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Investigating the Adaptive Thermal Comfort of the Elderly in Rural Mutual Aid Homes in Central Inner Mongolia

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  • Haokun Li

    (Key Laboratory of Green Building at Universities of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, School of Architecture, Inner Mongolia University of Technology, Hohhot 010051, China)

  • Guoqiang Xu

    (Key Laboratory of Green Building at Universities of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, School of Architecture, Inner Mongolia University of Technology, Hohhot 010051, China)

  • Jiuwang Chen

    (Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region People’s Air Defense Office, Hohhot 010051, China)

  • Junfang Duan

    (Key Laboratory of Green Building at Universities of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, School of Architecture, Inner Mongolia University of Technology, Hohhot 010051, China)

Abstract

In the present study, questionnaires and field measurements were carried out to investigate the thermal sensation, thermal preference, and adaptive behavior of 216 elderly people living in rural mutual aid homes in central Inner Mongolia from 15 December 2020 to 31 December 2020. The main objective of this article was to understand the thermal comfort of the elderly at different ages and provide a reference for the design and construction of mutual aid homes from the perspective of adaptive thermal comfort. The obtained results showed that the average clothing thermal resistance of the elderly is 1.36 clo, and the thermal neutral temperature is 20.52 °C. Moreover, the 80% acceptable temperature range of the elderly is 15.48–25.56 °C, and the thermal expectation temperature is 21.09 °C. Then, an adaptive thermal comfort model was established for the elderly in rural mutual aid hospitals in the region. It was found that the thermal resistance, thermal neutral temperature, and thermal sensitivity of the clothing of the elderly of different ages are significantly different. The difference is especially more pronounced for the elderly over 80 years. Therefore, the differences in the thermal comfort needs of the elderly of different ages should be considered in the construction of rural mutual aid homes. This article is expected to provide a reference for the design of rural mutual aid homes and the update of heating systems.

Suggested Citation

  • Haokun Li & Guoqiang Xu & Jiuwang Chen & Junfang Duan, 2022. "Investigating the Adaptive Thermal Comfort of the Elderly in Rural Mutual Aid Homes in Central Inner Mongolia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(11), pages 1-21, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:14:y:2022:i:11:p:6802-:d:830210
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Grösche, Peter, 2010. "Housing, energy cost, and the poor: Counteracting effects in Germany's housing allowance program," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 38(1), pages 93-98, January.
    2. Emma Mulliner & Mike Riley & Vida Maliene, 2020. "Older People’s Preferences for Housing and Environment Characteristics," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(14), pages 1-25, July.
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