A field investigation on thermal comfort of kindergarten children in China’s hot summer and cold winter zone during winter

Abstract

Preschool children have different thermal characteristic from adults, while research on their thermal comfort within kindergartens remains scarce. This study conducted a survey among 205 children aged 4–6 years and 25 teachers in China, yielding a total of 6441 records. Although the survey area with most indoor temperatures falling below the comfort zone, a significant portion of the survey sessions in class (52 %) reported hot dissatisfaction. Children reported more hot sensations than adults, with almost no cold sensations reported. The mean Thermal Sensation (MTS) of children remained above the neutral point across the surveyed temperature range. The analysis suggests that a primary cause of children's discomfort is over-clothing. The average level of the investigated children’s clothing insulation was 1.78 clo, which was 0.19 clo more than that of the adults in the same environment, equivalent to adding a vest and a T-shirt. Moreover, the children have limited initiative to adjust their clothing. The excessive clothing likely stems from parental overconcern for cold environment, which leading to preventative dressing. Among the surveyed children, those wearing less clothing exhibited better thermal comfort status, underscoring the unnecessity of excessive clothing.