Combined effects of the thermal-acoustic environment on subjective evaluations in urban squares

Abstract Because human beings live in an environment in which various factors interact, it is necessary to study the effects of these factors on environmental evaluations. This study employs a questionnaire survey to explore the effects of the thermal-acoustic environment in urban squares on subjective evaluations (thermal evaluations, acoustic evaluations, and overall comfort) in severe cold regions. It also evaluates and predicts equivalent overall comfort under different conditions of the thermal-acoustic environment. The results indicate that with respect to thermal evaluations, a higher temperature causes a significant increase in thermal sensation in all the three seasons (summer, the transitional season, and winter) while traffic noise causes a slight increase in thermal sensation only in summer. Meanwhile, both temperature and traffic noise affect thermal comfort in all three seasons, with higher traffic noise causing lower thermal comfort. With respect to acoustic evaluations, higher traffic noise results in a more negative evaluation of subjective loudness and acoustic comfort, while the low temperature in winter and high temperature in summer increase acoustic discomfort. However, the interaction of temperature and traffic noise has an effect on acoustic comfort only in summer. In addition, temperature significantly affects overall comfort in all three seasons, while traffic noise has an effect only in the transitional season and summer; however, their interaction affects overall comfort only in winter.