Impact of thermal comfort in public spaces: the case of the coastal border in Bío Bío

Abstract

There are several studies that assess thermal comfort inside buildings, introducing energy efficiency criteria in their design and architecture. The case of public spaces is different though, as most quantitative and qualitative evaluation models are still under development and many variables that increase their complexity. Some of these variables are difficult to specify in outdoor spaces since they deal with the thermal sensation of people and ever changing climate variables partly dependent on their design.

This article reveals the findings of a study focused on the preparation of an evaluation scheme of user thermal comfort in the coastal border of the Bio Bio Region, particularly, a recently built work called La Poza in the city of Talcahuano. The research is based on the hypothesis according to which people stay in public spaces in part conditioned by their perception of thermal comfort. As thermal environments improve, it could be reasonably expected that users will improve their experience and even go more often or stay longer in the place. For that, a thermal perception analysis was developed through user surveys and a solar radiation analysis in the area, determining the correlation between use and sunlight to draft a thermal comfort map that will identify required needs or design strategies.