| Urban waterfront slow space plays a significant role in the urban green space system and ecological infrastructure,as it serves as an effective regulator of the urban climate.Such as mitigating the "heat island effect," creating a "cold island effect," and facilitating natural ventilation,all of which contribute to improving the thermal environment of urban areas.Furthermore,urban waterfront slow space serves as an essential agent for environmental purification,capable of absorbing harmful gases,purifying air and water,and safeguarding the urban ecosystem,thus enhancing the ecological quality of the city.In addition to its environmental benefits,urban waterfront slow space provides a venue for cultural education,recreation,relaxation,and sports activities for citizens.Such activities promote physical and mental well-being and foster social interactions.Furthermore,by embellishing the urban landscape and augmenting the happiness of residents,it contributes to the enhancement of the overall urban living space.Currently,the design of urban waterfront slow space,both domestically and internationally,primarily focuses on traffic and landscape,while the direct physical and mental experience of the thermal environment within such spaces has received insufficient attention.Although numerous studies have been conducted on indoor and outdoor thermal environments,research on the combination of waterfront slow space and thermal environment remains limited,which is a key factor hindering the scientific and rational design of such spaces.Tourists,who are the primary beneficiaries of waterfront slow space and thermal comfort research,can be classified into male and female groups,and their shared needs and individual differences are essential factors for improving the research on the thermal environment.While the study of the thermal environment encompasses factors such as micro-climate parameters,sky visibility,thermal comfort,and thermal acceptability,there is little research on the relationship between gender-based factors and the thermal environment.This paper focuses on the Xianghu Eco-cultural Park in Zhengzhou City,Henan Province,using measured data and questionnaire surveys as the primary data sources.This study focuses on the Xianghu Ecological and Cultural Park in Zhengzhou City,Henan Province as the research area,using a combination of field measurements and questionnaire surveys as the data source to explore the interaction mechanisms and pathways between thermal sensation,thermal expectations,environmental perception,and thermal comfort in urban waterfront pedestrian spaces from both male and female perspectives.Based on the findings,this study proposes strategies and guidelines for optimizing the thermal environment of waterfront pedestrian spaces.The main conclusions of this study are as follows:(1)Subjective thermal sensation researchDrawing upon both subjective perceptions and measured data of air temperature,relative humidity,and wind speed,it is evident that the human population is most responsive to changes in temperature,followed by wind,and least responsive to humidity.(1)Measurement points with a relatively large temperature difference between morning and evening demonstrate significant fluctuations in respondents’ subjective temperature perceptions.Overall,however,respondents exhibit high consistency between their perceived air temperatures and actual measurements.In the current environment of high temperatures,males are more susceptible to discomfort compared to females.(2)At certain measurement points,there is a considerable difference in the perceived relative humidity between male and female respondents.Female respondents tend to perceive higher levels of humidity,while male respondents tend to perceive lower levels of humidity.(3)The subjective perception of wind speed among male and female respondents is typically quite similar at most measurement points.However,outliers in the perception of wind speed at a few points suggest that it is subject to substantial fluctuations due to environmental factors.(2)Analysis of the influence of thermal environment related factors from the perspective of gender(1)Environmental perception has a direct negative impact on thermal sensation and an indirect positive impact on thermal expectation,while also having a direct and indirect positive impact on thermal comfort.Thermal sensation has a direct negative impact on thermal comfort,and indirectly restricts thermal expectation.On the other hand,thermal comfort has a direct positive effect on thermal expectation,with females being more affected than males.(2)Green area has the greatest impact on environmental perception,with males being more affected than females.Temperature perception has the greatest impact on thermal sensation,with males being more affected than females.Expected temperature has the greatest impact on thermal expectation,with males being more affected than females.Comfort level has the greatest impact on thermal comfort,with females being more affected than males.(3)Optimization of thermal environment(1)Plant communities regulate thermal environment through different enclosure forms and spatial structures.On the one hand,in male-dominated spaces with equal conditions,considering that males are more sensitive to high temperatures than females and prefer private or semi-private spaces,various plant structures can be used.Using a combination of shade-dominant trees and shrubs/grasses in the middle and lower layers can effectively reduce air temperature in male spaces.On the other hand,in female-dominated spaces with equal conditions,considering that females are more sensitive to humidity than males,green hedges,small shrubs,and other landscape elements can be used to guide local airflow and create a suitable wind environment for females.At the same time,incorporating plants with good ecological value and creating natural layouts with diversity and seasonal changes is also crucial for creating natural leisure spaces preferred by females.Furthermore,it is necessary to consider the plant preferences of both males and females.Males tend to prefer autumn leaves and evergreen plants,while females tend to prefer flowers and shrubs.Therefore,appropriate plant combinations should be selected based on site characteristics and the needs of different gender groups to improve the thermal environment of the site.(2)Paving materials with different specific heats and reflectances have different effects on the thermal environment.Therefore,appropriate paving materials should be selected based on spatial usage requirements.For instance,replacing paving materials with high reflectivity can alleviate urban heat island effect.In male-dominated spaces with equal conditions,considering that males are more sensitive to high temperatures than females,different paving materials with good physical properties such as permeable concrete,permeable asphalt,basalt bricks,and cobblestones can be chosen for different activity areas.Paving with good permeability can effectively increase ground water penetration efficiency,accelerate the evaporation of ground water,and thus increase air humidity.In female-dominated spaces with equal conditions,considering that females are more sensitive to humidity than males,permeable paving materials such as gravel,permeable bricks,and wood can be chosen.The size of the paved area also affects the thermal environment.Additionally,appropriate paving forms should be selected according to different scenarios and needs.Commonly used paving forms include point,line,and surface.In male-dominated spaces,single straight-line paving can be broken up to increase spatial interest.In female-dominated spaces,comb-shaped hard and soft paving boundaries can be used to increase permeation effects,which can affect the thermal environment.In planning and designing urban slow-walking waterfront spaces,suitable paving forms and materials should be selected based on different spatial usage requirements and environmental conditions to achieve optimal thermal comfort.Furthermore,there are psychological differences in how males and females perceive paving design.Therefore,paving design should be reasonably matched based on user needs and environmental characteristics to create suitable activity spaces and comfortable environments.(3)Different features of waterfront spaces have varying impacts on the urban heat island effect,and their spatial relationship with water bodies needs to be fully considered in the design process.Hard water-land boundaries are prone to forming heat islands,which have a more significant impact on the subjective temperature perceptions of males.Vegetation in natural water-land boundaries can absorb solar radiation,create a cool environment,and increase humidity,which has a positive impact on the thermal comfort of both males and females.When designing waterfront spaces,the needs and preferences of different gender groups should be taken into account to provide a comfortable thermal environment.Additionally,for male-preferred waterfront space designs,more attention should be paid to aesthetics and spatial perception.For example,extending wooden platforms can provide a more open spatial feeling.For female-preferred waterfront space designs,more attention should be paid to natural and ecological environments.The use of natural water-land boundaries and aquatic plants can improve female comfort.This study was conducted in the Zhengzhou area to reveal the mechanisms and pathways of the thermal environment-related factors in urban waterfront walkways from the perspectives of males and females.The study provides a comprehensive perspective on thermal environment-related factors and verifies the results,proposing gender-based thermal environment optimization strategies.The findings of this research offer basic information and references for the construction and optimization of thermal environment spaces for different genders.Thus,the research holds both theoretical and practical significance in enhancing the quality and utilization of urban waterfront walkways. |
