaptive thermal comfort model based on the running mean temperature for Chinese people. •Running mean (RM) outdoor temperature is used in adaptive comfort model of China.•0.5 is a suitable Griffiths constant for the calculation of neutral temperature.•0.45 is the optimal time constant for calculation of RM outdoor temperature.•People in Changsha adapt to outdoor temperature change more quickly than European.•The proposed ATC model reflected the real change of neutral temperature very well.