Effects of perceived environmental quality and psychological status on outdoor thermal comfort: a panel study in Southern China

Urban residents are exposed to multiple environmental stimuli. Past studies have examined the influence of heat stress on outdoor thermal comfort, but the cross-modal effects of various sensory stimuli on outdoor thermal comfort remain unclear. This study used chi-square tests and logistic regression to examine the cross-modal effects of perceived environmental quality (acoustic, visual and air quality) and psychological status (irritability, perceived tiredness) on outdoor thermal comfort. We conducted thermal walk experiments in Guangzhou, China, in September and October 2022. This panel study consisted of mobile environmental sensors and thermal comfort surveys by fourteen university students on three walking routes, representing urban renewal sites, new urban areas, and urban blue-green spaces. The ‘very bright’ (OR=15.76, p<0.001) and ‘glaring’ groups (OR=4.09, p<0.001) were likelier to feel hotter than the ‘dark’ and ‘not glaring’ groups. People who found the noise level annoying were likelier to feel uncomfortable (OR=1.61, p=0.004). Moreover, people perceiving air quality as ‘very good’ were less likely to find the thermal environment unacceptable (OR=0.27, p=0.035). The irritated (OR=4.18, p<0.001) and tired groups (OR=1.81, p=0.002) were likelier to find the thermal environment intolerable. Our findings highlight the need to consider multisensory comfort and psychological status to inform sustainable urban design.