Estimate of outdoor thermal comfort zones for different climatic regions of Iran

Abstract This study objective is to estimate high and low thresholds of the outdoor thermal comfort category for different thermal comfort indices in Iran. By using a statistical method that considers foure bioclimatic indices: SET*, PT, PET, and UTCI, the paper estimates their thermal comfort zone to gauge difference in terms of local climate. In this study, 154 stations were selected across the country and daily data period from 1995 to 2014 were considered. The results show that the estimated thermal comfort zones for the indices studied for Iran are: SET*, from 20.5 (BWh or Hot desert climate) to 25.5 °C (BSh or Hot semi-arid climate); PT, from 15.9 (Cfa or Humid subtropical climate) to 19.1 °C (Aw or Tropical wet and dry); PET, from 18.9 (BWh) to 22.5 °C (Aw); and UTCI, from 18.5 (BWh) to 25 °C (Csb or Warm-summer Mediterranean climate). A comparison between the original thresholds and estimated thresholds of each one of the four indices considered provides an insight to assist the future decision making of outdoor activities planning and design.

[1]  Marialena Nikolopoulou,et al.  Daytime thermal comfort in urban spaces: A field study in Brazil , 2016 .

[2]  R. Steadman.  The Assessment of Sultriness. Part I: A Temperature-Humidity Index Based on Human Physiology and Clothing Science , 1979 .

[3]  G. Laschewski,et al.  The perceived temperature – a versatile index for the assessment of the human thermal environment. Part A: scientific basics , 2011, International Journal of Biometeorology.

[4]  A. Matzarakis,et al.  Quantification of climate tourism potential of Croatia based on measured data and regional modeling , 2014, International Journal of Biometeorology.

[5]  R. D. de Groot,et al.  Thermal comfort in urban green spaces: a survey on a Dutch university campus , 2016, International Journal of Biometeorology.

[6]  G. Havenith,et al.  The Universal Thermal Climate Index UTCI compared to ergonomics standards for assessing the thermal environment. , 2013, Industrial health.

[7]  Eduardo L. Krüger,et al.  Impact of urban geometry on outdoor thermal comfort and air quality from field measurements in Curit , 2011 .

[8]  Ingvar Holmér,et al.  Deriving the operational procedure for the Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI) , 2012, International Journal of Biometeorology.

[9]  Andreas Matzarakis,et al.  Comparison of selected thermal indices in the northwest of Iran , 2015 .

[10]  Gerd Jendritzky,et al.  A model analysing the urban thermal environment in physiologically significant terms , 1981 .

[11]  L. Berglund,et al.  A standard predictive index of human response to the thermal environment , 1986 .

[12]  Shady Attia,et al.  The role of landscape design in improving the microclimate in traditional courtyard-buildings in hot arid climates , 2006 .

[13]  T. Tavousi,et al.  Assessment of bioclimatic comfort conditions based on Physiologically Equivalent Temperature (PET) using the RayMan Model in Iran , 2013 .

[14]  P. Höppe.  Heat balance modelling , 1993, Experientia.

[15]  Koen Steemers,et al.  Thermal comfort in outdoor urban spaces: understanding the human parameter , 2001 .

[16]  Lu Jianfeng,et al.  Heat transfer performance of an external receiver pipe under unilateral concentrated solar radiation , 2010 .

[17]  Home Finance Agency.  Application of climatic data to house design , 1954 .

[18]  ASSESSMENT METHOD FOR CLIMATE AND TOURISM BASED ON DAILY DATA , 2007 .

[19]  Ibrahim M. Al-Helal,et al.  Human Thermal Comfort and Heat Stress in an Outdoor Urban Arid Environment: A Case Study , 2013 .

[20]  Ferdinando Salata,et al.  Outdoor thermal comfort in the Mediterranean area. A transversal study in Rome, Italy , 2016 .

[21]  A. Matzarakis,et al.  The climate tourism potential of Alpine destinations using the example of Sonnblick, Rauris and Salzburg , 2012, Theoretical and Applied Climatology.

[22]  J. Fitchett,et al.  Long-term trends in tourism climate index scores for 40 stations across Iran: the role of climate change and influence on tourism sustainability , 2015, International Journal of Biometeorology.

