Outdoor Cold Stress and Cold Risk for Children during Winter: A Study in China’s Severe Cold Regions
This study uses the universal thermal climate index (UTCI) and whole-body and local cooling assessment to determine the thermal benchmarks and cold risk for children in China’s severe cold regions. The relevant measurements and survey were conducted in four open spaces at a children’s park in Harbin...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-07-01
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| Series: | Buildings |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-5309/12/7/936 |
| _version_ | 1797433774454079488 |
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| author | Long Shao Xiaoyun He Yuexing Tang Shenglong Wu |
| author_facet | Long Shao Xiaoyun He Yuexing Tang Shenglong Wu |
| author_sort | Long Shao |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This study uses the universal thermal climate index (UTCI) and whole-body and local cooling assessment to determine the thermal benchmarks and cold risk for children in China’s severe cold regions. The relevant measurements and survey were conducted in four open spaces at a children’s park in Harbin, China. The findings of the study are as follows: (1) In winter, solar radiation and global temperature affects winter thermal sensation in male and female children the most. (2) Female children have a lower neutral UTCI (6.0 °C) than male children (7.3 °C), and female children have lower upper and lower thresholds of the neutral UTCI range (−1.3–13.4 °C) than male children (0.6–14.1 °C). (3) Children who engaged in light-intensity activities, were exposed to cold winds, and touched cold surfaces with their bare fingers are at risk of whole-body and local cooling. (4) Children prefer exercising (P<sub>Female</sub> = 35.5%, P<sub>Male</sub> = 48.3%) and moving to sunshine for thermal adaptation (P<sub>Female</sub> = 31.1%, P<sub>Male</sub> = 26.4%). (5) Winter travel guidelines, cold-risk-prevention measures, and safety guidelines for winter outdoor activities are proposed. The results provide references for the design of open spaces in urban parks in China’s severe cold regions. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T10:21:48Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-f8693fdbcb7e4a2f993a3389759b93cf |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2075-5309 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T10:21:48Z |
| publishDate | 2022-07-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Buildings |
| spelling | doaj.art-f8693fdbcb7e4a2f993a3389759b93cf2023-12-01T21:58:18ZengMDPI AGBuildings2075-53092022-07-0112793610.3390/buildings12070936Outdoor Cold Stress and Cold Risk for Children during Winter: A Study in China’s Severe Cold RegionsLong Shao0Xiaoyun He1Yuexing Tang2Shenglong Wu3Key Laboratory of Cold Region Urban and Rural Human Settlement Environment Science and Technology, Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, School of Architecture, Harbin Institute of Technology, No. 66, Xidazhi Street, Harbin 150001, ChinaKey Laboratory of Cold Region Urban and Rural Human Settlement Environment Science and Technology, Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, School of Architecture, Harbin Institute of Technology, No. 66, Xidazhi Street, Harbin 150001, ChinaKey Laboratory of Cold Region Urban and Rural Human Settlement Environment Science and Technology, Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, School of Architecture, Harbin Institute of Technology, No. 66, Xidazhi Street, Harbin 150001, ChinaKey Laboratory of Cold Region Urban and Rural Human Settlement Environment Science and Technology, Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, School of Architecture, Harbin Institute of Technology, No. 66, Xidazhi Street, Harbin 150001, ChinaThis study uses the universal thermal climate index (UTCI) and whole-body and local cooling assessment to determine the thermal benchmarks and cold risk for children in China’s severe cold regions. The relevant measurements and survey were conducted in four open spaces at a children’s park in Harbin, China. The findings of the study are as follows: (1) In winter, solar radiation and global temperature affects winter thermal sensation in male and female children the most. (2) Female children have a lower neutral UTCI (6.0 °C) than male children (7.3 °C), and female children have lower upper and lower thresholds of the neutral UTCI range (−1.3–13.4 °C) than male children (0.6–14.1 °C). (3) Children who engaged in light-intensity activities, were exposed to cold winds, and touched cold surfaces with their bare fingers are at risk of whole-body and local cooling. (4) Children prefer exercising (P<sub>Female</sub> = 35.5%, P<sub>Male</sub> = 48.3%) and moving to sunshine for thermal adaptation (P<sub>Female</sub> = 31.1%, P<sub>Male</sub> = 26.4%). (5) Winter travel guidelines, cold-risk-prevention measures, and safety guidelines for winter outdoor activities are proposed. The results provide references for the design of open spaces in urban parks in China’s severe cold regions.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-5309/12/7/936outdoor stressuniversal thermal climate index (UTCI)childrenphysical activitycold riskChina’s severe cold regions |
| spellingShingle | Long Shao Xiaoyun He Yuexing Tang Shenglong Wu Outdoor Cold Stress and Cold Risk for Children during Winter: A Study in China’s Severe Cold Regions Buildings outdoor stress universal thermal climate index (UTCI) children physical activity cold risk China’s severe cold regions |
| title | Outdoor Cold Stress and Cold Risk for Children during Winter: A Study in China’s Severe Cold Regions |
| title_full | Outdoor Cold Stress and Cold Risk for Children during Winter: A Study in China’s Severe Cold Regions |
| title_fullStr | Outdoor Cold Stress and Cold Risk for Children during Winter: A Study in China’s Severe Cold Regions |
| title_full_unstemmed | Outdoor Cold Stress and Cold Risk for Children during Winter: A Study in China’s Severe Cold Regions |
| title_short | Outdoor Cold Stress and Cold Risk for Children during Winter: A Study in China’s Severe Cold Regions |
| title_sort | outdoor cold stress and cold risk for children during winter a study in china s severe cold regions |
| topic | outdoor stress universal thermal climate index (UTCI) children physical activity cold risk China’s severe cold regions |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-5309/12/7/936 |
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