Comparison of indoor thermal comfort of the elderly in urban, suburban rural and mountainous rural areas in South China karst

Abstract

The South China karst region features typical, complex, and diverse karst landscapes, influencing the local climate and the lifestyle of the inhabitants. This study explores the thermal comfort and behavioral adaptation of elderly people in naturally ventilated dwellings across three different topographies in the South China karst region during both summer and winter: an urban area (Guilin City), a suburban rural area (Jiangtou village and its surrounding villages), and a mountainous rural area (Dayuan village). The findings reveal that residential buildings in rural areas generally represent worse indoor thermal conditions both in summer and winter than the residential buildings in the urban area. The neutral temperatures for the elderly in urban, suburban rural, and mountainous rural areas were 26.04°C, 26.89°C, and 25.37°C in summer respectively; while 18.91°C, 18.69°C, and 17.75°C in winter respectively. The acceptable indoor air temperature ranges for 80 % satisfaction were 17.86°C ∼ 28.31°C (urban), 12.80°C ∼ 30.03°C (suburban rural) and 11.61°C ∼ 31.99°C (mountainous rural). Results show that rural elderly residents are more tolerant of hot and cold indoor thermal conditions and have a wider range of acceptable temperatures compared to urban elderly people. In addition, urban and rural elderly people have different heating and cooling measures and adaptive behaviors to thermal environments. Huotang rooms are unique heating facilities for traditional houses in mountainous rural areas.