[23]  G. Mangone,et al.  Statistical model evaluation and calibrations for outdoor comfort assessment in South Florida , 2011 .

[24]  J D Hardy,et al.  Comfort and thermal sensations and associated physiological responses at various ambient temperatures. , 1967, Environmental research.

[25]  P. Höppe,et al.  The physiological equivalent temperature – a universal index for the biometeorological assessment of the thermal environment , 1999, International journal of biometeorology.

[26]  Z. Mieczkowski,et al.  THE TOURISM CLIMATIC INDEX: A METHOD OF EVALUATING WORLD CLIMATES FOR TOURISM , 1985 .

[27]  Moohammed Wasim Yahia,et al.  Evaluating the behaviour of different thermal indices by investigating various outdoor urban environments in the hot dry city of Damascus, Syria , 2013, International Journal of Biometeorology.

[28]  J. Orosa,et al.  The impacts of drying of Lake Urmia on changes of degree day index of the surrounding cities by meteorological modelling , 2016, Environmental Earth Sciences.

[29]  L. Katzschner,et al.  Thermal comfort comparison and evaluation in different climates , 2016 .

[30]  S. Attia,et al.  Determining new threshold temperatures for cooling and heating degree day index of different climatic zones of Iran , 2017 .

[31]  Bau-Show Lin,et al.  Impact of climatic conditions on the thermal effectiveness of an extensive green roof , 2013 .

[32]  George Havenith,et al.  The Universal Thermal Climate Index UTCI in operational use , 2010 .

[33]  A. Matzarakis,et al.  A comprehensive analysis of physiologically equivalent temperature changes of Iranian selected stations for the last half century , 2016, Theoretical and Applied Climatology.

[34]  D. Lai,et al.  Studies of outdoor thermal comfort in northern China , 2014 .

[35]  F. Rossi,et al.  Calibration of the physiological equivalent temperature index for three different climatic regions , 2017, International Journal of Biometeorology.

[36]  H. Mayer,et al.  Modelling radiation fluxes in simple and complex environments: basics of the RayMan model , 2007, International journal of biometeorology.

[37]  J. Unger,et al.  Adjustment of the thermal component of two tourism climatological assessment tools using thermal perception and preference surveys from Hungary , 2016, Theoretical and Applied Climatology.

[38]  H. Landsberg,et al.  The assessment of human bioclimate : a limited review of physical parameters , 1972 .

[39]  Ken Parsons,et al.  Human Thermal Environments: The Effects of Hot, Moderate, and Cold Environments on Human Health, Comfort and Performance , 1999 .

[40]  Quantification of climate for tourism in the northwest of Iran , 2009 .

[41]  R. Dear,et al.  Thermal adaptation in the built environment: a literature review , 1998 .

[42]  Tzu-Ping Lin,et al.  Adaptive comfort model for tree-shaded outdoors in Taiwan , 2010 .

[43]  Shady Attia,et al.  Towards regenerative and positive impact architecture: A comparison of two net zero energy buildings , 2016 .

[44]  Gerd Jendritzky,et al.  Ein objektives Bewertungsverfahren zur Beschreibung des thermischen Milieus in der Stadt- und Landschaftsplanung , 1979 .

[45]  M. Nowosad,et al.  THE UTCI INDEX IN LESKO AND LUBLIN AND ITS CIRCULATION DETERMINANTS , 2013 .

[46]  Patrick Taffé.  A qualitative response model of thermal comfort , 1997 .

[47]  Tzu-Ping Lin,et al.  Tourism climate and thermal comfort in Sun Moon Lake, Taiwan , 2008, International journal of biometeorology.

[48]  H. Mayer,et al.  Modelling radiation fluxes in simple and complex environments—application of the RayMan model , 2007, International journal of biometeorology.

[49]  M. Novák.  Use of the UTCI in the Czech Republic , 2013 .

[50]  Evaluation of thermal comfort conditions in Ourmieh Lake, Iran , 2012, Theoretical and Applied Climatology.

[51]  Tzu-Ping Lin,et al.  Thermal perception, adaptation and attendance in a public square in hot and humid regions , 2009 .

[52]  Nyuk Hien Wong,et al.  Thermal comfort in outdoor urban spaces in Singapore , 2013 .