Indoor thermal environment of traditional Chinese wooden residential buildings: A case study in Guizhou, China

This study investigates the indoor thermal environment of traditional Chinese wooden residential buildings in Guizhou Province through in-situ testing of an actual building. Comprehensive analyses were conducted on seasonal temperature variations, including summer and winter indoor temperature curves, temperature distribution characteristics, and infrared thermal images. Finally, a validated simulation model was developed to assess the indoor thermal comfort performance of the building. The research results demonstrate that indoor temperature curves were significantly impacted by solar radiation. During summer, east side rooms display rapid temperature increases in early morning hours due to direct solar exposure. Also, a distinct vertical temperature gradient emerges, with temperatures increasing as the floor level rises. In winter, east side rooms maintain comparatively higher indoor temperatures. The intermediate floors exhibit optimal thermal performance, a phenomenon attributable to the thermal buffering effect created by the ground floor and attic spaces. Analysis of infrared thermal images revealed that aluminum alloy window frames exhibited the most significant temperature fluctuations, confirming their role as a critical pathway for heat transfer between indoors and outdoors. Furthermore, thermal comfort assessments demonstrated suboptimal indoor thermal comfort in traditional Chinese wooden residential buildings during both summer and winter. • An in-situ thermal environment investigation was conducted on an actual wooden residential building. • The vertical and horizontal spatial temperature gradients in the measured building were revealed. • The indoor thermal comfort of the measured building was quantified for both summer and winter.