Urban outdoor thermal comfort prediction for public square in moderate and dry climate

Thermal condition is a decisive factor which impacts the use of outdoor spaces. Concerns on outdoor thermal conditions are on the rise judging by the growing number of research on the subject. However empirical research in the context of urban outdoor in moderate and dry climate is still limited. Predicting thermal comfort of outdoor spaces in a particular setting is essential to ensure continuous return of visitors and users. This paper aims to establish the thermal acceptable temperature range applicable for an urban context in temperate and dry climate zone based on the physiologically equivalent temperature (PET) index. Two fieldwork experiments were conducted through environmental measurements and questionnaire survey performed in winter of 2009 and summer of 2010 at a public square in Esfahan, Iran. These data were used for the thermal comfort assessment, supported by the RayMan model for the calculation of the mean radiant temperature (Tmrt) and PET. The study established the acceptable thermal comfort range to be between 12.3 and 30.9 deg C which is relatively wider then past studies.