Calculation of Thermal Comfort in Outdoor Spaces: evaluation of the Cold Season in Ensenada, Baja California

Studies on thermal comfort in outdoor spaces are fundamental to enhance the habitability of open spaces and to improve people's living conditions. However, these studies must consider the local characteristics and the specific population of the area where the studies are conducted. The objective of this paper is to evaluate human thermal sensation during the cold season, in order to calculate thermal comfort ranges for outdoor spaces, providing design indicators. For this purpose, observations were collected in various types of open spaces in the city of Ensenada, the only one in Mexico with a Mediterranean climate characterized by cold and wet winters. The evaluation was conducted using the adaptive approach and processed with the Averages of Thermal Sensation Intervals (ATSI) method. A correlational analysis was performed regarding thermal sensation with climatic variables such as air temperature, relative humidity, and wind speed. The thermal comfort range was found to be from 12.6 degrees C to 23.8 degrees C, values below the annual ranges calculated for Mediterranean climatic regions (21.1 degrees C-29.2 degrees C and 20 degrees C-25 degrees C) during the same study period.