Urban Outdoor Thermal Comfort of The Hot-Humid Region

Abstract

Abstract. The study on outdoor comfort is becoming popular due to the fact that the thermoregulatory model is seen as inadequate in explaining outdoor thermal comfort conditions. Hot-humid region can be said as experiencing a critical environmental condition because of its constantly high temperature and humidity throughout the year. Thus, this study focus on the assessment of thermal comfort of outdoor urban spaces in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (3° 9'N and 101° 44'E). Survey on human response towards outdoor thermal comfort in hot-humid climate of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia was carried out during day time between 0900h to 1800h along with measurement of environmental parameters such as air temperature (°C), wind velocity (m/s), radiant temperature (°C), relative humidity (%) and solar radiation (lux). A total of 123 samples were involved in this study which took place within four sites around Kuala Lumpur. Survey results were then correlated with the environmental parameters to further develop the comfort zone for hot-humid outdoor environment specifically for Kuala Lumpur and, generally, for hot-humid regions.

Improving thermal comfort in the urban landscape of housing communities in tropical climate: A case study of Bang Chalong Community, Thailand

“…A large tree absorbs heat and transmits only a small amount to ground level Therefore, the values from the field survey used in this study were the TA, TG, and RH% measured by the WGBT data loggers. All the collected data are consistent with a study in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, by Abu Bakar and Gadi (2016). It suggests that a comfortable thermal comfort should be at a minimum of 27.5°C and a maximum of 33.7°C of TA and RH% in the range of minimum 50.7% to maximum 85% under wind speed of not less than 0.1 m/s for tropical outdoor areas.…”

A Qualitative Study on Airflow Characteristics Across a Wooden Slotted Down Window Panel for Passive Ventilation and Façade Shading Application

“…Testing was performed in a closed-loop wind tunnel in the Wind Tunnel Laboratory at the Science and Engineering Research Centre of Universiti Sains Malaysia using a a smoke generator at airflow speeds of 0.5 m/s, 1.0 m/s, 2.0 m/s, 3.0 m/s and 5.0 m/s, with ventilation rates of 0.103 m 3 /s, 0.205 m 3 /s, 0.410 m 3 /s, 0.616 m 3 /s and 1.026 m 3 /s, respectively. The speeds were chosen because they represented the range of average wind speeds in the hot and humid climate of Malaysia (Lim et al, 2011;Makaremi et al, 2012;Bakar & Gadi, 2016;Hanipah et al, 2016;Hanipah et al, 2017). Smoke was used to evaluate airflow characteristics of the wooden slotted down window panel model.…”

Urban Morphology and Outdoor Microclimate around the “Shophouse” Dwellings in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

“…Fieldwork with 1018 subjects in Australia by Spagnolo and de Dear determined a comfort temperature of 26.2 • C in outdoor and semi-outdoor locations [13]. The work of Bakar and Gadi predicted a comfort zone of 27.5-33.7 • C for public spaces in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia [16]. Surveys of six different urban functional areas in Barranquilla, Colombia found pedestrians' thermal neutrality to be 27.9 • C and a comfortable temperature range of 25.0-31.0 • C in the sunny season [17].…”