Outdoor thermal comfort of two public squares in temperate and dry region of Esfahan, Iran

This paper presents a study on outdoor thermal comfort in a temperate and dry climate based on a field survey conducted in Esfahan, Iran. Studies on outdoor thermal comfort have mostly concentrated on street canyons and few on public squares. This study utilized ASHRAE's Thermal Sensation Vote (TSV) to assess people's acceptance of the outdoor thermal comfort conditions with a data recording technique and observing thermal adaptation behavior of the people at two public squares in the heritage areas of the city. The fieldwork was a short-term survey during an extreme period of cold winter. The study was performed for a full week at each square in December 2009 and January 2010. Air temperature, RH, wind speed and solar radiation were measured. The preliminary results revealed that people visiting the squares in cold season mostly felt comfortable with the air temperature and sunlight. They prefered a higher humidity condition and a little more wind. Areas in the squares with water elements seemed to have attracted more people with majority of the respondents satisfied with the outdoor thermal condition resulting in higher percentage of TSVs within the three central categories. People seemed to prefer a square that offers longer episodes of sun-exposed periods and higher air movement in the winter.