Abstract

RINCON-MARTINEZ, Julio César; GARCIA-GOMEZ, Carmen  and  GONZALEZ-TREVIZO, Marcos Eduardo. Hygrothermal comfort in outdoor environments for two extreme bioclimates of Mexico. Ing. invest. y tecnol. [online]. 2022, vol.23, n.2, e1862.  Epub Nov 04, 2022. ISSN 2594-0732.  https://doi.org/10.22201/fi.25940732e.2022.23.2.014.

Thermal comfort studies developed from the adaptive approach note an important dependence of the subjects' thermal sensation with the outdoor climatic conditions of the inhabited space. Adverse thermal environment can negatively influence the well-being, performance and comfort of the subjects, which results in the underutilization of spaces whose hygrothermal conditions are inappropriate for the activity for which they were built. This paper shows the estimation the hygrothermal comfort range for outdoor spaces in two representatively extreme bioclimates in Mexico: Warm-humid and semi-cold-dry. The first one has an annual mean temperature of 26.2 °C and a total annual precipitation of 1,094.8 mm, while the second one has an annual mean temperature of 17.3 °C and a total annual precipitation of 217.3 mm. The studies are correlational type and were analyzed with 605 evaluations and the simultaneous recording of temperature, relative humidity and wind speed, during the warm period. Used questionnaires were designed based on ISO 10551 and ANSI/ASHRAE 55; and environmental measurement instruments were based on ISO 7726. Data were processed by Averages by Thermal Sensation Intervals method. For the warm-humid bioclimate, the thermal comfort range results from 21.8 °C a 34.9 °C and the hydric comfort range was from 38.3 % a 85.8 %, while for the Semi-cold-dry bioclimate it was from 19.4 °C a 25.0 °C and 54.2 % a 84.0 %, respectively. These estimates respond to the adaptation that people present with their immediate environment, due to the local climatic conditions of each place and the study period.

Keywords : Extreme bioclimate; warm-humid; hygrothermal comfort; adaptive approach; outdoor spaces; semi-cold-dry; adaptation to the thermal environment.